Personal Development
Embrace Your Uncertainties In These Unprecedented Times
Profound Tips To Help You Get Better With The Subtle Power Of Uncertainties
“I don’t know what’s next or where I am heading or what to do with my life...”
With many similar incessant voices juggling in your little head. You try to get somewhere but something invariably blocks the way. Your search for all possible solutions is thwarted by some unknown and have made you paralyzed.
Especially in these unprecedented times where the threat of uncertainty and failure looms everywhere. The current COVID-19 pandemic has further heightened the fear in many over employment, business, finances, and even relationships across the globe.
The list of never-ending unanswerable question is emerging from nowhere. And while you’re trying to find answers there’s nothing in sight, no answers to any of your questions further giving birth to an uneasy feeling, that floats from your head to toe, taunting you, and sometimes even makes you question the very essence of your existence. This incredibly vulnerable feeling that can truly feel like you are drowning in question marks.
Well! You’re not alone in this.
The endless list of ‘whys’ & ‘what-ifs’ has littered millions of minds across the planet leading to overwhelming anxiety, anger, frustration, confusion helplessness and in some cases depression too.
At some point in our life, we all have faced uncertainty. We all have been there and have felt completely stuck, with no clue whatsoever, not knowing what direction we should move.
Just when you think that you have successfully navigated one obstacle, another emerges from nowhere and you are back to not knowing state again. And this not knowing state applies to all of us, at any age and different stages in our lives.
The fact is that we, as a human being, crave security. We seek stability in our lives and always prefer certainty over uncertainty.
Alan Watts, a British writer and speaker known for interpreting and popularising Buddhism, Taoism, and Hinduism for a Western audience, explained the nature of the human mind beautifully in his book The Wisdom Of Insecurity. He said:
‘To put it still more plainly: the desire for security and the feeling of insecurity are the same thing. To hold your breath is to lose your breath. A society based on the quest for security is nothing but a breath-retention contest in which everyone is as taut as a drum and as purple as a beet. We look for this security by fortifying and enclosing ourselves in innumerable ways. We want the protection of being “exclusive” and “special,” seeking to belong to the safest church, the best nation, the highest class, the right set, and the “nice” people.’
While you may not accept, uncertainty is an inevitable part of our lives and is pretty natural. Life is not about one obstacle, but many. Watts further writes:
‘As a matter of fact, our age is no more insecure than any other. Poverty, disease, war, change, and death are nothing new. In the best of times “security” has never been more than temporary and apparent. But it has been possible to make the insecurity of human life supportable by belief in unchanging things beyond the reach of calamity — in God, in man’s immortal soul, and in the government of the universe by eternal laws of right.’
But the reason is, at a deeper level, we fear uncertainty because we lack the life skills to navigate through it. There will be many not knowing situations in your life. And dealing with such not knowing situations can be tremendously painful, especially if you don’t know how to cope up with them. Watts said:
‘It seems that if I am afraid, then I am “stuck” with fear. But in fact, I am chained to the fear only so long as I am trying to get away from it. On the other hand, when I do not try to get away I discover that there is nothing “stuck” or fixed about the reality of the moment.’
The human mind is such that we learn more in uncomfortable situations. Our brains benefit from volatility. We evolve by being exposed to uncertainty and confronting our fears.
While no one can avoid the unexpected or the amount of uncertainty but we all can learn how to increase the tolerance level of any uncertain situations arise in our lives. Some of us indeed have better tolerance level than others when it comes to dealing with uncertainty and hence the vital lesson is to expose yourself to uncertainty by building your tolerance level. Tolerance for uncertain situations is like a muscle that weakens if not used.
‘The Fates guide the person who accepts them and hinder the person resists them.’ ~ Cleanthes
The answers or solutions we seek may vary according to where we are at in our lives, from my personal experiences, allow me to share few simple yet profound tips to help you better face the life’s uncertainties.
First, By Altering Your Perception:
To accept uncertainty in our lives requires a change in perspective. The right perspective has a strange way of cutting uncertainty and adversity. The moment we alter our perspective and get comfortable with uncertainty, that very moment opens up doors of numerous possibilities.
The moment you step into the realms of ‘change’, the ‘change’ begins shifting its course and transforms all your pains into pleasures.
Try to activate your ‘change muscles’ now, a part of yourself that is much more resilient and better at change and plunge into the sea of change perception.
Second, By Accepting ‘What Is’:
Acknowledge what you’re feeling right now, at this very moment, and permit yourself to feel the feelings. Accept the unacceptable, accept all different variations of uncertainty deeply and get cosy with it. And the moment you bring acceptance into your non-acceptance, you feel a river of peace begin flowing through you.
‘My formula for greatness in a human being as amor fati: that one wants nothing to be different, not forward, not backward, not all in eternity. Not merely bear what is necessary, still less conceal it… but love it.’ ~ Nietzsche
Amor Fati! Love everything that happens.
Third, By Surrendering:
There is a saying ‘when you’re strong serve, when weak surrender’. In times of uncertainty, one of the most powerful and profound practice is ‘Surrender’. Surrender to what is. Do not question, do not resist. Just surrender to this very moment.
Once you bring surrender to your non-surrender, your non-peace begins transforming into peace. To quote a Japanese proverb:
‘The bamboo that bends is stronger than the oak that resists.’
Change and uncertainty are certain, to bend or not, is your choice.
Fourth, By Appreciating Mindfully:
Acknowledging and appreciating what you already have in your life is the source of all joy, all happiness, and all abundance.
Appreciation is a powerful mood tonic and brings a sudden change in one’s mood. The point of this exercise is to simply give thanks and appreciation to seemingly insignificant things in your life, the things that support your existence, your daily life.
You can practice this exercise either by saying inwardly or by writing in your daily journal, the choice is yours but the moment you start this mindful appreciation practice, you feel a river of joy moving in you.
Fifth, By Meditating:
One of the best ways to protect yourself from the pains of difficult times is through the practice of ‘Metta’ of ‘Loving-Kindness’ meditation. This can also be defined as compassionate acceptance and awareness of ourselves our circumtances and others.
This is one of the most beautiful meditation and helps you feel more present, more aware, develop more empathy and be less reactive to the negative moods.
While you practice the above steps, be patient with yourself and give credit for all that you have achieved so far. And remember that the journey lies ahead of you may be tough, but it is also rewarding. If the times are tough, you are the toughest.
Consider your current uncertainties, your current situation as an opportunity to discover anew you. And know that life is flowing with you and not against you. Add smiles to every moment of your life and embrace the subtle power of uncertainty with gratitude.
