It’s Going to Be Ok

Navigating Uncertainty and Finding Resilience in Challenging Times

Writer and personal friend Seja Brumley joins us again to share how quieting the mind and being present helps connect to our souls and recover peace. Seja writes:

The same memory resurfaces every year around this time—spring turning into summer. Despite the nostalgic details that may give away my age, at 47, I embrace the fact that I'm still here on Earth, grateful that I can sit and stand without assistance.

In 1995, I was finishing my freshman year at Indiana University, with much riding on the outcome of this semester. I anxiously awaited my statistics grade, hoping to avoid retaking the class and gain admission into the business program. Driving from Bloomington to South Bend for summer break, I repeatedly called the grade phone line on my flip phone. Miraculously, I received a C in statistics, avoiding a retake and securing my spot in the business school.

Why am I recounting this now? Because many individuals, at different stages of life, find themselves in similar situations. Whether it's finals week for high school students, a crucial job interview, or any major life event, stress levels run high. We often place excessive pressure on a single instance, believing it will determine our future and overall well-being.

As I write this, I sit in a workshop on the farm where I live and work as a metalsmith. As a university business student, I never imagined this would be my life. Back then, I pictured more suits and high heels, not overalls and hiking boots. My 18-year-old self could never have foreseen my current reality, almost 30 years later.

What my younger self excelled at was envisioning the worst possible outcomes of not being admitted into the business school—ranging from poverty to homelessness.

Here's my point for those who may find themselves in a similar place in life: It's going to be okay. Your math final won't determine your entire adult livelihood. The job presentation you're stressing over won't be a matter of life or death. Even if you choose to forgo graduate school and take a job instead, your life will turn out just fine (I can vouch for this). We tend to inflate the potential outcomes of events and decisions. Our minds love to categorize everything as either good or bad, but the truth is, we can't truly know what the future holds or who we'll become 20 years from now.

Let me be clear—I'm not suggesting you shouldn't apply yourself and work hard during these pivotal life events. Rather, I encourage you not to fear that everything hinges on this one moment. Don't stress about how a C grade will shatter your future dreams or how not getting a particular job will halt your upward mobility. Instead, approach these events with curiosity. Embrace an attitude of "what better opportunities (jobs, new cities, life paths) will come my way if what I hope for doesn't happen?"

Your beautiful life will take countless twists and turns, offering events, relationships, and milestones beyond your wildest dreams. Don't confine yourself to the fear of what could happen if things go awry. Instead, release as much of the stress as possible, give your best effort, and move forward. I promise it will work out—most likely better than you can even imagine.

Peace,

Seja