Welcoming Uncertainty

You can’t always get what you want, but sometimes you get what you need. Jagger was right. No arguing that. We often are so sure about what we want and then disappointed when we don’t get it. At a later point in life, we are often surprised to realize that we actually got something else we really needed. We just didn’t know it at the time. Has that happened to you? Was it better than what you wanted in the first place? Did you learn something valuable in the process?

Maybe it was your first love; the one that was surely supposed to be your future spouse. Or perhaps your first college roommate. Was it the first time you left home to live on your own? It could even be something that seemed really negative, like falling and breaking a bone. Or something super positive, like experiencing childbirth. No matter what, we can learn a lot when things don’t go as expected.

One thing I’ve learned is to trust that things will work out as they’re meant to. You do what you can to influence the process and hope to see that desired outcome, but the truth is – anything can happen. You might as well be ready for a change of plans because chances are, things will be a bit different than expected.

How can we practice this thinking on a smaller scale or a daily basis? What can you do to help yourself accept uncertainty and change? Can you become more comfortable with this subject so that it causes you less stress? I hope so!

Today I am making bread. I love making bread! You don’t need many ingredients and they don’t cost much. It doesn’t take a lot thought, just some time and the outcome is always tasty. All kinds of factors can influence how your bread comes out: changing flours, how warm the house is, the amount of time it rises, how well it’s kneaded and even humidity! No matter how hard you try, no two loaves will come out exactly the same. So, don’t worry about it! They will always look a little different.  I’m ok with that now and I can honestly say the folks who eat my bread, never complain that it doesn’t look perfect.

I can now admit that it’s actually kind of exciting – not knowing how things will turn out. My suggestion for you? Just find some enjoyment in the process and know that in the end, it will be ok.