Living through uncertain times

Like most people, I find uncertainty challenging. But being older and having lived through more uncertainty, I may have build up some very useful resilience.

There are no quick fixes here or guaranteed steps to take, but doing nothing and worrying or suffering is certainly not recommended.

So what can you do?

Here are my recommendations. 

The only certainty in life is uncertainty, so you might as well try and embrace change and the unknown. That's easier said then done - but the only way to do this is to literally sit with the discomfort, go through it and realise that you can handle it. That's where experience comes in. Once we've gone through something and come out the other way in tact, that gives us confidence and knowledge for the next time.

Right now, things seem out of control - everything going on locally and globally - but that doesn’t mean you can’t regain control of your own life. You are the captain of your ship, you can steer it in whichever direction you want to.

If you're feeling anxious or depressed you are likely to ruminate about the past and worry about the future. Here you have to be strict with yourself and stop the compulsion to do so. Instead try and sit with the feelings of uncertainty and tell yourself that 'things usually have a way of working themselves out'. This is important. You don't want to continue feeding the habit. Worry, especially the kind that accompanies a longer period of uncertainty, can have mental and physical ramifications - hence why many people right now feel 'out of sorts'.

We've all being through a two year period of a pandemic and the after effects are not yet clear or even reported. But what is clear is that any change, good or bad, makes us uncomfortable. The majority of people don't do well with change.

Keep busy. Make plans. Exercise. Make things with your hands. Talk to someone you trust about your worries. Join a community. Look for positives in life (there are many). Spend time with optimistic people, learn about how some of us see the glass half full. Build up resilience. Spend time with older people who have been through many ups and down in life. Have a whole day where you're not allowed to say anything negative, judge or worry. See how that makes you feel.

And one of my favourite tips is keep a gratitude journal. It's transformative.

We have three Mapology Guides that accompany the issues mentioned in this blog post.