Tag: navigating uncertainty

Hero in Progress

The Calm Before Big Change

Mell D'Clute
SuperMell sits calmly in a lotus meditation pose while a storm rages in the background. Lightning flashes behind her as she keeps her eyes closed in peaceful focus. Diana, her black cat with a white chest tuft, rests curled in her lap with one ear perked, listening to the distant storm.

The Calm Before the Storm

I’m currently in a holding pattern—waiting to hear whether the place I want will have a vacancy, watching other January rentals, preparing for my Lean Six Sigma exam, and biding my time until I reach level 50… which is in 2 weeks. It feels like the calm before big change, and I’m trying to appreciate it even as the uncertainty makes me uneasy. I know I should appreciate the time I have now as it will get pretty hectic once December hits, but it also has a little bit of an unsettling void feel to it. Life is what happens to you while you’re making other plans, I guess.

The Storm

“The Storm” is how I’m choosing to encapsulate this uncertain time period. It could be a terrible storm, filled with lots of wind, a blizzard, a blinding fog, or all of the above. Or the meteorologists could get it wrong and it presents itself as much more tame than was anticipated. Who really knows for sure?

And honestly, the weather this week felt like a perfect mirror of my inner world. We actually did have a storm earlier this week. Rain, turned to freezing rain, and then snow, and lucky me had to drive through all of that on my way to work. It was super icy and I couldn’t travel more than 80 km/hr speed due to the car swaying too much on the frozen roads. It was like trying to drive on a frozen pond. It was scary but I made it in time for work as I left early. However, this made me question whether or not I should upgrade my tires to all weather tires… Yet another expense… Great…

Riding It Out

I’m trying not to get ahead of myself too much and stick to my weekend goals so I can calm the chaos. I’m also doing my best to practice self-care and breathing exercises to calm down my stress level so I don’t freak out. I’m pretty confident I will pass the probation period at work. I’m sure I will get it all figured out soon and get better at managing my time. My parents have decided to gift me the all weather tires for my birthday present, which is fantastic! (Thanks!) I will get the new tires on tomorrow—just in time for yet another winter storm to potentially hit on Sunday.

Things are starting to come together now. I’ve also got all my Christmas shopping done, almost finished wrapping all the gifts, and should have it ready tonight. It’s super rare for me to do anything Christmas-related before my birthday, but I decided to do a little shopping last Friday after work (as well as get my oil changed). As my birthday is in December, I have always felt like the two things need to be kept separate. But honestly? I was missing shopping. I love walking the malls, looking around, and all of that. I don’t really get to do that as often as I want to anymore with my crazy work schedule and living so far from a mall. The most I’ve been able to do is walk around Walmart, and that gets old real fast.

The Calm of a Storm

Who says storms are terrible anyway? Sure, some are, like hurricanes, tornadoes and typhoons. But there is a calmness to a storm. I love a good thunderstorm, and it was definitely something I missed while living on the West Coast. And who doesn’t love the scent after a fresh rainy day, or the sight of a beautiful rainbow to signal to us that it’s over.

It’s a very zen approach to take things one step at a time and to live in the now. What is the point of worrying about things not yet to come? It just causes too much stress on your mind and your body. Live in the moment. It is of course important to make plans in order to achieve a goal, but to take things slowly, not get ahead of myself, and figure it out as I go. Storms come and go, and so do these intense seasons of change. All things must pass…

Diana is a Master of Zen

Cats get it. They understand that time is really meaningless. All you need is food, fluids, a litter box, and some toys to make you happy. And plenty of sleep.

I have however noticed that she is constantly looking out the windows to see if her “boyfriend” is outside. (There’s this neighbourhood cat that roams around the whole town that our family has affectionately dubbed as “Boots” due to its white paws on a grey body). Diana always seems to be anticipating his approach around the same time usually. I think she actually worries about him if the weather changes, as when it was snowing earlier this week, she was looking for him with much more urgency. It will be difficult to move her away from him… Poor Diana!

Final Thought

I’m sure everything will magically fall into place. I know I’m not alone in feeling some anxiety about this calm before big change. I’m choosing to take things one task at a time, and send my stress up into the Universe to handle for me. Everything will be fine and will work out. I only have to believe it will and put those good thoughts out into the Universe.

What are some ways you deal with stress or anxiety? Share in the comments, I’d love to hear about it.

Transferable Thursday

Shields Modulated: Adaptability as My Hidden Power

Mell D'Clute
Comic book–style illustration of SuperMell walking confidently through a storm of cosmic energy beams and debris. She wears a black Nightwing-inspired costume with a bold purple “M” emblem on the chest, purple gloves, and purple glasses. A glowing personal forcefield surrounds her, shifting colours as it deflects incoming blasts. Beside her, Diana, a black cat with golden eyes and a small white chest patch, calmly walks inside her own smaller bubble shield, eyes glowing with focus. The scene symbolizes adaptability as shields modulated in real time, turning chaos into resilience.

