Dealing with uncertainty
It has been said that change is the only constant in life. Like change, however, being uncertain or unsure does not mean you are lost; it simply means living. Uncertainty can be overwhelming; you can feel as if everything you cannot control is consuming you. The trick is to avoid becoming lost in the uncertainty. Deal with life’s curveballs daily; handle what you can when you can and trust that the rest will work itself out in time.
Ways of coping with uncertainty
Dealing with uncertainty may be easier said than done, but there are a few ways to help yourself cope.
Stop expecting and start planning
When you set expectations for yourself, you only set yourself up for disappointment. Of course, you know what you want to happen, but since you have relatively no control over what tomorrow brings, it makes no sense to set yourself up only to be knocked down. That’s not to say that you shouldn’t plan and set goals; you should also acknowledge that they may not be met on the timeline you’ve set for yourself. Rather than envisioning the perfect outcome and expecting something specific, just focus on what you can do right now. What might or might not happen is not within your hands to decide; hope for the best and prepare for multiple scenarios. Do everything you can to achieve your desired outcome, but realize that things change, and most often, change is for the best.
Focus on the things that are within your control
While you may not be able to control everything that is happening, there are some things that you do have control over, like your attitude. Focus on staying positive. We usually can’t change our circumstances instantly; it may take a few days or years. The sooner we realize this is the situation we will be in and accept it, the better off we will be. The phrase, “If you can’t beat ’em, join ’em?” applies to dealing with things in our lives that we cannot change and must learn to accept.
It is also important to remember that tomorrow is not something that you have a lot of control over; all you can do is live today in a way that sets tomorrow up in a positive light. Just keep in mind that no matter how positive you are, life takes strange turns and you can do nothing about it. Accept that the unexpected can and does happen and focus on telling yourself that you will be okay no matter what. Focusing on what you can control means focusing on yourself; it means doing your part and hoping for the best. Whatever happens, you will at least know that you did your part.
Learn stress management techniques
Stress and anxiety take a toll on your emotions and body. Stress can wear you down faster than anything else. High stress levels can disrupt every bodily organ and impact everything from blood pressure to cholesterol levels. Since it’s not always possible to push the stress aside, finding stress relief techniques can be the next best thing. Uncertainty can eat away at you; you owe it to yourself to take the time to relax, regroup and rethink your strategy.
Taking a walk, talking with a friend, reading a book, listening to music, watching a movie, yoga and meditation are just a few things that relieve stress for many people. Most of these techniques can even be done even if you have limited time.
If all you have is a few minutes, take a moment just to be alone and breathe. When the uncertainty builds up, you tend to start feeling like you are drowning. Stop and breathe, think clearly, regroup and look at things from a perspective of clarity. When you slow down and look at the big picture, you will often find things are better than they may seem.
Basic deep breathing for beginners
Basic deep breathing doesn’t take long – and it’s a great way to de-stress.
Sit or lie down.
Slowly count to four while you breathe in through your nose. Hold your breath for a second.
Count to four again, this time while breathing out slowly through your mouth.
Repeat a few times for as long as you’d like.