Do you find yourself debilitated by uncertainty? Wondering what’s next in your career? Wondering whether you’ll get the next role, the next promotion, or whether your job is safe from layoffs and organization re-designs? Wondering what’s going to happen next in the world – the economy, politics, policies, etc.? We are surrounded by uncertainty. The question is, how do we manage it?
As a neurodivergent career coach, I’ve worked with clients across the U.S. who are grappling with questions like: What’s next? Will I be okay? How do I prepare for the unknown?
Uncertainty can feel unsettling, but it also offers a unique opportunity for growth – growth with our mindset and growth with the possibilities that may result.
Here are strategies to help you build resilience and thrive amongst uncertainty.
Uncertainty Definition
First, let’s define what uncertainty is. According to the APA Dictionary of Psychology, uncertainty is the state or condition in which something (e.g., the probability of a particular outcome) is not accurately or precisely known; a lack of confidence or clarity in one’s ideas, decisions, or intentions.
Uncertainty can trigger stress, anxiety, and a desire for control. It’s often associated with ambiguity, unpredictability, and risk.
Uncertainty can show up with our health, our relationships, our careers, our communities, and our world at large.
So, now that we understand what uncertainty is, what can we do about it?
1. Notice It & Name It
The first step is to notice and name that you’re feeling uncertain about a situation. If you find yourself worrying or ruminating about the potential outcomes of a situation, pause and notice it. Then name it, “I’m feeling anxiety because I’m uncertain about whether I’m going to get this job offer.”
It’s almost as if you’re an observer, looking at the situation. You can see yourself being impacted by uncertainty. Noticing it and naming it gives you a moment to pause and reflect.
Where do you observe uncertainty impacting you? Notice it and name it.
2. Know Your Tolerance
The second step is to know where your tolerance level is for uncertainty and in which areas of your life. Where in your life do you need more stability, and where is there more tolerance for the unknown? Some people can be stable in their relationships and have more unknown with their career. Others may need more stability in their career and are fine with the unknown in other areas of their life. Reflect on where your tolerance level for the unknown is in which areas of your life.
Where does this specific situation fall within your tolerance?
Notice this, too.
3. Reframe It
The third step starts to move you in a more positive direction. Recognize that uncertainty is normal, start to identify the possibilities available to you, and possibly shift the stories you’re telling yourself.
a. Normalize it
Uncertainty often triggers fear, anxiety, and a sense of loss of control. But these reactions are not signs of weakness - they’re human. They’re normal.
A situation arises, or an event happens, and it triggers a feeling of uncertainty. We don’t know the outcome. We can’t completely control it.
Compound that with beliefs we may hold about the situation, or our previous experiences, and that leads to the meaning we apply to the situation and stories we create about the potential outcomes.
This can activate the brain’s limbic system, particularly the amygdala, which is responsible for detecting threats (Hirsh, Mar, & Peterson, 2012). This can lead to heightened stress responses, even when the threat is ambiguous or imagined.
This process is normal.
As a coach, I encourage clients to normalize these feelings. Uncertainty is not a personal failure - it’s a shared experience. By naming and validating the discomfort, we reduce its power and begin to shift from reactivity to intentionality.
Tell yourself, “This is normal to feel this way.”
b. See the Possibilities
Now that you’ve normalized it, it’s time to shift your thoughts into possibilities.
According to a Harvard Business Review article, “How to Overcome Your Fear of the Unknown”, by Nathan Furr and Susannah Harmon Furr, From the Magazine (July–August 2022), they insightfully point out that uncertainty and possibility are two sides of the same coin.
Where there is uncertainty, there is also possibility.
If you’re uncertain that you’re going to get a job offer, it’s possible you will get the job offer.
If you’re uncertain that a partner is going to propose, it’s possible you will get engaged.
If you’re uncertain about the economy, it’s possible that inflation recedes and grocery prices drop.
If you’re uncertain about human rights, it’s possible that there’s an organization you can support.
There are endless possibilities; the challenge is to pause and brainstorm what those possibilities are, so you can create a different viewpoint.
Take a moment to pause and brainstorm positive possibilities for an uncertain area of your life.
c. Shift Your Stories
Now, the more difficult part. It’s time to shift your stories. During uncertain times, it’s easy to adopt a narrative of defeat or stagnation, or even catastrophes. Instead, we can reframe our story as one of growth, adaptability, and learning.
What is the story that you’re telling yourself about the uncertain situation?
Write it out.
Look at what you’ve written and assess it.
What’s true, like really true, and what’s not true.
