How do you deal with uncertainty?

Does uncertainty paralyze you from moving forward?

Do you wish it didn’t exist?

Dealing with uncertainty is challenging because as humans we care about our wellbeing, or said differently, our existence. Since we long for safety, uncertainty is threatening to us.

Now, of course, there is a spectrum of uncertainty. For example, driving a car for most adults in the Western world no longer holds the threat it once did, whereas putting those same adults in the middle of a jungle where the native citizens thrive and suddenly there’s a lot of uncertainty.

One of the keys to coping with uncertainty is to not resist uncertainty but to accept it. Keep in mind that while acceptance might sound like a passive act, it isn’t. Acceptance is an intentional act that you control. Acceptance also doesn’t mean that you don’t take actions that will help you navigate your future; it just means you accept what is happening at this moment that you can’t change.

Another way to deal with uncertainty is to remind yourself that the uncertainty only lives in your mind. Keep in mind that the future hasn’t happened yet, so your feeling of uncertainty is your thoughts telling you what may or may not occur. While not believing your thoughts is not always an easy task, with practice you can learn to bring yourself back to the present moment and again, accept it for what it is.

So, the next time you find yourself anxiously thinking about an uncertain future, activate your sense of control and take agency of your thinking. Accept the present moment for what it is, and don’t believe your every thought about the future. And remember, it’s often the uncertainty in life that makes it exciting.

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