Isn’t it just the worst if you are in a situation and you don’t know if you should go left, right, forward, or back?
The sensation of uncertainty is a very unpleasant one for all of us. When we are uncertain or involved in an uncertain situation, we don’t feel that we have control over that situation.
But, wait a second. Do we lose control over everything at that point? It certainly feels that way.
However, when introducing mindful thinking and meditation into your everyday life, uncertainties suddenly become less significant and stressful. This is because mindfulness shows you where your locus of control lies.
Mindfulness FAQs
How Does Mindfulness Help Improve One’s Outlook?
Adopting a mindful mindset helps us to be more accepting of things as we experience them in the present moment. Accepting circumstances is the first and best step towards dealing with them.
Can Mindfulness Be Used as a Coping Mechanism?
Mindfulness can be practiced in several ways, including through meditation. Incorporating mindful practices in your life can help you cope with situations of uncertainty in a constructive way.
How Do We Benefit From Mindful Meditation?
Mindful meditation helps the mind focus on the present moment, which has a calming and grounding effect in times of uncertainty.
Mindfulness Can Be Your Best Friend in Uncertain Times. Here Are 5 Ways to Become BFFs
1. Focus on That Which You Can Control
This is a very old piece of advice that has survived thousands of years—all the way from the stoic philosophers—and fits right into the idea of mindfulness, which is all about being consciously present in the moment.
There’s a reason it survived, though.
When you are in a stressful situation that you do not yet know the outcome of, can you control that? Alternatively, can you control how healthy you keep your thoughts during this timeframe?
The first step is helping yourself distinguish between these types of situations.
Knowledge is power.
When you know you are in a situation of uncertainty and you know you cannot change the situation until you’ve received clarity about a specific aspect, the healthiest thing to do is to be mindful about staying in the present moment and controlling what is reasonably in your control—your own thoughts and feelings.
Stay strong.
2. Practice Mindful Meditation
Meditation helps you control your thoughts, understand your surroundings, and open your mind.
By practicing mindful meditation regularly, you can automatically take the edge off a situation where you are suddenly faced with uncertainty in your life.
You will be more grounded, and through meditation, you will be able to understand your thoughts and emotions better, which helps to teach you how to manage these components in a sudden change of environment.
Mindful meditation means you are simply taking time for yourself to relax and focus completely on the present moment with your full consciousness while practicing acceptance of your circumstances.
3. Always Be Aware of the Possibility of Change and Uncertainty
There’s nothing wrong with prepping yourself for what might happen in the future—good or bad.
This is merely called proactivity, and being a proactive thinker can help you avoid unnecessary obstacles in your life by just being aware that they might pop up along the way.
Of course, being aware that there may be situations of uncertainty should not keep you up all night. In fact, it’s to help you sleep soundly and unwind without anxiety. You are armed with the knowledge that you are as prepared as you possibly can be for uncertain times.
4. Stick to a Routine
If uncertainty is something that bowls you over, then having a routine can help if you don’t want your whole existence to feel like one big blob of uncertainty.
Some of us like the sense of security a routine provides us, while others feel stifled by it, so how strict you are about your routine is up to you. Be sure to keep your routine healthy and balanced by adding light exercise and lots of nutritious food.
5. Take Good Care of Yourself
Just because you are in an uncertain time in your life doesn’t mean you should neglect your body, mind, and spirit. It will only leave you with personal repair work after you’ve re-entered a state of certainty again.
An example of this is to start binge-eating or stress-eating when you are experiencing uncertainty. Taking care of yourself is allowing your mind to consciously dissect your present emotions and thoughts before you act on them, and breathe.
Take it from moment to moment, and keep in mind that unhealthy coping mechanisms exacerbate an already unhealthy stressed or anxiety-ridden mental state.
Final Thoughts
By letting go of our attempts to gain external control, we gain access to internal control, which is the ultimate form of strength, acceptance, and understanding.
Understanding what we can control and what we can’t can give us power over uncertainty and the ability to conquer the anxiety it causes us.
Remember that trying to control uncertainty means you’ve, ironically, handed all control over to it, and you are now at its mercy. Mindful understanding and acceptance bring your sense of control inwards, where it is most powerful.
