Does it bother you when you don't have all the answers? How comfortable are you with doing something when you don't know what'll happen next?
How you answer questions like these can give you some insight into how well you live with uncertainty. Can you roll with unknowns, or do they cause your life to grind to a halt?
If you have trouble coping with uncertainty, don't despair. Like exercises that strengthen your muscles, there are ways you can improve how well you handle uncertainty. Here's how.
Sit with your feelings
Uncertainty can feel stressful, upsetting, unfair or even threatening. Because these emotions are uncomfortable, you may want to avoid them. But avoiding your feelings won't make things better. Instead, do just the opposite: Embrace what you're feeling.
Give what you're feeling a name. Maybe you're feeling anxious. Then describe it a little more. Is anxiety causing you to feel unsettled? Unsure? Is it causing your head to ache or your shoulders to tense up?
By naming what you're feeling, you approach — rather than avoid — your emotions. Naming what you're feeling also helps make it feel less threatening.
Draw on past experiences
If you have experience with a serious or life-threatening health condition like cancer or are awaiting an organ transplant, you may already know what uncertainty feels like. These are 2 of many health-related situations that are fraught with uncertainty.
Maybe you've had to put plans on hold for health-related reasons. Perhaps you've dealt with unexpected side effects from medical treatment. Or maybe you've had to face the reality that you might not get better.
Or perhaps you've faced other hardships in life, like the death of a loved one, a divorce or an unexpected move. These are all examples of upheaval that can throw life into a tailspin.
How did you cope with situations like these in the past? What lessons have you learned along the way about dealing with uncertainty? Draw on your past experiences to help you move forward with the uncertainty you're facing now.
Watch for 'what ifs'
Uncertainty often causes worry. For example, if you hear that the company you work for is undergoing staff changes, this news can trigger a number of what-ifs. What if you lose your job? What if you can't pay your bills?
To cope with what-ifs, you may try to soothe uncertainty with worry. When you worry, you may feel like you're doing something productive to prepare for the worst-case scenario.
For example, you may obsessively collect as much information as possible. While this may seem helpful, it only serves to keep worry actively circling in your mind.
Break the cycle of worry by recognizing what's within your control and what isn't. This may sound overly simple and, at the same time, too hard. But little by little, work toward letting go of the things you can't change and focus instead on how you react to them.
What ifs — A how-to
Ask yourself if there's anything you can do in the next 48 hours to address what you're worrying about. If the answer is no, guide your attention away from the worry until you can take action on it. Because worry interferes with problem-solving, it's better to save your energy for the things you do have control over.
Try mindfulness
When it's unclear how long uncertainty will last, turn to mindfulness. Mindfulness is paying attention to what's happening in the present moment — not the past, not the future. You simply observe the present moment without judging it as good, bad or otherwise.
Research suggests that mindfulness helps build skills that make it easier to cope with uncertainty. When you're practicing mindfulness, you're focusing on simply observing the world around you rather than reacting to it. You're not worrying about what might happen next. Simply observing feelings of uncertainty, rather than judging them as bad, can help you react less to uncertainty and help keep anxiety low.
Other mindfulness strategies also can help you turn your focus away from what-ifs and uncertainty. Relaxation, guided imagery, calming self-talk and distraction are all examples.
Look for one good thing
Few people enjoy not knowing or not being able to control what might happen. That's why uncertainty is so stressful.
But you can reframe uncertainty, putting it in a more positive light. Reframing can make uncertainty easier to manage.
Try to find one thing good about the situation. The more you look for the positive, the more of the positive you'll see — even when you encounter uncertain situations.
For example, maybe you're unable to leave your house much because you've recently completed cancer treatment and have a higher risk of complications if you catch a cold or the flu. You may be able to reframe this situation by figuring out other ways to connect with people you care about, even though you can't leave your house as easily as you used to.
Get comfortable with the unknown
You may never feel completely at ease with uncertainty, and that's OK. Not knowing what lies ahead may always feel at least a little uncomfortable. Use these steps to improve how well you cope with the unknown and to help you live a fuller life, even with uncertainty.