5 ways to cope well in uncertain times

There certainly is a lot going on the world right now and a conflation of concerns around looming elections, the effects of war, geopolitical tensions, climate change and rapid technological advancements.

We may well find ourselves even speculating about the future and attempting to fill in all the gaps of information with the worst-case scenarios of what could happen next.

If we do this however, we will cause ourselves to worry and get anxious about things that haven’t even happened yet and that we don’t even have any control over.

Uncertainty has been a constant companion throughout our human history, and it can fuel fear; anxiety and paralysis, which can inhibit our ability to cope well in times of flux.

The human brain essentially is hard-wired to react to uncertainty with fear and as we face uncertainty, our brain could so easily push us to overreact. The ability to be able to override this reaction and move our thinking into a calmer and more rational direction is fundamental in terms of dealing with uncertainty and the associated anxiety that can be triggered.

Embrace uncertainty

Although uncertainty can feel unsettling and be perceived as something quite negative it is important to bear in mind that there are many advantages to embracing uncertainty rather than fearing it.

Here a few benefits of living with uncertainty:

Uncertainty boosts resilience

The more we grapple with uncertainty, the better equipped we will be to handle future challenges. Facing the unknown and navigating uncertain situations builds our ability to bounce back stronger and helps us to be more resourceful and confident in the future.

Improves problem solving skills

Uncertain situations often require us to tap into our creative ability and come up with solutions to new problems and this can sharpen our minds and help to make us more resourceful going forward.

Stretches our comfort zone

Uncertainty can stretch our comfort zone and encourage us to try new things that we may never have considered and these experiences can enrich our life and lead to personal growth.

So here are my top 5 tips for coping well in uncertain times:

1. Avoid crystal ball gazing

If we are not careful, we may take out our imaginary crystal ball and start to catastrophise about the future. We can become lost and paralysed in an overwhelming whirlpool of fear.

Sometimes we need to be able to detach ourselves from our situation and consciously observe our emotions and reactions and gently guide ourselves into a calmer space. We cannot possibly predict the future. We can however feel less anxious by establishing a healthier perspective and foster more positive and constructive thoughts.

2. Steer clear of the gossip

Uncertainty can create a playground for fear mongering and gossips who perversely enjoy stoking up any negativity they can. They will be predicting all sorts of doom and gloom and if we get absorbed with the gossip, scaremongering and toxicity it will drag us down and make us worry more. Balancing our exposure to negative social media and removing ourselves from toxic environments where this kind of behaviour is rife is essential. We don’t have to listen to gossip and we certainly don’t have to be responsible for fuelling it. That is entirely our choice.

3. Control the controllables

When there is a lot of change going on in our lives, we could find it overwhelming, and we may even begin to feel out of control which can be unnerving. This is when we need to remind ourselves about what we are in control of and focus on ‘controlling the controllables’. By turning our focus towards the things that we can change, rather than those we can’t, will help us to feel calmer and less stressed.

Taking some time to make a list of what those things are will help us to create more calm and clarity. It is also important to remember that we are always in control of the way we respond in every given situation.

4. Believe in yourself

Part of dealing with uncertainty is having the self-belief and confidence in being able to handle whatever comes our way. True confidence is about taking a positive stand, listening to others, asking for help and not being afraid to be wrong sometimes. Owning mistakes and learning from them will help us to be better informed so that we can deal with whatever life throws at us. So, working on our self-confidence and resilience is key.

5. Be flexible

When we feel that change is being inflicted on us, it can be a natural human reaction to resist it and even attempt to avoid it. The best use of our valuable energy is to accept a change we can do nothing about, own it and explore ways that we can positively influence our change in circumstance.

Making a conscious decision to be positive, open-minded and curious will help us to deal with some of the more negative aspects and accept change that we have no control over.

Remember change is inevitable. Growth however is optional.