Have you ever been stuck in a place where you just feel out of sorts? You’re anxious, on the verge of worry, and you cannot pinpoint why, or you know why and you’re not yet ready or in a position to work with the elephant in the room. Well, I have been there all week and although I am not ready to share why I’d like to share what is helping me get back to center, even though there is nothing I can do to make my world okay today.

  My first step was to talk with my closest friends, ones that are not also in a space of uncertainty, and it helped. For the moment it was okay that there was nothing I could do about the elephant in the room. Knowing how much they are there for me made me feel better…until it didn’t. Talking was not going to get me unstuck. 

  Sitting with the reality that there is nothing I can do to alleviate the reason I am afraid took me straight back to worry. Thoughts with no answers. Battling myself to remain positive. Questions and what ifs racing. A friend helped me understand that what I needed was to slow down. Letting my fear run away with me would only make things worse. 

  By praying for all who are in this with me my thoughts began to quiet. Meditating let the what ifs move across my mind and out of my heart. I began to realize that worries are not facts and there is nothing I can do with the unknown. I can only pray and trust that as the facts appear, whatever they may be, we will be okay. We will be better than okay because we are going through this together.

  Still, I needed to do something. I could not just wait for the facts. Waiting was giving me too much time to worry. So I started analyzing all the little things in my world that are out of sorts that I could do something about. I realized that the most important thing I needed to do was write this column, but I couldn’t.

  My mind was a complete block. Then I remembered a piece of advice I read in God Never Blinks: 50 Lessons for Life's Little Detours by Regina Brett. Regina’s second lesson is “When in doubt, do the next right thing” and remember it is usually something small.

  I realized that sitting down to write was too big a step. I sat with: What is the next small step I can take that will let the words I need to write flow? Instantly I looked around my house and saw all the clutter that I have let accumulate into little messes and I began to clean.

  I was still not sure how a good cleaning was going to help me write, but I was positive it was the next right thing to keep me unstuck from fear. It worked. My house is spotless and the words I needed to write have flown onto the page.

  Thank you so much for reading them. I hope they help you find your next right thing. Even though you do not know why my world is out of sorts I hope you will add a prayer or a thought for us today, and that you will let us know if we can add one for you. Please give me a ring at 781-331-5308 or, if you prefer, email me at kristan@mooneytunco.com.