HOW TO THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY

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Uncertainty is an indispensable part of our lives marked by its constant presence. As mysterious as life can get, we have no inkling what the next moment holds for us. We encounter unexpected ups and downs in our personal and professional lives throughout our lives. It’s not the ups but rather how well we respond to the downs, or in other words, the unforeseen circumstances in our lives, that matters the most. This means our positive approach in accepting and managing the situations leads us to move ahead in our lives. In this blog, we will explore various strategies that will help us thrive in uncertainty.

WHAT IS UNCERTAINTY IN LIFE?

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The term ‘uncertainty’ means a situation or something that is unknown or beyond one’s knowledge, understanding, or imagination; dubious, inconsistent and unpredictable. In our day-to-day life, we experience uncertainty as we are unable to guess or predict the consequences of certain events or situations linked with our lives. For example-

• Weather forecasts like heavy rain warnings on the day when you need to travel a long distance
• When you are stuck in an unexpected traffic jam in the morning that has created a fifty-fifty chance for you to reach your office on time
• When you are unsure of what kind of questions the interviewer might ask you in the interview
• The anticipation you experience on the days when the results of your major exams are declared

WHY DOES UNCERTAINTY CREATE ANXIETY?

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Uncertainty generates anxiety in us since we are completely clueless about the outcomes of the incidents occurring in our lives. Whenever we are in uncertain situations, our brain switches on the prophecy button and anticipates all possible future threats that are linked to our actions or situations. Our brain has an inclination to foretell or restrain all potential dangers and hazards that we might get into as a result of our certain actions or situations, which heightens our anxiety as long as we are in it. The longer the duration of such situations, the more we get into the risk of falling trapped under procrastination, fear and panic attacks.

For example-

When there is a huge traffic jam caused by a big road accident or construction work in the morning during office time, just feel what you go through sitting inside a bus, which is trapped in standstill traffic. As time passes by, you become more anxious because your idle brain is assuming all sorts of dangers if you reach your office late. The situation becomes more grave if it is a new job that you got after a long struggle. Your mind races like a super-fast train, making you visualize the threats, like your boss not believing your reason and shouting at you in front of all or firing you from the job. This is followed by another threat: if you lose this job, how will you secure another one in a short period? In this way anxiety grips you and your mind becomes more and more restless until you enter the panic mode.

The circumstances that heighten your anxiety during uncertain times are

• The above instance clearly depicts that uncertainty in job and profession makes us very insecure and worrisome, as it is directly linked to our livelihood.
• Again, uncertainty in matters related to our own and close ones’ health puts us in distress and fear.
• Uncertainty in personal relationships makes us vulnerable and anxious.
• Uncertainties linked to natural calamities, war, economic downturns and pandemic-like situations.

TIPS TO THRIVE IN UNCERTAINTY

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Some important tips that can help you to thrive in uncertainty are

• Acknowledge Uncertainty- In order to thrive in uncertainty, firstly it is essential to accept it as a part of your life. Such incidents, like the above examples, will keep on occurring in your life, the outcome of which is not predictable until it happens. So, it is important for you to acknowledge this reality and be mentally prepared to face such uncertainties at any time.

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• Accept Change and Be Adaptable- Uncertainty ushers in change, which is a constant phenomenon in every aspect of our lives.

For example-

1. Professional- It can be your job change. You joined a new company since you were laid off suddenly by your previous company with other employees. But here the work-life balance is not as good as the previous one. In order to acknowledge the change, which is presenting itself as a challenge, you must combat all the difficulties that are coming your way to continue with the job until you find a better one.
2. Personal- Suppose you are living in a different city for a job in rented accommodation. As a result, it is a big change in your life, as you are living away from your family and taking care of yourself and doing household work all alone. But the biggest uncertainty in this case is that as you are staying in a rented flat, your owner may ask you to vacate it at any moment, giving one month’s notice. This uncertainty comes as fretful reminders in your mind, which you must try to ignore. Again, if you are asked to vacate, finding a new accommodation and adjusting to a new environment along with managing office work is how you are embracing change and mastering adaptability.

• Remain Flexible- If you want to embrace change, remaining flexible in any situation is the key.

For example-

If your office demands you engage in administrative work a bit despite you being a technical person in order to get a promotion, you must be flexible enough to do it if it’s for your growth. 

