Dealing with Uncertainty During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Does anyone have a job for life, a guarantee of good health, or absolute
certainty over what tomorrow will bring?
The truth is no matter how much you try to plan and prepare for every possible
outcome, life will find a way of surprising you. All striving for certainty
really does is fuel worry and anxiety.
Higher levels of stress may cause sleep disorders, anxiety, torpor, distress,
and anger, and in the face of this we must try to inspire ourselves and our
environment. All of this can lead to both emotional and financial stress,
especially if you’re worried about mounting debt and managing spending at this
time.
But you’re not powerless. These tips can help you get through this stressful
time.
1: Take action over the things you can control
According to experts, the feeling of stress and anxiety can be triggered by
an event that makes you feel frustrated or nervous. When you add in the
current coronavirus pandemic, this can lead to quite a bit of financial
stress.
But while you can’t control the spread of a virus, the recovery of the
economy, or whether you’ll have a pay check next week, you’re not totally
powerless. Whatever your fears or personal circumstances, instead of
worrying about the uncontrollable, focus on concrete things you can problem
solve or change, rather than circumstances beyond your control.
2: Count your blessings!
When we count our blessings, we note all the wonderful things in our lives.
This helps us to appreciate how good life is. Try to count at least
three things that you are grateful for in life, every day. It may be the
smallest thing you can imagine. If you cannot come up with a new thing every
day, mention something good that you are happy about in your life, in
general. You can even maintain a small gratitude journal and when you look
at it collectively, you’ll have so many things to be happy about!
3: Learn to accept uncertainty
No matter how much you strive to eliminate doubt and volatility from your
life, the truth is you already accept a lot of uncertainty every day. Each
time you cross a street, get behind the wheel of a car, or eat takeout or
restaurant food you’re accepting a level of uncertainty. You’re trusting
that the traffic will stop, you won’t have an accident, and everything
you’re eating is safe. The chances of something bad happening in these
circumstances is small, so you accept the risk and move on without
requiring certainty. If you’re religious, you also likely accept some
doubt and uncertainty as part of your faith. Let go. Respond to the
what-ifs running through your head by acknowledging that you’re not a
fortune teller; you don’t know what will happen. All you can do is let go
and accept the uncertainty as part of life.
4. Focus on the present
If we had everything we thought we ever wanted immediately, life would be
dull. Don’t let too many days slip by daydreaming about the future.
Appreciate the process as life unfolds. By being fully connected to the
present, you can interrupt the negative assumptions and catastrophic
predictions running through your mind. If you find yourself getting
stuck on a particular negative thought, bring your attention back to the
present moment.
5. Talk about your worries
As human beings we are social creatures. We’re not meant to live in
isolation. It's important to remember we are not alone. If you don't talk
to others, you'll think you're in a ditch by yourself. And this is the
thing that I think is so significant about this moment in time with the
pandemic. It has pulled back the cover. So, call, video-chat or text with
a friend; join an online community; or even go old-school and write a
letter. When considering who to turn to, ask yourself whether you tend to
feel better or worse after talking to that person about a problem.
Don’t share your worries with your children, and if you are feeling anxious,
find a way to ground yourself.
6. Help others (it will make you feel better)
Helping others not only makes a difference to your community—and even to
the wider world at this time—it can also support your own mental health
and well-being. Much of the anguish accompanying this pandemic stems from
feeling powerless. Doing kind and helpful acts for others can help you
regain a sense of control over your life—as well as adding meaning and
purpose. As a quote circulating in Italy reminds us: “We’re standing far
apart now so we can embrace each other later.”
Remember that the world has gone through different challenges including
wars, disease outbreaks, and similar uncertain times. And those times too,
came to an end! If we focus on things that we can control, try our best to
stay positive, who knows we might come out of this uncertain phase
stronger, with a new perspective and zeal for life. It is important that
we stay more hopeful than ever for our futures, because this too shall
pass!
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