Uncertainty is the unpredictable. You feel apprehension and that’s usually connected to the unknown. You might be in the middle of circumstances and you don’t know what the outcome is going to be.
Not knowing what’s coming or how you’re going to get through something can be difficult to handle if you don’t know how to cope. Being stuck in uncertainty can make you lose sleep, make you lose your appetite or overeat.
It can cause all kinds of physical problems as well as open the door for fear, anxiety, irritability and depression. Using self-care techniques to cope with uncertainty can help you feel calm and eliminate physical manifestations.
One technique is to control the “what if” reaction. When things are uncertain, many people immediately jump to conclusions. They’re projecting the worse case scenario and living in fear.
Conquer that by not dwelling on questions that you don’t have any answers for. Kick the negative mindset to the curb. Stop letting your mind stew on anything unpleasant that may be going on.
Look for the positive instead. You can think of something good that’s happened to you or how you’ve overcome something in the past and how that gave you strength. Thinking this way will help you see that the uncertainty is something that you will overcome.
Uncertainty is difficult because you may be called on to make a decision and you feel like you can’t because you just don’t know what to do for the best outcome. When you don’t know what action to take, list all the pros and cons of the situation and make a choice based on that outcome.
But if you’re uncertain about a move – whether it’s personal or related to your career – then it’s okay to take some time and think things over. Because sometimes uncertainty is related to a situation that doesn’t have to be solved right then.
Accept that you’re not going to be able to fix or handle everything. Be wise enough to learn what to let go of and stick to the facts of what’s happening. Accept that you can’t predict the outcome and realize you don’t have all the answers so you can move on.
Free yourself from the urge to be 100% correct. Let yourself be human. Sometimes people are faced with uncertainty because they want to make sure they’re right. They’re afraid that if they don’t know something, it means they risk failure.
So what? Failure happens. You will survive it and you will grow because of it. Uncertainty can cause you a lot of strife and upheaval. You can feel like you’re in some pretty rough circumstances – and you might be.
But if you focus on the circumstances, it makes them appear bigger than they might really be. Focus on what’s in your power to do or handle right now and that’s it.
Remember that whatever goes on, it’s not the end. You can always start fresh.
