How uncertainty can make us anxious

We all worry about things and have aspects of our lives which make us anxious. It is part of life and our fears are often a guiding principle for assessing risk when making decisions in our life. However, excessive avoidance of the uncertainty can start to get in the way of you living a full life as you may procrastinate or avoid decisions, which lead to further uncertainty.

If we accept that uncertainty is a certainty in life it can be easier to learn to tolerate it. If we know that we cannot control everything and despite this it still might work out ok, this can help us when we have a decision to make. But this involves facing the anxiety that uncertainty causes head on.

Some people are able to do this on their own or with support from loved ones who understand how to help and encourage them. However, sometimes our loved ones inadvertently dismiss our worries when they either do not share them or do not want to face those worries themselves. At these times, seeking therapy may be helpful.

Airing the worries rather than avoiding them can allow us to acknowledge our fears, figure out those things we can and cannot control and to not let our uncertainty stop us living our lives. In order to do this we have to summon our courage and believe in our ability to change things and to manage our feelings differently. It can start today, with the smallest step. Small successes will only encourage us to take on more challenges and allow our lives to be fuller. Try it, you might like it.