Riding the Wave of Uncertainty: tools & techniques for times of change
Part 1: Create Clarity
Uncertainty and disruption have become a huge part of our working lives during lockdown. We may have experienced huge disappointment and distress in the past weeks as we’ve been forced, at best; to pivot rapidly or shift our expectations of what’s achievable, or at worst; watch business dwindle and clients or contracts fall away.
Many of us thrive on being focussed and purposeful in work, and the workplace is often where we source our sense of belonging. Our self esteem and our identity are bound up with our place in the team and what we accomplish together. Or, if we work solo; in the service we provide, and the clients, partnerships and contracts we have built up. We feel good about ourselves when we are productive.
The emotions that are coming up for us now may be complex, fluctuating and difficult to navigate. On top of the impact of the pandemic itself for ourselves and our loved ones, lockdown likely also means a sudden loss of the anchors usually provided by work. We may feel raw and fearful, and if we’re used to sourcing self-esteem through our ‘on it’-ness and productivity - we might be feeling less good about ourselves in this more vulnerable state, and wish to replace it as quickly as possible with repurposed action.
Space to feel (and loose your sh&t!)
People often displace difficult emotions through distraction. Addictions - busy-ness, shopping, food, drinking, dating, TV etc - we can all find ways to avoid the intensity of our emotions. However the emotions tend to surface anyway, which can often lead to irrational responses and conflict.
Before you get back to being busy - I invite you to consciously gift yourself the space to be with you. Can you make time to ride the wave of the emotions coming up for you - perhaps grief, fear, disappointment, frustration, excitement? Can you give yourself a few hours or even days to stop? And if this lull period includes the odd netflix binge or bottle of wine, maybe allow yourself that too.
For many, you’re also likely to have family and other responsibilities to juggle, and at this point managing these may be taking up the majority of your time. I invite you if you can to carve out a little space for yourself, or as a share with your trusted connections, to be with all the emotions that these huge changes are throwing up for you.
By tuning in to what we are feeling and allowing emotions to roll through rather than suppressing them, we prepare ourselves to return to purposefulness from a stronger and more balanced foundation.
A simple and supportive practice
The invitation is to begin gently. Start each day by asking yourself three questions. Every morning soon after waking, tune in to respond to these questions and write down the answers. You can return to your answers during the day or even ask yourself the questions again at another pivotal point in the day.
Create a journal especially for this practice. Take you time, take a deep breath and answer:
How am I feeling?
What is currently most important to me?
How do I want to be, today?
These simple yet powerful questions process emotion and support you to move into a space of perspective and clarity.
Having recommended this practice to hundreds of my clients, I’ve seen how it makes a difference and enables people to start each day from a warmed-up, fulfilled and tuned-in space that helps them remain aligned with what is most important to them and how they want to be.