I Will Figure It Out

“Do you have a plan?  No, but I’ll figure it out.”  “I figured he would not do it.”  “I didn’t figure that would happen.”  The term “figured” is used in everyday language and has several meanings.  It may be in your normal jargon without you realizing how many times you say it each day and in different situations.

You may be trying to figure out your life and why something happened.  You are attempting to make sense out of life and the tragedies and unexpected events.  It can be a continuous loop in your head – rehearsing what happened and the possible solutions and outcomes.   It feels like a mess, and you feel stuck and anxious in all the figuring. If this is what you are currently feeling, pause and take a mental break.  Pray.  Take a walk.  Do something physical to shift your focus for a moment.  Then ask yourself what your role or responsibility in the situation is.  Who can you ask to help sort it out?  Does a decision need to be made immediately?  Sometimes, giving your thoughts time, you discover a solution.  When you clear your mind for a moment of the intensity, you can think it out.

You figured it would happen.  You assumed the worst, and it came true.  Now what do you do?  You may live in assumptions and expectations of yourself, others, and life in general.  You try to understand the actions and behaviors of others.  You wonder why someone would say or do what you believe is wrong and not logical.  Your mind is processing and working through the reality that not everyone sees life as you see it.  You think the person will finally realize what to do to move forward on the right path of life.  You cannot solve how others deal with their life situations.  Everyone thinks differently.  To prevent frustration and anger, it is asking if the person would like assistance in processing and thinking through ideas to enhance life.  It is offering but being respectful if the offer is declined.  Pray for guidance.  Sometimes you need to release and let the person figure it out on their own.

You knew this would happen.  You expected it to turn out this way.  You had hoped it would be different, but it is not.  Let go of the anxiety and disappointment.  You cannot change it, so don’t take in the emotions of it.  Don’t take it out on those around you either.  Learn to let go.

“I figured” is also an acceptance that life happens and life is what it is.  You are living in reality and know good and bad things happen.  It does not need to devastate or defeat you.  Life goes on.  Now that it has happened, what are you going to do about it?  It is regrouping, accepting, learning from it, and moving forward.

Sometimes you have no plan, and you need to figure it out as you go.  You improvise.  You try it out.  Sometimes it works and you move forward.  Sometimes it doesn't work, and you learn from it.  When you figure it out as you go, you tend to live more in the present moment.

Go figure.  I figured you would understand.

Elaine J. Sturtz

Living In The Different