I was recently gifted with a whole bunch of free time. (Gory details here and here.)

A funny thing happened.

Life got bigger. And fuller. And funner. (With apparently no effect on my habit of making up words.)

Of course, there was a period where the cavernous opening in my life threatened to swallow me whole, so as to be never seen again.

That passed.

Then, my phone started ringing. Old and new friends appeared. I went on girl dates and boy dates. I brought together a group of women to ease the isolation of entrepreneurship. I vacuumed.

I started making better choices about feeding myself and my lethargy dissipated. My solid relationships got even stronger. My productivity soared. Things I had been avoiding for weeks (and months) suddenly became effortless. And even joyful.

I’ve spent several nights this week sleeping very little. Not because of sadness or worry, but because of delight, working on projects that kept my body moving, fingers tapping, and heart flying.

I woke up today, knowing that I’m down at least 15 hours of sleep for the week, and sprung out of bed, impatient to get to all the fabulous things my day has in store for me.

I am excited. Although incomplete as an explanation, it’s the best way for me to describe it.

I’ve studied this process from the physiological, psychological and spiritual perspectives. Extensively. It remains a mystery.

To unravel this illogical truth, I do what any good engineer would do. I write a formula:

Excitement = energy + desired uncertainty

The key to that equation, of course, is the ‘desired’ part. Uncertainty is embedded in every single piece of the human experience, but most of it brings us anxiety and stress. (One of my heroes wrote a book about it. Check it out here.) When the change is something we want (or expect) like a new job or a marriage proposal, it’s all yahoo’s and yippee’s. When it’s something unwanted, like, say… a breakup, it’s all boohoo’s and yikes!

All I have to do, I realize, is to reframe uncertainty so that it’s always desired. To do that, I have to concede that how I view the uncertainty (and hence my reaction to it) is a choice.

I did not choose the circumstances of my recent experience (although I could argue this one either way) but I certainly chose my reaction.

It’s a slap-on-the-side-of-the-head moment.

All our reactions are choices. Sometimes they are habits. Always, they are under our control. (That’s a tough one, I know.)

And again, I’m awed by the simplicity of awareness and the profound healing power of perspective. It only took a few ingredients, time being one of them, to get me from Mopey to Happy. (There might have been a bit of Grumpy and Sleepy as well, to continue the dwarf analogy.)

In case you’re currently in your own dark swamp, here’s Pascale’s recipe for excitement:

• Give your body a scrub. Us a dry brush before the shower or a washcloth when you’re wet. Exfoliate not only your dead skin cells but also your deadening state of mind.

• Jump. Use a trampoline if you have one, or just bust out a set of jumping jacks. It’s an immediate mood-changer.

• Eat good-for-you fats. Avocados, nuts and fatty fish are great choices. A spoonful of coconut oil or coconut milk. Full fat dairy (organic, of course) if you’re into that. It’s not a coincidence that we call unctuous foods ‘comfort foods’. Fat is the lubrication of your nervous system and can help move stuck feelings along. As with everything, moderation please.

• Go outside. Bundle up if it’s cold. Breathe, sit, skip or go find a really impressive tree and hug it. Realize the smallness of your problems in comparison to the grandness of the Universe. Realize the grandness of this life you’ve been gifted versus this momentary state of pain.

• Ask for help. Let the people who love you (and you know they’re out there) do their thing.

• Be kind. To yourself and others. Help a stranger (or a friend) and know that a new day is always just one sunrise away.

I like to think every time I go through the great ups-n-downs I get better. More skilled and graceful. Maybe I can admit that that is true.

I get closer to tossing away the attachment to judging events as wonderful and terrible. I learn to honor my experience, no matter what form it takes.

It’s indescribably awesome to live in a body that feeeeels things. Big things. In a life that is sometimes uncomfortable and often spectacular. To honor the uncertainty that always brings a gift is more exciting than an endless string of surprise parties.

What will it take for you to get excited about uncertainty?

I’d love to see your comments below.

Interested in support and guidance for your own life challenges, and a healing practice created specifically for you? I’d love to help. Find out more here.