When You Don’t Know What To Do Just Do The Next Right Thing

INSIDE: Sometimes life is so messy, so painful, or so scary and we don’t see our way forward. When you don’t know what to do, take one small step and just do the next right thing.

When you’re hurting or in a dark and scary space, just do the next right thing. When you aren’t sure how you’ll recover or come up for air again, and you can’t see your way forward, just do the next right thing in front of you.

Breathe.

Hug your partner.

Laugh with your child.

Practice gratitude.

Savor your coffee.

Remember to eat.

Accept help.

Drink water.

Don’t quit.

Go to bed.

Text your sister.

Challenge fear.

Go out for a walk.

Refuse to wear shame.

Just do the next right thing.

Get out of bed for your kids.

Keep asking for help even though it’s hard.

Inhale the gorgeous scent of spring blossoms.

Spend some time outside on the grass, bare toed.

Advocate stubbornly when people aren’t listening.

Put in a load of laundry. Do the dishes. Pack lunches.

Release judgment of yourself over and over and over.

When you don’t know what to do just do the next right thing.

Watch Netflix and laugh or cry your way through a box of Kleenex.

Ask someone over. It’s OK that you don’t want to be alone right now.

Even though you are hurting, offer the bit of light you have to another.

Ask for help – from a coach, psychologist, doctor. Whoever you can access.

Challenge your thoughts – your thoughts can drown you if you’re not careful.

Allow yourself to grieve without judgment. Even if it scares you, we need to grieve.

Pull your brain back when it goes to the future. Right now it’s OK to focus on today.

Remember that you have what it takes to survive this and there is good yet to come.

Write or paint or dance – even if it’s hard and your creative efforts are lacklustre. Do it anyway.

Borrow a novel from the library. And if you can’t concentrate right now return to Netflix, guilt-free.

Unclench your jaw. Roll your shoulders back. Loosen your grip – not everything is in your control.

Feel deeply without numbing the full, raw truth of your life at the moment.

Release your grip on what was to make peace with where you are today.

Remember that you cannot choose for another but you can keep living.

Play music – music that is hopeful and reminds you to trust.

Be honest about your pain. You have nothing to prove.

Scan for beauty and choose joy.

Take a shower. Brush your teeth.

Don’t apologize for your anger.

Just do the next right thing.

Speak kindly to yourself.

Make a pot of soup.

Sit in the sunshine.

Plant new flowers.

Forgive yourself.

Pick yourself up.

One small step.

And another.

Krista xo

NOW WHAT? Resilience is the ability to successfully adapt or rebound following adversity or potentially traumatic life events or circumstances. As Sheryl Sandberg writes in Option B, “resilience is not a fixed personality trait. It’s a lifelong project.” We can consciously work to build resilience pro-actively, but resilience is also forged in the fire. One of my favourite spaces and ways to connect and foster positive growth and becoming is inside the Brave & Beautiful Community. Folks on my email list hear first when doors open.