Uncertainty is unpleasant, but it is part of life.
If we had everything our way, most of us would prefer to be well aware of what will happen every minute of every day. This would help us plan for pretty much anything, from the unpredicted rain to the loss of a loved one.
Sadly, we do not experience life our way all the time, and every day we have to deal with some level of uncertainty. We still plan and expect things to go a certain way, but in some cases, our lives simply don’t go as we would have planned.
That might feel like the end of the world, but it shouldn’t.
“Uncertainty is the only certainty there is” ―John Allen Paulos, Mathematician
4 Practical Ways to Accept and Embrace Uncertainty
1. Reframe the situation.
When things don’t go our way, we sometimes feel like they are going for the worst possible scenario. We fail to realize that just because one aspect of our plan has changed doesn’t mean that the whole plan will now fall apart.
When things don’t go your way, remember that you have the power to view them in whatever light you see fit. How you frame the situation and your perception is crucial when looking at the possible outcome, and you have the power to reframe any situation.
It might not be the path you wanted, but that doesn’t mean that it is entirely the wrong path.
2. Create room for uncertainty.
When you make plans for the things you want to achieve by a certain period, remember to leave room for uncertainty.
This can be difficult to do when you’re planning. But when you’re mindful and aware of the possibility of things going in another direction, it is possible to leave extra room for the alternative possibility.
Leaving room for uncertainty means when things take an unexpected turn, you’re happy to accept them as they are and work towards your goal from that angle.
For instance, you want your child to go to School A.
You should be open to the possibility of your child not getting accepted to that school.
Should that happen, you’ve already researched School B for your child.
So yes, not getting into School A might be an inconvenience, but you understand that it’s not the end of the road. Your child can still get a good education from another school.
3. Focus on what matters.
In most cases, it is the end goal, not the process to get there.
And usually, we experience uncertainty regarding the steps we need to take to reach the final goal.
Rather than focusing on the changes that have happened regarding the process, focus on the fixed end goal. Work with what the universe has thrown at you in order to reach where you need to be.
4. Stop expecting someone to come and rescue you.
Although it would be nice to have someone come and rescue you, it will not always happen, and the sooner we accept that, the better.
When having an uncertain experience, you need to realize that you have you. There is no need for anyone else to come and take responsibility and fix the situation.
Rather than wasting time complaining about the situation to people who likely can not fix it too, you can get up, take a deep breath and rescue yourself.
Move from the victim mindset and work towards creating the future you want.
Uncertainty is Not the End of the Road
A lot of us are daunted by the goals and targets we set ourselves but failed to meet. In some cases, those were missed because of things that were in our control, and in some; we just couldn’t do much.
Either way, don’t beat yourself up.
There is a need for us to open up to uncertainty and be kind to ourselves. Understand that life will always be uncertain, and in some cases, we will not achieve everything we hoped to achieve when we wanted to.
However, as long as we are still alive and well, there is hope, and we can still continue working towards our goals. We do not always have to be limited by time frame restrictions.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published Jan 8, 2023 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
Photo by Andrea Piacquadio