Let’s just say it: NOT KNOWING and WAITING freakin’ SUCKS! 🤬 If we were face to face and I knew you wouldn’t be offended, I would use different words, but let’s just leave it at that, for now, shall we? 😉
So why is waiting and not knowing so darn difficult? Well, because when we don’t know things, our brains are amazing at FILLING IN THE BLANKS. And since our brain has a tendency to be negative, it creates the WORST STORY IMAGINABLE which runs rampant through our head.
So, how do we calm our brain down so we can start telling ourselves a different story? Keep on reading 🙂
- BREATHE – Our brains actually believe we are relaxed when we take deep breaths. So taking a minute and breathing is incredibly helpful and actually, pretty simple. It slows down the panic and allows our brain to problem solve. If you want to learn more about Deep Breathing, you can read my post: Deep Breathing and 4 Simple Ways to Get it Done!
- Journal – I know this isn’t a favorite, but getting in touch with what you are thinking is really crucial….otherwise, you have (potentially) irrational thoughts running wild in your head and no way to manage them. (Think of a bunch of toddlers wreaking havoc in any small space….) Writing them down gets them out of your head so they lose a lot of their power and you can actually get a grip on what you are thinking once you see it. Don’t know where to start? I give you 4 Easy Ways to Integrate Journaling into Your Busy Life as well as offer you 31 Beginners Journal Prompts, if you need them!
- Challenge Your Thoughts – Yep, if you are wondering if I am telling you to argue with yourself, you’re right 🤣 Once you see your thoughts, you can ask: Is this actually even true? Why am I thinking this? Could I think something else instead? It helps you build a story based on facts rather than on your worries, concerns and even intense fears.
- Once you have calmed down, wrote down your thoughts and challenged them to see what is true, you can then begin to PROBLEM SOLVE. What will you need to do to get answers? Do you have any control over when the answer will come? If not, what do you do until you get the information? Plan for the stress, right? Can you set aside self-care time to be able to decompress? Can you schedule calls with friends to distract you? Is there a list of any tasks you can complete while you wait for the information, regardless of the news? Then: what happens when you get the information you have been waiting for? Can you plan things regardless which way it goes?
- If you haven’t noticed the pattern yet: the less stressed you are, the better you can handle waiting/not knowing. To help you reduce the stress in your life, download this FREE Quick Guide to Lowering Stress & Overwhelm! Managing and/or reducing your stress won’t happen overnight, but this guide helps you incorporate some simple habits (spoiler alert: they take 5 minutes or less!!) that pack a punch and make a lasting impact.
PLEASE NOTE: I am in no way saying that you should get comfortable with not knowing/waiting because it is truly awful, regardless of what you are waiting for. I just wanted to share a few tricks that may help take the edge off while you wait. Whatever the news or information you are waiting for….you’ve got this! 💪💗
