When In Doubt-Relax and Ride The Wave

With so many American's unemployed, the unknown that the future holds is sometimes a bit frightening.  Peering over the edge of your life and not being able to see what's in store can become an obsession of sorts.  It can bring on feelings of helplessness, confusion and loss of control.  Yet the need to constantly be on the lookout both in front of and behind you, and wondering how deep the waters are that you are in, can send your mind into an endless cycle not unlike the daily hamster wheel that many corporations encourage us to remain on.  Run, run, run.....keep up, keep running, you're getting behind.  And if you get behind, your wheel will flip you right over backwards.  And honestly, who knows what that might feel like.  Darn scary, so let's keep running.

Not knowing what's on the horizon or even which way to turn is like being lost at sea, disoriented and without radar.  The sensation of smallness is overwhelming and the anxiety immobilizing.  We are so accustomed to having a daily focus and knowing what the plan is for that day that when faced with the void of the unknown and freedom to choose, we panic.

The best thing to do when faced with the feelings of fright that we all may be feeling is to embrace them.  Rather than spend time looking over the rail of your life and wondering how much water you could potentially take on, just go with it.  Lean into what scares you, relax, take a breath and adjust your sails. 

Life is as unpredictable as the sea.  The waters that are smooth as ice can radically change with the shift of the wind. Your boat can keel over and the spray can come at you in the gallons.  But rather than panic and hold on for dear life, screaming where no one can hear you, take a look at your sails.  The wind may be coming so fast and the waters so rough that it's best to just take them down for a bit, hunker down and ride out the wave. After all, we are built to remain quite stable on the roughest of seas. Relax.  Smooth sailing is just ahead.