Your future is uncertain - Here's how to take control and navigate the unknown
Uncertainty. The big dark cloud wavering around our lives. You have your job today, but who knows what tomorrow will bring? Can you still pay your bills? Is your spouse still there for you? We all face the unknown, but how we deal with it makes all the difference.
TL;DR
Your future is uncertain, and you can't control every detail of your life. However, you can turn uncertainties into an advantage by actively managing them and the emotions that come along. Read on to get 10 tips to handle your uncertainties.
Turn Uncertainty Into an Advantage
Life's uncertainties can cause stress, anxiety, and worry. They can be dangerous and fearful, and naturally, we want to avoid negative or unpleasant surprises. We crave security and want to feel safe. That's human. However, as soon as we begin to worry too much about life's insecurities, we become victims of that fear.
To break free, we need to take the power back into our own hands and change our perspective. We must turn uncertainty into an advantage. When we view uncertainties as opportunities rather than risks, they become less intimidating and more manageable.
That's easier said than done, but it's necessary to establish such a mindset. Let's be honest: Life is always uncertain and unpredictable, and no one can control the future.
So, your first tip: rethink your perspective on uncertainty!
Leave the road to nowhere
A common approach to handle uncertainty: Wishful thinking. Such an attitude (where your belief is based on what you find most pleasurable instead of reality) can lead to a false sense of security. It's not enough to just hope for the best and wait for life to hand you everything on a silver platter. This kind of thinking leads to passivity, which is a road to nowhere. It's a one-way ticket to unhappiness and, in the worst case, depression.
What's the better approach? Embracing uncertainty and taking action!
Don't fear uncertainties; accept them as a part of your life. Prepare yourself, do your best, and build confidence in yourself. That's the way to a better future and a flourishing life.
How to do that? Let's dive in and make it happen!
Taking control of uncertainty
Like a flowing river, your future is always in motion. It's changing its course constantly. The only certainty? The scenery will keep evolving.
Imagine you're in a canoe and paddling on this river with nothing but the paddle in your hands. You'll encounter many obstacles - massive rocks that can capsize your canoe or sudden water rapids that will test your skills.
While you might see some obstacles from far away, others might appear suddenly out of nowhere. No matter what comes your way, you must keep paddling and navigating through the twists and turns of this river. You always have your eyes open for any obstacles that may lie ahead.
It's a thrilling though sometimes terrifying ride. But in the end, it's up to you to keel over by doing nothing or to take control of your paddles.
Keep your paddle steady, and embrace the journey ahead!
I think you got the point. No matter how uncertain circumstances may be, you always have the power to make choices and create your own path toward a eudaimonic future. You're on the river of life; don't perish by doing nothing. Take the paddles, keep your eyes open, and navigate this unpredictable world!
Ready for the next 9 tips? Awesome! Let's build confidence in ourselves and turn uncertainty into an advantage.
1. Accept, don't resist
"Fate leads the willing and drags along the reluctant." Seneca, Moral letters to Lucilius, On Obedience to the Universal Will
"Whether we realize it or not, we are all living out the lives fated for us, either willingly or reluctantly. Zeno illustrated this with a striking metaphor: the wise man is like a dog tethered to a cart, running alongside and smoothly keeping pace with it, whereas a foolish man is like a dog that struggles against the leash but finds himself dragged alongside the cart anyway." Donald J. Robertson, Stoicism and the Art of Happiness
Accepting the unknown isn't easy, but it's necessary if you want to manage it. When life gives you cards, do you play them like a pro or complain? Accept and play well or resist and make things worse. That's the decision you have to make.
Your feelings won't disappear magically, but acceptance puts you back in the driver's seat.
Acceptance doesn't mean you have to surrender and sit back! That's by no means the intention. Acceptance is the antidote to resignation and passivity and gives you the power to take charge of your future.
Accept your cards and play well!
2. Control what you can
"Some things are within our power, while others are not. Within our power are opinion, motivation, desire, aversion, and, in a word, whatever is of our own doing; not within our power are our body, our property, reputation, office, and, in a word, whatever is not of our own doing." Epictetus, Enchiridion 1.1
This central concept of Stoicism, called the Dichotomy of Control, is essential in dealing with uncertainties. Whenever you feel overwhelmed by life's unexpected turns or anxious and scared about the future, focus on what you can do right now in the present moment.
