How to handle uncertainty and avoid it paralyzing you

It seems that we love certainties, although the constant in our future is uncertainty. The truth only lives in our minds, being an illusion that comforts us and makes certain decisions easier.. On the other hand, in certain circumstances the opposite also happens, since many of us love surprises from time to time or enjoy the act of discovering what is happening.

A certain level of certainty gives us a feeling of control, but total certainty can also give us a feeling of helplessness. Why should we try to avoid a negative event if we are certain that, whatever we do, we are going to experience it? On the other hand, uncertainty, on the other hand, can provoke various responses. In general, it is not easy to assume and it is even possible that it will be rejected or intended to be denied.

It is common for the unexpected to provoke more or less anxious responses.. Suddenly, we realize that not everything was under control. Even more than that, what is disturbing is the doubt that extends into the future. Uncertainty takes the form of a question and provokes various reactions. Let’s see.

Uncertainty often generates anxiety in the face of the unexpected.

Resistance, a response to uncertainty

Although many times we do not realize it, We are making forecasts and developing plans all the time.. Some are very automatic, such as the routine program of getting up, putting our feet on the ground, etc. At the end of the day, the month, the year, etc., we hope to have met certain objectives that are sometimes very clear and other times not so clear.

The truth is that in this process, obstacles or unforeseen events also appear that alter the plans. This is how uncertainty shows its face to us. There are people who react to these changes with resistance, that is, with rejection of what hinders the planned progress.

What happens then is that They seek to hold on to their original plan, just as they had conceived it.. There is tension between what reality suggests and the determination not to make changes. Irritation sets in and without a dispassionate assessment of what is happening, stubbornness is likely to lead to stagnation or frustration.

Conformism, another attitude in the face of uncertainty

On the opposite shore of resistance is conformism. It occurs when a person accepts uncertain events as if they were a fatality against which there is nothing to do, except, perhaps, to complain.

Things had been planned in one way, but they turned out differently, so there is no other alternative than to give up what was planned and resign. That is If the plans or projects are not followed to the letter, it means that they are of no use. and reality is responsible for proving it.

In these cases, There is also anger and frustration, but, above all, a feeling of helplessness. This is what leads us to think that there are no alternatives, or there is no energy available to try another path. This being the case, uncertainty becomes the force “of destiny” that ends up deciding everything. The person is an object of circumstances and the result is resignation.

In contexts of uncertainty, sometimes the feeling of lack of control is experienced, which leads to frustration.

active standby

Active waiting is a healthy response to uncertainty. In this case the unforeseen is accepted: the plan that didn’t work out, the project that didn’t come to fruition or the wish that wasn’t fulfilled. This is assumed as a given fact, against which something can be done anyway. And that something is neither stubborn nor conforming.

What happens in a person who has an attitude of active waiting in the face of uncertainty is that assumes the unforeseen, or what contradicts, as a failure that must be resolved. What is wrong is not the reality, but the plan. This does not mean that it is useless, but rather that it must be evaluated and adjusted. However, it is not always possible to immediately detect what is wrong.

That’s when waiting makes sense. There is something that escaped, or that was not glimpsed, or that was looked at in the wrong way. Although it is not easy to discover it, the task of doing so is undertaken. That task is also uncertain: It is not known if an effective result will be achieved, but we try to achieve it by all means.

In the attitude of active waiting there is trust in the person and trust in reality. The setback is assumed as a message that calls for change. In this way, one’s own perspective is called into question, from a critical perspective. This leads, over time, to readjust the plan or make a fundamental restructuring, if necessary.

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