How to Handle Uncertainty

All anxiety and worry is rooted in difficulty tolerating the unknown. If you struggle with anxiety, then you probably find yourself needing a lot of reassurance from others, needing to make excessive lists, double check your work, and even avoid people or situations.

Most people like to know things and don’t like uncertainty. But when you struggle with an anxiety disorder, it can seem like you almost have an “allergy” to uncertainty. You may have a strong emotional reaction to even small amounts of uncertainty.

Truth is, life is full of uncertainty. Nobody gets to know how others are perceiving us, how we will die, or if something bad happens.

If you struggle with tolerating uncertainty, you will want to make a deliberate effort to learn skills to strengthen your ability to “not know.”

To get better at tolerating uncertainty, try these tips:

• Eliminate the behaviors that take up your time and energy meant to get certainty (like eliminate googling answers or asking others for reassurance)

• Practice using uncertain self-talk such as: “I don’t know and that’s ok” or “whatever happens, happens.”

• Instead of being hard on yourself, try being more compassionate by saying “This is hard. Many people also struggle with ______________, I need to remember that it’s ok to not know everything and that I can handle problems that may come my way.”

• Set up challenges! Practice tolerating uncertainty by sending a work email without checking for spelling errors. Or go to a restaurant without reading the reviews.

• Work with a therapist that specializes in anxiety disorders. State of Mind Therapy has therapists skilled in helping people with actionable ways to work through anxiety. You can book a free 15 minute phone consultation here.