For example, you can't control whether or not you write a test at school tomorrow, but you can control how well you're prepared. It's also outside your control to keep your job - maybe the company you're working for goes out of business. But it's in your power to update your CV, brush up on your skills, and look for new job opportunities.
You need to go into problem-solving mode instead of worrying or complaining.
3. Consider a broader perspective
"This is a fine saying of Plato: That he who is discoursing about men should look also at earthly things as if he viewed them from some higher place. He should look at them in their assemblies, armies, agricultural labours, marriages, treaties, births, deaths, noise of the courts of justice, desert places, various nations of barbarians, feasts, lamentations, markets, a mixture of all things and an orderly combination of contraries." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.48
Do you think your situation is unique, and no one except you has ever gone through this? Consider your circumstances in the context of current world events, time, and history. What does your situation look like now? When others have already experienced and managed the same issue you are facing, why shouldn't you be able to do the same?
When we step back and gain perspective, we allow ourselves to see how minor our troubles really are. With perspective, we can gain clarity and objectivity, allowing us to calm down and refocus on our next steps.
4. Manage your expectations
"A cucumber is bitter. – Throw it away. – There are briers in the road. – Turn aside from them. – This is enough. Do not add, 'And why were such things made in the world?' For you will be ridiculed by a man who is acquainted with nature, as you would be ridiculed by a carpenter and shoemaker if you did find fault because you see in their workshop shavings and cuttings from the things which they make. And yet they have places into which they can throw these shavings and cuttings, and the universal nature has no external space." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 8.50
Uncertainties trouble us because our expectations don't match reality. We have a certain idea of how things should be, but we feel disappointed and frustrated when that's not the case. Let others have the bitter cucumber; it's definitely not our cup of tea.
Do you see yourself in that? Are you one of those people thinking the bitter cucumber is just for others? That's wishful thinking. Life has enough bitter fruits and vegetables in store for us and waits to hand them over.
So if you want to manage uncertainty, control your expectations. Nature optimizes for the whole, not for you. Don't expect life to follow the path you have in mind.
5. Love and be kind to yourself
"I will tell you what pleased me today in the writings of Hecaton: 'Do you ask what progress I have made? I have begun to be a friend to myself.' Valuable progress indeed: he will never be alone. Believe me, such a person will be a friend to everyone." Seneca, Letters on Ethics, 6.7
Often, in the face of uncertainty, what we need most is a little self-love and kindness. It's okay to feel overwhelmed, stressed, or anxious. Don't ignore your emotions or take them as something terrible. They just are. Don't let them undermine your self-esteem. You are a human being.
Take a break and do things that make you feel good. Reset your internal compass and come back well rested to your actions to manage uncertainty.
6. Ask for help
"Be not ashamed to be helped for it is your business to do your duty like a soldier in the assault on a town." Marcus Aurelius, Meditations 7.7
Asking for help is never easy, as it requires acknowledging a perceived weakness.
Weightlifters who lift heavy weights always have a buddy to assist them in case weights get too heavy. Is this a sign of weakness? Nope, it's clever! Don't be afraid to ask a friend for support or advice when you have to lift heavy in life.
7. Invest in yourself
What's ultimately in your power? It's you. YOU are the most valuable asset when dealing with uncertainties! Take care of yourself. Step out of your comfort zone to strengthen yourself. You'll be better equipped for future adversities when doing so.
What does it mean? Well, you could:
- Exercise regularly to strengthen your body and mind.
- Try to meditate.
- Write a journal.
- Improve your professional skills.
- Build strong and deep relationships.
- ...
Whatever it is, it should help you reduce your fears and worries about uncertainties and give you more confidence in your ability to handle them.
8. Develop a Stoic Mindset
A Stoic mindset aims for a flourishing life and happiness. It will help you reframe your thoughts, build resilience and thus cope with life's challenges more calmly without getting too stressed.
It'll also help you consider things as neutral, which takes away some of the power uncertainties can have.
9. Identify your uncertainty triggers
When you want to manage uncertainties, having a good sense of what triggers them is vital. It's often self-caused through unproductive worrying or overly negative thinking. But external factors such as social media overload or news overconsumption can also contribute.
By identifying your triggers, you can observe them without judgment and try to avoid them in the future. This will allow you to reduce uncertainty-related anxiety and focus on more productive activities.
