Coping with uncertainty

It won't have escaped anyone's notice that there is a lot of uncertainty around at the moment: the global threats of war, climate change, and the gloomy economic outlook prompting widespread anxiety for the future.  As the anxiety levels rise, it can all seem overwhelming for many of us.  So what can you do to help yourself in those moments when you're feeling overwhelmed and anxious about things beyond your control? 

Normalise it 

The first thing to acknowledge, is that it is ok, and normal, to respond in the way that you are.  Although some people have a higher tolerance for it than others, nobody likes uncertainty. It's why change is so hard, even when you want to change. Uncertainty is uncomfortable, it's hard, and our brains really don't like it.   

When our need for certainty is put at risk, it raises the threat response in our brains, the amygdala in our brain gets activated (that part that makes us fight, take flight or freeze) and our cortisol levels start to rise.  Unfortunately, this can also inhibit our ability to cope with that uncertainty, and it also causes us to narrow our focus, something that was essential for our survival in prehistoric times, but doesn't help us to widen our perspective. 

Be more present 

When things are uncertain, we tend to live in an imagined future.  We worry about the might-be's and the could-be's and how they could affect our lives.  We have a tendency to catastrophise or think in black and white terms.  

The reality is that we don't know what will happen, and a good way to calm that threatened brain down, is to focus more on the present, and ground ourselves in reality.  Mindfulness practice is good for this; even taking a walk out in nature can help put things in perspective.  Another beneficial practice is gratitude journaling, the practice of reflecting on and writing down (typically three) things you were grateful for that day.   Having shorter term projects can also be beneficial and bring us back to the here and now. 

Control the controllables 

Part of the anxiety we have with uncertainty comes from the perceived lack of control we have over it, especially if we're thinking of macro or global events.  However, there are always things that are within our control, and choices that we can make.  It’s good to start small and build from there.  What's one small thing you can do that will make the best outcome more likely, or the worst outcome less likely?   

Connect and communicate 

In times of uncertainty, connection becomes even more important.  We are social beings. We need this for survival.  Spend time with your family and friends, talk, play and have fun.  Watching one person smile, can make another smile.  Give back, volunteer, connect with your community.  If the uncertainty is happening at work, it becomes even more important for leaders to connect and communicate clearly with their teams, even if they have no new news, and for team members to support each other. 

Consider whether coaching might help 

What does coaching have to do with all this?  How can coaching help?  Sometimes we can get stuck, and it can be difficult to get going when living in the fog of uncertainty.  Coaching can help you to gain clarity, reframe, and find a way forward to step out of that fog.  A coach can support you to think through the actions you can take to help yourself and others, and identify and overcome any barriers in your way. 

At Coaching Reading we have a great group of coaches who serve the Reading community.  We have coaches who can help leaders with communication, coaches who can help with well-being and mental fitness, and coaches who can help you to navigate that uncertainty, helping you to get clarity on your controllables, and any blockers that are getting in your way. 

And finally, the only certainty in life is uncertainty, so it's important to not only learn to cope with it, but also to support those around us and teach others, including children, how to cope with it too.

 Contact us via our website if you'd like to learn more.

Annabelle White is a member of Coaching Reading and an Executive Leadership and Transition Coach