🛡️ The Science of Adaptability

In Star Trek, shields aren’t static. They’re modulated — adjusted to absorb different types of energy, deflect changing attacks, and protect the crew in unpredictable conditions.

That’s how adaptability works for me. It isn’t about being unbreakable. It’s about staying flexible, adjusting my angle, and knowing when to absorb and when to deflect. Adaptability doesn’t make me invulnerable, but it makes me resilient — and that’s a hidden power I’ve carried all along.

🔄 Adjusting to the Unknown

Life often throws disruptors instead of phasers. Job transitions, unexpected challenges, personal setbacks — they don’t follow a predictable script. But when I allow myself to modulate my shields, I don’t just survive them, I learn how to redirect their energy.

Instead of asking “Why me?” I ask “How can I respond differently this time?” That single question shifts the encounter from damage control to growth.

⚙️ Adaptability in My Career Journey

Right now, adaptability is more than a skill — it’s a survival strategy. Job searching in a changing market, keeping my portfolio alive, and preparing for interviews all require me to modulate. Some days, the shield strength is on resilience, keeping discouragement from breaking through. Other days, I reroute power toward creativity, using writing or design to keep me moving forward.

It’s never about one permanent setting. If I tried to face every challenge the same way, I’d burn out fast. But by shifting where my energy goes — persistence one day, flexibility the next — I stay in the game. And I’m not alone in seeing adaptability this way; adaptability skills are recognized as a key to thriving in the workplace, especially in times of change.

🌠 Lessons from the Unknown

What makes adaptability powerful is that it works even when I can’t predict the outcome. In fact, it’s most effective in uncertainty. Shield modulation doesn’t prevent the hits, but it minimizes the damage and buys time for the crew to think, adjust, and act.

That’s exactly how adaptability shows up in life. It doesn’t erase the challenges, but it creates the breathing room I need to turn a setback into a lesson, or a pause into an opportunity.

🐾 Diana’s Corner: Cat-Like Flexibility

Diana is adaptability in motion. She can curl up into the tiniest of spaces or leap higher than I’d expect, always landing with grace. She doesn’t force life to fit her — she adjusts, flexes, and thrives in whatever environment she’s in. Watching her reminds me that adaptability is less about control, and more about flowing with what’s present.

✨ Final Thought

Shields don’t make a starship invincible — but modulated shields make it capable of navigating the unpredictable. Adaptability works the same way for me. It’s not flashy, but it’s the quiet power that keeps me steady, flexible, and ready for whatever comes next.

💬 How do you modulate your own shields when life throws you the unexpected? Share in the comments — I’d love to hear your strategies for adaptability.

Tactical Tuesday

Sensors Online: Scanning the Unknown With Curiosity

Mell D'Clute
Comic book–style illustration of SuperMell on an alien plain, wearing a black Nightwing-inspired costume with a bold purple “M” emblem, purple gloves, and a purple mask over her glasses. She holds a tricorder, scanning mysterious alien monoliths rising in the distance, her expression focused with curiosity. Beside her, Diana, a black cat with golden eyes and a small white chest patch, sits alertly, tail flicking and ears perked as if sensing something unseen. The alien sky glows with strange colours, with twin moons shining overhead, creating a mysterious, otherworldly atmosphere.

🔍 Tactical Edge in Uncharted Space

Every starship captain relies on sensors to make sense of the unknown. You can’t chart a course through a nebula, approach a new planet, or even identify a possible threat without first scanning the field. Curiosity is my version of those sensors.

When life feels uncertain, it’s curiosity that allows me to ask the right questions, gather the right information, and keep moving forward even when I don’t have all the answers. Instead of fear, I choose to lean into curiosity — to scan the unknown, one signal at a time.

🌌 Curiosity as a Daily Practice

Curiosity isn’t just about big discoveries. It shows up in small, everyday ways — the subtle scans that make life more navigable:

When I let curiosity guide me, I’m less likely to panic and more likely to investigate. A setback stops being a wall and starts looking like a sensor reading — data that tells me where to adjust.

Curiosity also fuels creativity. Much like the ship’s sensors detect phenomena beyond what the human eye can see, curiosity reveals hidden angles in problems and projects. It pushes me to think, What if we tried this? What if I approached it differently? That kind of tactical curiosity doesn’t just help me adapt — it helps me innovate.

🐾 Diana’s Corner: Sensor Sweep Complete

Diana approaches the unknown with feline curiosity. Every new bag, box, or sound in the apartment requires a scan. Tail flicking, nose twitching, eyes sharp — she doesn’t fear the unknown, she investigates it. And more often than not, her curiosity leads her to play, discovery, or a cozy new perch.

✨ Final Thought

In uncharted space, sensors don’t just detect — they reveal possibilities. Curiosity works the same way in my journey. It transforms the unknown from something intimidating into something worth exploring.

💬 How has curiosity helped you scan your own unknowns? Share in the comments — I’d love to learn from your scans of the universe.