Let’s check in: I am writing this at 6:49 a.m. on November 4, 2020. It’s the day after the U.S. Presidential election. At the moment, the election is still undecided. And in America, more than 9.49 million people have the Coronavirus and 236,000 people have died from the virus. German, France, and the United Kingdom have all announced a second round of lockdown measures as the virus is spreading throughout Europe.

There’s lots of fear, anxiety, stress, and worry that people are struggling with. We’re living in an uncertain world.

There’s a lot that we don’t just know and there isn’t an easy way to sort out all the details.

People are afraid.

Add on top of all this, the struggle that people are going through with their own problems, and it’s not easy to deal with added problems of job loss and family struggles.

We are living in unprecedented times.

How are you feeling?

How are you handling the stress and the worry?

When facing great uncertainty, run through what you can control and what you can’t. You cannot change whether an alcoholic parent drinks or not. You cannot change whether people wear masks to stop the spread of the virus. And you cannot change the virus spreading through the country.

What can you control?

You can control your actions, whether you react to an event, or whether you make a decision to take care of yourself.

Uncertainty can feel scary and uncomfortable.

In times like these, think back on what healthy behaviors help you in times of stress.

Using drugs, alcohol, sex, food, or work as ways to numb yourself will not help you to overcome your problems.

Dig through your creative skills and focus on what you can do to help you deal with the stress.

If the news is stressing you out, turn it off. Take time to regroup and focus on how you can settle yourself and find calm.

I know that’s difficult to do. When I woke up in the middle of the night, I was stressed. But I went back to sleep and focused on controlling what I could: My own stress. The same is true for you.

We do not know what tomorrow will bring. We never did. But what we do know: We can take care of ourselves and be there for ourselves in times of stress.

Please, take the time for self-care. It’s critical now more than ever.

Like what you’ve read? Be sure to check out my other posts in my Let Go and Be Free blog.