What’s a more positive, realistic story you can tell yourself?
For example, I might make up a story that if I haven’t heard from the hiring team about a job I interviewed for, it’s because the hiring team has offered the position to someone else and is waiting for their acceptance before telling me.
What’s true: it’s taking longer than expected to hear back about the job interviews.
What’s also true: I have no other information that indicates why I haven’t heard back.
I can shift my story to, ‘I thought I would have heard by now, but I’ll wait for the recruiter to hear the full story’… end the story there. No commentary. No judgment. No more made-up stories.
It’s important to shift your stories to something positive, to reframe your thoughts, and reduce your anxiety.
Other examples of shifts to positive stories:
- I can’t control the outcome, but I can make my voice heard.
- I can’t control the outcome, but I can take actions to influence the direction.
- I am open to the outcomes; each path leads to new possibilities.
Now, it’s your turn: take your uncertain situation, dissect your story, and shift it to something positive.
4. Experiment & Take Action
Next, you get to take action. These can be small micro-actions or larger actions, your choice. Identify an action or an experiment that can influence your uncertain situation or raise stability in another area. For example, if your career is uncertain, maybe you want to exercise more to strengthen your physical and mental health to deal with it. Identify some action that you can take.
- Is there someone you can talk to?
- A topic you want to research?
- A webinar to attend in a new field?
- Someone to reach out to in a different industry for an informational interview?
- Volunteer for a short-term project outside your comfort zone?
- Another action you want to take?
Identify your action and break it into bite-sized pieces, so it’s very manageable.
Either do the action right away or block time on your calendar to do it.
Taking action will serve multiple purposes – it serves as an outlet for anxiety; it can build momentum; it can influence the uncertain situation; it can lead to new possibilities; it can teach you something new to create another experiment, and more.
What’s the action that you’re going to take?
5. Ground Yourself in Values, Purpose, Vision, and Connection
Throughout this process, stay grounded in your values, your purpose, and your vision. Knowing your “why” can help create a solid foundation, while the scaffolding may be unsteady. Your values are what’s important to you, such as integrity, adventure, stability, and family. Your purpose is what motivates you daily, such as “inspiring growth,” or “being courageously authentic,” or “loving wholeheartedly.” Your vision sets your long-term direction for where you want to head. Maybe you want to become an expert in a specific subject. Maybe you want to be fit and healthy. Maybe you want to retire early. These guide your decisions and actions. Ensure that your experiments/actions align with your values, purpose, and vision, so you feel fulfilled.
Equally important is fostering connection. Social support buffers against stress and enhances resilience. Lean into your networks -mentors, peers, communities—and seek out spaces where you feel seen and supported.
Reflect on your values, purpose, and vision, and connect with your social network
6. Believe in Yourself
You also need to believe in yourself. Reflect on your skills, strengths, accomplishments, and your decision-making ability. Know that you’ve learned from previous mistakes and have those insights now. From the Harvard Business Review article, “How to Overcome Your Fear of the Unknown” by Nathan Furr and Susannah Harmon Furr, From the Magazine (July–August 2022), the only way for any of us to tap into new possibilities is through the gateway of the unknown. And it doesn’t have to be a painful process if you believe in your ability to navigate it.
You may find you’re doubting yourself. Pause to notice if this is rational self-doubt, such as knowing that there is no longer a market for your business, so you should change course. Or, if this is internal doubt, where your inner critic has just decided to judge you, question you, criticize you, etc. If it’s rational doubt, identify some key actions to influence your direction positively – research, meet with people, etc. If it’s an internal doubt, notice it and shift it to something positive.
What do you need to shift to believe in yourself?
Uncertainty as a Catalyst
Uncertainty is not a detour - it’s part of the journey. With the right mindset, tools, and support, it can become a catalyst for new possibilities. By noticing and naming uncertainty, knowing your tolerance, reframing it through normalization, possibilities, and shifting your stories, then creating experiments and taking action, and staying grounded and believing in yourself, you can allow uncertainty to reside with the belief of new possibilities.
Begin Therapy or Coaching for Stress and Burnout in Seattle
Uncertainty is a normal part of the human experience. However, it can become so overwhelming that it negatively impacts your life and career. If you have tried to manage the anxiety and fears related to uncertainty on your own and need extra help and support, both therapy and coaching can be a great resource. For coaching, you can find out more about working with Brieanne Yuchasz on her website. Here at Thrive for the People, our therapists specialize in workplace stress and anxiety. You can schedule a free 15-minute phone consultation on our website to see if one of our therapists can be a great fit for you.