You must always remain open to new prospects caused by the dynamic changes in your office or career and be flexible to grab the opportunities that are coming your way without being hesitant. Sometimes some unforeseen possibilities may seem risky initially but ultimately yield great results. 

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• Practice Resilience- In any adverse situation, whether it’s a sudden job loss or an unexpected financial loss in your business or suffering from a health issue that is disrupting your normal life, searching for ways to bounce back from it is what matters the most. Neither depression nor anxiety can save you, but being resilient in adverse situations will help you get back on track.

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• Learn and Grow- Uncertainty throws different challenges at you every time. Instead of getting anxious, learn from these challenges, hone your skills and upgrade yourself to the maximum level in both your personal and professional life. Turn every setback into an opportunity for growth with optimism.

For example- You are doing thorough research on the cultural aspect of a certain community as a part of a project for your organization, due to which you are required to learn their language, as language and culture are intertwined with each other. By accepting this challenge, you will be able to learn a new language and have a much better understanding about their culture, which may yield a fantastic outcome.

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• Set Small Targets and Acknowledge Small Victories- As an uncertain situation tests your guts, don’t get buried under its weight. Keep your mind clear and understand the work, which you have no experience of doing in the past or has a new set of challenges. Accordingly, set a small target, achieve it, acknowledge the victory no matter how small it is and head on to the next target. In this way you can successfully accomplish the complete task that seemed uncertain initially. The same thing applies for personal matters as well.  

For example- Suppose you are staying alone, away from your family, for the first time in a different city. You haven’t done any household chores before. Set small goals- like sweeping and cleaning the apartment twice a week and cooking at least twice a week. But take some cooking lessons from your family members beforehand. Cook simple dishes first till you get accustomed to it. After a few months you will be adept at handling household chores along with your office work like a pro.

• Self-Belief- Self-belief is a very powerful tool required in any situation. You must begin your journey in times of uncertainty by having a firm belief in yourself that you can come out of any grave situation and have the full capability of accomplishing any task, no matter how hard it is.

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• Self-Care- The strongest version of you can fight off the hardest battles amidst uncertainty. So, it is essential that you prioritize having a healthy body and mind by doing workouts, yoga and taking a walk every day. Go for a movie date or dinner, or take a trip with your family or friends, read a nice book and take up something interesting as a hobby. Maintain a proper work-life balance. Remember, rejuvenation is a must to keep yourself going.

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• Support System and Feedback- You must surround yourself with a strong support system in the form of family and some close friends throughout your life. These are the people who will act as your biggest cheerleaders when you seek encouragement, give you happiness and contentment when you seek peace and provide you feedback when you need to improve yourself.

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• Express Gratitude- The uncertainties in your life compel you to face many challenges and difficulties. Instead of seeing only the negative sides, consider the positive sides of this struggle, how these have shaped you as a person and made you a better version of yourself. So, always express gratitude in uncertain situations since these are your stepping stones to a bigger success.

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• Filter Information- In the digital era, there is an abundance of information everywhere. Some are real news and some fake. It depends on you which one to believe and which one not to. Thus, enhance your judgemental skills to judge the news before you believe and start panicking. It’s also essential for you to identify what kind of information is overwhelming you a lot and limit the intake of such information to the extent you are able to digest. When dealing with uncertainty, you must filter information so that you can thrive with determination.  

For Example- When you are laid off by your company along with other employees, limit your reading or watching similar news about other companies laying off their employees. Otherwise, it will dampen your spirit and heighten your anxiety in such an uncertain situation when you are searching for another job.

THE ADVANTAGES OF EMBRACING UNCERTAINTY

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The advantages of embracing uncertainty are

• Uncertainty helps you to learn and become more knowledgeable in many fields, like skills related to managing finance, your profession, your personal life, practical skills, etc.
• Uncertain situations enhance your problem-solving skills as they test your limits.
• Uncertainty fortifies your resilience and inner strength to fight in any kind of adverse situation and emerge victorious eventually.
• Uncertainty increases your confidence and self-belief.
• Uncertainty introduces you to new opportunities and experiences that you would have never imagined otherwise.
• Uncertainty yields your personal growth eventually due to all the above-discussed benefits.

CONCLUSION

The term uncertainty makes us uncomfortable, but we can’t deny its constant presence in our lives. Uncertainty, like other aspects related to our lives, has numerous benefits. By adopting these tips we can definitely reap the benefits of uncertain times. So brush your anxiety away and fight your way through uncertainty. Remember, you are your own saviour.