(This is a little departure from our normal post, but one that offers practical approaches to lessen the stresses you may be experiencing right now.)

The Light is Coming

During unsettled times it is easy to wonder, is there light at the end of the tunnel?  Well, there is, and it will be here sooner than it seems.

Experience with Uncertainty

With that said, my years of being stationed overseas have given me a little experience with uncertainty.

Most of my time in the Navy was spent in various countries in Asia, Europe as well as deployments to the Arabian Gulf in the Middle East. 

A Spiritual Sojourn, And…

This provided a wonderful opportunity for spiritual exploration, especially in the Pacific rim countries – the home of Buddhism, Hinduism, and a few other eastern religions!  It was as an all-expenses-paid spiritual exploration!

There were also a few downsides.

Different Cultures, Unknown Rules

The Pacific rim countries, and other regions, often presented situations where the culture and laws we knew weren’t necessarily the culture of the laws of our host country.  Although we were given host-country indoctrination training, things could still happen.

In fact, it was easy to get into a bit of trouble when we were uncertain of whether some normal activity was allowed for us or off-limits.  In some parts of the world, a violation of a cultural norm can be as big a deal as actually breaking one of the country’s laws.

Cultural Rules are Almost Like Laws

For example, in some Islamic countries, showing the bottoms of one’s feet (shoes) to someone by the simple act of crossing our legs is considered a major insult.  Yet, it is something the average person in the western world wouldn’t think twice about.

Although these turbulent times are not of the same magnitude as my experiences, they do have some commonality.

Predictability & Knowing the “Rules”

Knowing the “rules” and having predictability in our schedule, social conventions, etc., provide us with a sense of security.  We can feel that all is well.  We know what is expected of us and where the boundaries are for both acceptable and unacceptable behavior.

This keeps our life-vehicle comfortably cruising between ditches.

We feel that we are in control because we know the rules — and the rules, both personal and social, are stable.

Changes We Choose

Some instability or change is fine when it is something we are anticipating.  We can look forward to our new job, that exciting, sprouting relationship, a new car, the next season of our favorite shows on Netflix, Hulu, cable TV, etc. 

These are fun changes because we know when, where and how they are going to happen.  And, if we change our mind, we can choose to do something else.  Again, we are in control.

Unforeseen Changes

On the other hand, we do not look forward when things disrupt our life and daily routine, our normal extracurricular activities, our ability to do our job, or run our business.  This is especially true when many activities of our life are neither predicable nor within our direct control.

Something or someone else may be making decisions or creating “rules” and situations that dramatically affect the quality and stability of our life.

Change Management

So, what can we do to make things at least a little better?

We can manage the parts of our life and activities that we do have control over and keep them as stable as possible.  This is called Change Management.

Both the military and large corporations use change management when faced with major shifts or changes in their organization.  Those who do it well have far happier employees and much higher productivity than those who do not manage their transition, or change, adequately.  It can make the difference between smooth sailing and turmoil and frustration.

Both military and well-managed large companies (corporations) expend enormous resources when planning a transition, usually with extreme detail.  It could be a major deployment in the case of military, or manufacturing retooling, downsizing, or a move to a new geographic location in the case of a corporation, etc.

We Manage the Change, Change Doesn’t Manage Us

To the maximum extent possible, everyone from the CEO down to the part-time employees all know what, where, when and how the transition is going to happen in the big picture, the medium picture, down to their work unit.  Nothing is left to chance.

In the military, they have protocols and other procedures that lay out what to do in every circumstance.  If situation “A” happens, do protocol B.  If “C” happens, refer to procedure ABC, and so forth. 

Although there is still a certain amount of stress and tension, overall, everyone knows what to do because the organization spent time and resources developing the plan and training everyone in the details.

Manage Change, Reduce Stress and Uncertainty

During major periods of change for both the military or large organizations, everyone from high to low knows what, where and when the next step is going to happen and who is responsible for each task.  Each person has some predictability in an unpredictable situation.  All is well – at least somewhat well — which is far better than the alternative.

A Few Things That May Help

To the degree possible, we need to keep doing the same routines in our life.

Here are a few things that may help in both regular-life activities as well as a couple of simple and powerful spiritual techniques:

Financial Activities

• Finance and Budget:  Financial issues can cause marital discord in the best of times, even more so now.  Immediately remove all non-essential expenses while keeping core family activities and routines in place.  Now is the time to look into other career paths that may have been non-starters before, such as an e-business, etc.  Find ways to bring in extra money by selling those unwanted extra things on e-bay, consignment, etc.

Once we start thinking in new ways, amazing opportunities can appear where none were there before.

• If necessary (and, if it is even possible), move in with other family members or combine households with a close friend for the time-being.  It may not be ideal, but it can drastically reduce costs while combining efficiencies with utilities, food, commuting, etc., for both families.

• Do little things to improve each life situation.  Sometimes it feels like there is nothing we can do, so we do nothing and let activities we can control get worse.  Cumulatively, each little thing we do can help.

Combine wash loads to reduced water and detergent usage; cook meals instead of going out; turn down the house heat and turn off lights when not in use, etc.; reduce expenses by eliminating subscriptions, such as moving to a lesser cable plan, etc.  All of these extend the budget and makes each part of family life a little less stressful.

Simple Life Activities

• Keep things the same.  Although some factors will be out of our control, we should keep everything happening at the same time, the same way and at the same place each day.  As much as possible, mealtime, bedtime, house cleaning, etc., should all occur like normal.

This is especially important for small children and adolescents.  They need structure or they may act out

By keeping routines unchanged, we create stability for ourselves, our spouse and children, even our immediate community.

If we let things fall away, our sense of routine and life rhythm fade, which may leave us feeling as though we are immobilized, that life is controlling us, which isn’t exactly the case.

• Support one another, and avoid blame.  Spouses should positively and lovingly support one another.  Communicate to children that they will be fine.

Seeking to assign blame serves no one’s higher good.  The time for longer-term contingency planning will be there when things are back to normal.

Spiritual Activities

• Know that all things come to pass.  This time will pass and you and your family will be there on the other side it.

Emotionally, our Low Self and emotional baggage will make it feel like things will not be good again.  But they always do get better.

• Keep yourself energetically grounded.  Restricted grounding chakra energy flow is very common, and easily fixed.  Debra has a Grounding Chakra video exercise that takes only a few minutes.  It not only connects us with our higher guidance but opens our grounding chakra so we may release blocked negative energies to be dissolved by Mother Earth.

Our grounding chakra meters the flow of energy throughout the entire body’s energy system.  If it is blocked or restricted, it inhibits the proper clearing of all energies, especially negative emotions such as anger, sorrow, depression, and so on.

Doing this alone will help brighten your day and bring positive energies, events and people into your life.

• Use White Light.  After doing the Grounding Chakra exercise, imagine your car, your house, your children, et. al., each surrounded in a giant bubble of white light.  See white light pouring in from high above, from infinity, flowing down into the bubble of light surrounding your house, your car, your children, and so forth.  If you visualize, imagine, and intend it, the white light will be present.  It requires no belief on our part to work.  Just like electricity, it operates of its own nature.

White light is 10 to 100 times more powerful than the negative, dark energies of doubt, sorrow, anger, frustration, etc.  White light dissolves darkness.  When we use white light, we are invoking the power of the Christ Light, that crystalline energy of the Divine.

Unexpected Positive Changes

These few things can help increase the stability in our life.  The spiritual elements on the list make it easier for our higher guidance to bring forth positive changes into our life from when and where they may be least expected!