Show up to Uncertainty

In Manila, it is Friday the 13th. To the compliant and cooperative, it is the 13th day of our community quarantine. It seems like the days have become longer and there’s a profound level of uncertainty inside me that I have to dig a bit deeper to see through the next couple of days as we reach the fourteen days community quarantine milestone.

When we are unsure, it is very hard to take action. We vacillate, we stall, and we end up doing nothing. It seems like we are waiting for others to act on our behalf, then we consider following their lead. We disengage actively or passively. This wait-and-see mode feels very tiresome and stressful.

We have it in us to SHOW UP better to all these uncertainties with oxytocin–our connection and empathy hormone.

Judith E. Glaser in our C-IQ training, reminds us: “Oxytocin helps us overcome the natural aversion to uncertainty and activates our willingness to take action, do new tasks, learn new things, reach out to unfamiliar social connections.”

Whether at home or online with your household or family members, as we observe “physical distancing,” try these actions today to get a larger fix of oxytocin:

• Find people to connect with (siblings/family members/relatives who were always there but we never had time for)

• Connect with them openly about what is tough for you, your aspirations for the future. Share in the questions without diminishing each other. Listen to connect.

Test your assumptions by reconnecting with them openly. Rebuild connections now.