Facing the Uncertain - 4 Questions to Consider

Dear Friend,   "For as he thinketh in his heart, so is he." Proverbs 23:7    As I write this article we've had a wild week - make that a wild month - in the financial markets. The Dow Jones industrial average was up 936 points or 10% on Monday and down 733 points or 8% on Wednesday - where does this leave us? The real answer to this question is it depends upon how we deal with uncertainty.  Ultimately, not one of us has any control over how the market is going to perform. It may go up - it may go down. We must resolve to make the best financial plans possible and prepare ourselves mentally for the uncertainty. Preparing ourselves for uncertainty with respect to the market has parallels for all areas of our life. I'm suggesting that in the face of ambiguity we can spend so much time and energy worrying about what might be in the future that we forget what is today. When we are overcome with anxiety we lack the presence to appreciate the present.  There is a difference between planning for the future and worrying about the future. Take your health, for example, you can eat healthy, exercise, sleep, reduce stress, laugh, and visit the doctor - that is planning. We must take positive actions and allow these actions to allay our worries. Do you know that over 85% of the population is worried about something? Worrying keeps us from enjoying life. In fact, worrying is just wasted energy. A study in Clinical Psychology & Psychotherapy found that 85 percent of the things we worry about never occur! The question then becomes how can we stop worrying - I suggest the answer is preparation. Let's consider four questions that may help us prepare or deal with uncertain times. What choices can I make today to empower me? What are the sources of strength, the positives, in my life? What are the unchanging certainties in my life? (Full moon every month, sun rising, flowers bloom,) What can I do today to prepare for: Family's wellbeing, physical health, financial health, physical healthy, career, spiritual health? Each of us has many blessings, counting them in uncertain times can help to shift your perspective.   Take Action Challenge:   The next time you feel scared or uncertain take a look at these four questions and see if they add some perspective to your life. Take action where worrying is a substitution for planning. When you've planned - accept that you've prepared, stop worrying, and rejoice!