Discovering Yourself in Uncertainty

Where does this path lead to?”

A couple asks me as they pass by. It seems like they looked at the foreboding pathway and decided to turn back.

“I have no idea.” I said as I was walking in the direction of the path they were talking about. I was in some forest walkway in the state of New Jersey.

That pretty much sums up my trip to the United States. I basically got lost on the roads daily. Without a GPS and sometimes even without maps, I was really just groping in the dark in this foreign land.
The most ‘tramautic’ incident for me was to enter Maryland (north of Washington D.C) blind.

I was looking for a particular accomodation in Maryland; I had the address, but I had totally no idea where I was, or how I was going to find it. The cars were merciless; they would honk at you for being slow. Besides that, it was getting really dark ( the streets were not well lit) and it was raining as well. What’s more, I didn’t even have the map for Maryland!

Sounds like a total receipe for a disaster.

I was on the expressway, SOME expressway which I only knew was bringing me northward; I had zero clue about my whereabouts and I simply took an exit which I had hoped would bring me to Maryland.

But in getting lost, I really learnt alot about myself. As I did alot of self-talk in the car, I was trying to stay postive despite all the frustration. I began to see the way I managed unfavorable events and how I framed my mind to keep everything upbeat. I tried not to let fear and worry get the better of me, and thankfully I succeeded.

Well eventually after asking one person on the street, one security guard in a shopping mall who brought me into his office, I managed to get directions to the accomodation.

This short little misadventure really taught me something. Sometimes when we’re too comfortable in our routines, we don’t get to see ourselves in different situations; we don’t see ourselves when we’re fearful, or worrying, or afraid.

Go do something sponatenous maybe, something unplanned.

Are you someone who’s a worrier?
Do you keep yourself optimistic in uncertain times?
How do you deal with situations which are out of your control?

When you catch yourself in a situation where you’re not prepared for; that’s when you’ll discover that little more about yourself!