Embracing Uncertainty

When I was a teenager, mobile phones were still a rarity and used only for actual calling or one-liners. The main source of information were books and printed media (yes, I am this old...)

In the here and now however, I have access to everything in digital form, all the time, and just one klick away.

I am the master of remote control.

Literally.

Seemingly…

So, what happens if my means of experiencing and executing control (and perceived control) crash?

PANIC WASHES OVER ME AND I LOSE IT! COMPLETELY! UTTERLY!

Why?

As human beings, we have a really hard time dealing with the unknown. We like answers, we like solutions, we like being able to predict what happens next.

When we perceive that we have fallen short of the means needed to be able to plan and to foresee our next steps, anxiety starts to build up.

We get nervous.

We become agitated.

Our thoughts are racing.

We can’t sit still.

We need to do something to soothe the frenzy...

And here’s the tricky part: this exact reaction to “loss of control” – or to “facing uncertainty” happens in mini versions many times over the course of one day:

the moment I cannot access my inbox to check my emails;

the moment I cannot check online if my parcel will arrive on time;

the moment I discover that only three people out of my 125 followers clicked my story on Instagram…

So, what can I do to soothe the frenzy?

Maybe not much on the “hands-on-level”, but quite a bit on the emotional level: to foster awareness for all those moments I experience “loss of control” and to try and practice self-compassion.

For me, self-compassion is a very powerful tool that helps me to “hang in there”, to accept what I’m going through right now and to wait for the sensation to pass instead of stressing myself out to find a way to escape the emotion I am experiencing.

I don’t say it’s easy – it’s a tough nut to crack, again and again – but it’s worth the journey.