Living with Uncertainty

Accepting uncertainty is not always easy, but when approached constructively, you can develop some very valuable skills. Uncertainty triggers an appreciation of good times and reinforces the wisdom of preparing for bad times. Living with uncertainty can encourage a sense of self-reliance and personal responsibility. It nurtures resourcefulness and resilience. These skills are important to develop, because uncertainty seems to be a price that life often demands. Uncertainty creates fear and worry. As far as most of us are concerned, things are good if they work out the way we expect, and bad if they turn out differently. Why be so narrow in your judgment? We create in our minds a hundred ways to worry every day. Add to that the constant bombardment of disturbing stories in the news. When has life ever been certain? It’s human nature to fret, and to make things seem difficult and fearful. Life involves combinations of ups and downs and it’s all too easy to relish the peaks and dread the lows. But, without disheartened moments, there would be no appreciation of the magic and magnificence of life. An antidote is to be present to the way things are, including your feelings about the situation. This is not the same as accepting things as they are in a resigned way. It means being present without resistance. Without resistance, you are free to ask, “What do I do from here?” This question can raise all sorts of possibilities, and you can begin creating new perceptions. When times are good, people cling to an ideal reality as though it were fixed, as though life, people, ideas and situations can be fully known and seldom change. The reality is that things change and uncertainty abounds. Unhindered by this concern, a person stands in a great space of possibility, with a freedom of imagination for what can be. This person is more likely to expand his or her business, enroll customers, and attract appropriate resources. So the strategy is to look at your business, your life, and ask what’s the cleverest, most creative and easiest way to get through these times without having to do it like everyone else who is in fear and worry. Even if the present may be hazy and the future up for grabs, strategy is what positions your environments, relationships, resources and your perspective in times of chaos. The opposite of faith is worry and fear. Many choose to see themselves as victims of their circumstances and fail to recognize the role their choices play in the creation of those circumstances. Consider a value-finding attitude—bringing out the best in every situation. Change and uncertainty are occurring in the world at a rate faster than ever since the history of mankind. Fear of change centers on self-doubt and causes people to restrict their creative flow. It also causes strong reactions to new ideas and new ways of doing things. It’s akin to burying your head in the sand and attempting to stop change from occurring. The more positive your attitude toward change, the more creative you will be. Anticipate a positive future and a healthy perception will unfold.