UNPREDICTABILITY
Whether it is contracting COVID for a second time when you had been so careful about looking after yourself; or dealing with much higher mortgage payments due to interest rate hikes; or having to take a circuitous route to travel interstate or overseas, with long waits between fights and last minute flight cancellations; or watching the disturbing news about the volatile situation in the Ukraine – it is possible to be filled with frustration, anxiety, depression or despair about the world we live in. Sure there has always been turbulence in the world, as some people would say: however, this seems to be more widespread and more frequent in in the last 2-3 years.
As a Psychologist I’m aware that this unrelenting sense of upheaval seems to be taking its toll on people’s mental health – and is using up a lot of our stores of adaptive energy, leaving many of us tired and easily drained.
However, I am also aware that many writers and sages challenge us to be aware of the opportunities provided by unpredictability in daily life. From the catch cry of ‘Crisis is an opportunity’ to the claim that uncertainty is the real truth of life and that security is an illusion – something we create in our belief systems – they alert us to the growth, peace and inner stability that comes from embracing unpredictability as a trigger for personal and spiritual development.
When we take this as an invitation, the lens of our focus turns inwards to the core of who we are and certain questions start to arise - what do I value in life; what do I choose now, that is nourishing and supportive for me; what false beliefs such as not good enough or people pleasing – am I ready to shed; what joy and love is available in each moment – to list a few.
These are some of the things I have been reflecting on since working from home, with the advent of COVID. These are some of the things I now bring to my sessions with people, as I continue to work from home and also commence some sessions back in the Centre.
Elizabeth Salna
If you would like to read more about Elizabeth Salna, Clinical Psychologist, please click on this link.
