Embracing Change and Uncertainty

Yes, you are definitely not the only one, and it’s very common. Sometimes I also wish I knew everything about changes to come. Sometimes I don’t feel comfortable with uncertainty. As humans, we tend to crave information and find it very rewarding. Our brains try to protect us by constantly predicting what might happen in order to prepare our body in the best way it knows how. That’s why we usually feel uncomfortable when we don’t know what’s next. Changes can be a difficulty we experience at least once in our lives. Thankfully, there are several ways in life to embrace the change and uncertainty. Especially in today’s society, it is something we have been experiencing pretty often.

At one point in my life, I had to realize that there would always be uncertainty and an unknown, so I figured out how to find beauty in the mysteries of our life. I have a strong passion for art and small details, so I began to look at life as if it was a blank canvas. One of my favorite parts of starting a painting has to be the endless opportunities that are possible. I’m a firm believer in what’s meant for me is waiting for me and everything happens for a reason. I will admit, it took me a while to learn this, but we can’t learn everything all at once. Something I’ve always had a love/ hate relationship with was moving a lot as a child, but it is something I am very proud of today. My family and I moved from Africa to the United States at such a young age; It has definitely played a huge part in who I am as a person. That was definitely one massive shift I have experienced, at such a young age, that started my comfortability with change and uncertainty.

It’s important to remember that change and uncertainty can impact us at any moment in our daily lives. When we experience uncertainty, this turns into feelings of anxiety and stress for different aspects of our lives, but there are ways to manage it. We shouldn’t resist our feelings and emotions when change does occur, but we should take the time to understand and feel them. We can benefit by learning, growing, and feeling better as people. Embracing change can help us become adaptable and flexible. This in turn helps us deal with change easier than before and helps us advance. We are open to opportunities we have never thought to be imaginable. The world is ours and we shall takeover and make a positive change.

At the age of 21, I had a realization one day that I truly don’t know what’s next, but I certainly have an idea and big dreams. I began thinking about how many different occurrences I’ve lived through and realized that I never could have guessed how life would have played out. I know that someone may be reading this and could relate to what I have to say, but have you ever just thought about different ages within your life and wondered what’s to come? Have you ever missed your old self or felt nervous for your future self? Have you also had moments where you get intensely excited about your future? If you said yes to any of these, I’m right there with you.

I think it is very interesting, because we tend not to live in the moment and worry a lot about the future and tomorrow. The reason I say that is because when we mourn our past selves, we are stuck in the past. You know what they all say….you can’t let your past rob you of your future. At least that’s what I’ve heard.

I’ve had several different times where I would find myself stuck on the past versions of myself and I don’t stop to think about how she has elevated into my current self. And guess what? It’s gonna keep happening like that. For our own peace of mind, we deserve to love ourselves and live freely day in and day out.

With that being said, sometimes in our lives we need to experience redirection and realize that we don’t have control over every portion of our lives. We might know what happened at the end of the day, but we are still wondering what tomorrow has to offer us. We can either look at it and think of the beauty the world has to offer, or spend our time worrying about whether or not it goes our way. Don’t get me wrong, sometimes we will still wonder and ponder on these thoughts, it’s inevitable. We just need to remember not to sink in our thoughts, we have to hold onto them and take them for what they are.

In our life, we are going to continuously face challenges and blocks in the road, but everything that happens, is for a reason. Everything that we live and go through teaches us something, whether we see it as good or bad. I encourage you to think about your mindset when it comes to change or redirection. Look at it from a blank canvas perspective instead of a black and white picture. Our brain is consistently trying to protect us, but some thoughts we have may be untrue or an accurate representation of what’s currently happening.

There are many benefits to facing change, starting with getting pushed out of your comfort zone and facing personal growth. We wouldn’t know half of the things we are capable of, if we weren’t forced to be uncomfortable. Being placed in uncertainty helps us overcome challenges, become stronger, and thrive during unexpected situations. We are placed in a situation where we might need to problem solve and this brings out our creativity and innovative solutions. It can be difficult to go through change, but sometimes we don’t know the beauty behind our new blessings. Sometimes surprises get us out of our regular daily routines and bring excitement and anticipation.

To end this off, I want to share a quote said by motivational speaker Brian Tracy, that has gotten me a long way, “You can only grow if you are willing to feel awkward and uncomfortable when you try something new.” When we are young, it seems to be a lot easier to try new things or face new situations. For example, learning a new sport, attending a new school, or making new friends. As we get older, sometimes we have to tell ourselves “get comfortable being uncomfortable.” You will never know if you can accomplish something without trying first and if you are willing to feel awkward or uncomfortable, you will go a long way. In the past year, I have started a new job, painted on different mediums, moved to a new city, and so much more. This happened all because I pushed myself out of my comfort zone, allowed myself to feel uncomfortable, and looked at change through a blank canvas. You might not know what’s on the other side, but it is amazing to think of all the opportunities that lie in front of you. I’m rooting for you and I believe in you. Last but not least, sometimes a ‘no’ is your chance to wait for a ‘better yes’.