Navigating chaos.
First you have to disengage from internal chaos. If the chaos is constantly raging inside of you then it becomes impossible to step away from external manifestation of the chaotic experience.
There’s usually a solution to external chaos. Either it’s being caused by an experience or an external event. Another person may carry it with them and try to engage you in their patterns.
In this case disengage from that individual.
There is a difference between externally and internally chaotic events or people.
This is always a good place to practice skills such as radical acceptance, coping ahead, and interpersonal effectiveness. These are all mindfulness practices that allow us to slow our roll in response to events that cause our nervous system to become activated.
Discovering and dismantling any old patterns that are no longer useful for keeping yourself safe is key in this process as well.
If it’s an external event- then we have to navigate the consequences externally- but by ensuring that our internal processes are working properly and we are clear on what is and isn’t a response to what is actually happening in the now we will be able to navigate external uncertainty more effectively then if we are responding from a place of internal chaos.
Bring yourself into the now.
Remember that catastrophizing and personalizing events will create more chaos.
Remember that there are always options that we have not thought of or are not immediately aware of that can make external chaos more manageable.