How good are you at dealing with uncertainty?

It’s become clear that for the first half of my life, I carried around the wrong mindset. 

 

“Wrong” may be a touch harsh, but my strong (unflinching) desire for a world of stability, certainty, and consistency didn’t particularly match the world that exists.

 

My therapist needed just five words: “Life is dynamic, not static,” and the point was crystalline: if I continued to crave security where there is none, life will continue to be quite challenging. 

 

“WE LIVE IN UNCERTAIN TIMES”

You’re familiar with the popular phrase: “We live in uncertain times,” and while that may seem true, historians will take issue.

 

From a Stanford University report: “(Donnovan Somera) Yisrael advises looking at narratives from similar historical or global events, such as the 1918 flu epidemic. He reminds us that pandemics, civil unrest, and mismanaged power have been common and regular throughout history and that by tapping into the narratives of people who dealt with similar challenges, either from the past or current day, we can find strength and courage in their experiences.” 

 

UNCERTAINTY: ENEMY OR MOTIVATOR?

For many, it seems, uncertainty is linked to fear, trepidation, anxiety. But voices in the marketplace urge us to embrace it; to examine its benefits. 

 

From livestrong.org: “Uncertainty may motivate you to include healthier behaviors…Feeling like you are doing something to take charge may make you feel less uncertain about your future.” They go on: “Some (cancer) survivors find motivation to strengthen relationships with loved ones and friends. Some have described how fighting and overcoming cancer gave them the self-confidence and emotional strength to create positive changes in their lives. If you live with uncertainty about the future, it can motivate you to make the most of every day.”

 

THREAT OR CHALLENGE?

“People who are intolerant of uncertainty see uncertainty as a threat,” notes Jill Suttie of berkeley.edu. “While those who are more tolerant of uncertainty see it as a challenge.” 

 

Certainly, we’d all benefit from improving our ability to tolerate uncertainty. But there’s more here. Suttie again: “Targeting tolerance for uncertainty is one of the more promising new treatments for many mental disorders, because the fear of the unknown is beginning to be seen as a root vulnerability factor for mental disorders.”

 

GOOD STRESS

Maggie Jackson, author of “Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure,” views uncertainty in a favorable light.

 

In a Q & A with Suttie, Jackson explains, “We have a very negative view of uncertainty. We largely see it as paralyzing. But actually, uncertainty is, first of all, a kind of ‘good stress.’ When we meet something new, ambiguous, or unexpected, we have a stress response, both physiological and neural, that allows the brain to be more receptive to new data. Our attention broadens and our working memory improves. It’s a kind of wakefulness that’s really important, giving us the opportunity to learn.”

 

Ah, opportunities to learn. Plenty available.