Normalize the Journey: Navigating Uncertainty and the Unknown

2020 has been a year unlike any we’ve ever seen. Talk about change, uncertainty, and fear of the unknown! Whew!

But can we please normalize the journey?

Navigating through this year, and its aftermath will be a process. A journey is an act of traveling from one place to another. It’s the in-between that matters! So, can we make it okay for ourselves and others to take as much time as is required to process and figure it out?

Keep in mind as you read this post, there is no one way forward, there is a way forward. And it’s yours. The journey is personal and individual. It will look very different for each of us.

I would like to share my perspective on how to navigate this moment, but first, I need you to know that I don’t have all the answers. I have not arrived. I’m not sitting on my high horse looking down telling you to get on my level. I’m here in the trenches with you! I’m trying to figure it out too. But I do have some observations that will help you on your journey…

Find something to keep you grounded.

Find that thing that plants your feet and grounds your spirit. You need gravity to secure you to the journey path. Otherwise, you’ll be out here floating around aimlessly with nothing to anchor you. Maybe it’s a dedicated day for family time, a hobby, or simply praying each morning.

Lean on your support system.

Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Lean on family, friends, church, support groups, or professionals. That’s what they’re there for. You are not superwoman/superman. Take the cape off! Confiding with others frees you to pursue your journey with fewer burdens and stress. Select people or organizations you can trust and lean on…

Give yourself permission to be vulnerable.

This is a MAJOR one because no one wants to be perceived as weak. But you’ve got to allow yourself to be vulnerable sometimes. Often, we are better about taking the slack granted by others, than giving ourselves a break. Vulnerability does not equate to weakness. On the contrary, it shows humility and speaks to the self-awareness that you need time and space to be human.

You may need to go one step further and verbally communicate that you need this. Don’t assume that people will just “get it”. Tell them what you need. Be open and honest about where you are mentally and emotionally.

Document your journey.

I find that there are two kinds of people in this world: those with more Home Goods journals than they know what to do with, and the people that laugh at those people. Journaling is not for everyone but it’s important you find some way to take stock, take inventory, and track your progress. Think out the box and record video clips. Just do something to document where you started so you can reference back, course correct, abandon if needed, and celebrate your arrival at the next destination. Remember, the journey is not final—it is ever-evolving.

Don’t get stuck in the weeds.

This is marketing speak for, getting caught up in the little details that you lose sight of the big picture. Routines, tasks, to-do lists, kids, husbands, wives, parents, go, go, go…work, work, work all divert you from arriving at your next stop in the journey. Yes, things have to get done, we need to perform every-day functions to survive but don’t let those distract you and get you stuck in a rut.

Process, plan, and move.

I have to credit this statement to an MG Live viewer who put it so appropriately. Give yourself time to process. Again, this thing is personal! How you process, is how you process. That’s not for anyone else to dictate. If you need to time grieve, time to educate yourself, time to press pause, time to redistribute responsibilities, time to sit in silence, time to forgive yourself, time to heal, time to be alone, time to say no…take it!

Now, once you’ve processed, it’s time to come up with a strategic plan that progresses you forward. If you can only handle how to navigate through tomorrow, do that, but do it well. Be purposeful, be thoughtful. Set effective goals whether it’s for one week or 6 months.