Tag: uncertainty

Uncertain Times

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For many of us, these feel like uncertain times. Between the big things in the news (the climate crisis, elections, conflicts in countries around the world) and the everyday things (cost of living, decisions about jobs, health concerns), it can be hard not to feel like we’re facing a future where we can’t be sure of anything.

Unsurprisingly, this kind of uncertainty can feel very difficult for many of us, and we might find ourselves reacting in ways which have a significant negative impact on our lives.

Perhaps you have noticed your worries spiralling, taking up much of your time and energy? Or you might find uncertainty throws you into fight or flight mode, frantically trying to make things as certain as possible. You may try to control little things in your life in order to avoid thinking about the big things. You may feel very anxious a lot of the time.

Unfortunately, we know that while uncertainty is unavoidable, the way we feel about uncertainty often plays a big role in anxiety problems like Generalised Anxiety Disorder, OCD and Health Anxiety – and the more we see uncertainty as a threat, the more likely it is that we will struggle with these kinds of difficulties.

So how can we cope more effectively with uncertainty?

  1. Focus on things that are in your control (rather than hypothetical worries).
  2. Take advantage of opportunities to change your attitude to uncertainty – perhaps you know someone who quite enjoys being spontaneous, or not knowing what’s going to happen next? Ask yourself, how might they approach this situation?
  3. Make a deliberate effort to notice when uncertain situations don’t turn out as badly as you expected – or perhaps even when the result is a good one!
  4. Aim to slowly build up your tolerance of uncertainty – you don’t have to jump in at the deep end, instead ask yourself what is one small step you can take to dip your toe in the water. This might be as simple as trying a new food, or taking a new route home from work.
  5. Try not to criticise yourself if you find this difficult – our attitudes towards uncertainty are often learned from our childhood experiences, and take time to change. If you’re struggling, we’d love to support you – please get in touch.