In these tough occasions, how can we navigate the concern and nervousness that come alongside uncertainty? Inventive scientist Katherine Templar Lewis shares her suggestions
During the last two years, it feels just like the world has had a crash course in uncertainty. We’ve lived daily, not realizing how our lives would look the subsequent week, month, and even 12 months. And simply when it feels as if the imaginative and prescient of our future is coming again into focus, extra world occasions flip it the wrong way up.
The tough actuality is that no imaginative and prescient of the longer term is evident. Uncertainty will all the time cloud our view, whether or not globally or personally. Coming to phrases with this fact isn’t all the time straightforward and, for a lot of, uncertainty breeds nervousness and concern.
The explanation behind that is right down to human evolution. “Our mind has advanced to attempt to hold us secure and it does this by making an attempt arduous to foretell what’s going to occur subsequent,” inventive scientist Katherine Templar Lewis explains.
“This was superb hundreds of years in the past when our world was small and essentially the most altering ingredient was the climate however, within the trendy tremendous related man-made world, change is all over the place and our mind struggles to know easy methods to predict what’s going to occur.
“Realising this, it sounds the concern alarm, making an attempt to be hypervigilant and focusing our consideration on how unsafe the unknown is perhaps, and the attainable threats on the market. Left unchecked this alarm seems like an actual concern that overwhelms and results in avoidant selections, security behaviours and negativity bias, which distorts our pondering. Which means we frequently don’t really feel in management sufficient to give attention to the likelihood that additionally lies within the unknown.”
Alongside writer Sam Conniff, Katherine co-presents The Uncertainty Consultants, an interactive documentary sequence confirmed to scale back uncertainty. I watched the sequence final 12 months and what I took away was that dealing with uncertainty is essentially about self-awareness and reframing.
Speaking about how we are able to change our view of uncertainty, Katherine encourages us to note our reactions.
“Firstly, we are able to study to recognise and acknowledge concern after which the avoidant behaviours it typically unconsciously results in. This implies we are able to cease them and have extra selection in our reactions – in brief, we don’t let concern get the higher of us.
“Over time, we are able to actually rewire our mind in order that we give attention to the attainable alternatives quite than recommended destructive outcomes, to be extra balanced in our pondering and fewer reactive in our responses. Studying as a substitute to make use of uncertainty as a second to replace our pondering and head in the direction of new targets and outcomes.”
The one fixed in life is change – that is one thing of a mantra I remind myself of once I’m struggling to stability my pondering round uncertainty. This implies, even when issues really feel powerful, I do know it gained’t final as a result of change all the time comes. And there’s a way of liberation there.
In fact, this could all really feel a lot simpler mentioned than accomplished. In relation to the sensible instruments to deal with uncertainty, Katherine shares her prime suggestions.
Get to know what concern seems like in your physique
What triggers it? Consciously acknowledging it offers you extra alternative to grasp it. Worry is a suggestion, not essentially a reality. Studying methods like gratitude and easy respiratory helps you acquire management.
Use uncertainty to study
In uncertainty, your mind turns into extra absorbent. Attempt to not shut down however as a substitute open up, search new concepts, folks that violate your stereotypes… It is an excellent alternative to study and develop.
Begin small
We all know you can change and improve your tolerance to uncertainty, permitting you to show it from nervousness into a spot of alternative. However it takes follow and could be extra anxiety-inducing to start out. So, begin with small uncertainties to actually develop your uncertainty muscle!
Join
We’re all the time stronger collectively. Admitting doubt and nervousness in uncertainty is not only human, it permits others to do the identical. We’ve larger resilience after we work as a staff or group.
The imaginative and prescient of your future could also be cloudy proper now, however maybe we don’t all the time have to see the vacation spot to benefit from the journey. Maintain specializing in the subsequent step ahead and also you’ll get the place that you must go.
Should you’re struggling to deal with nervousness or low temper, assist is accessible. Go to Counselling Listing to attach with a therapist at this time.
