How comfortable are you with uncertainty?
The Challenge
Think about your initial response to a situation in which you were uncertain about how to best respond. Did you eagerly anticipate working toward a solution or did you experience anxiety when your next step was unclear?
Why do this?
This challenge encourages you to think about how flexible you are in responding to change. If you are flexible, you are open to change and rapidly adapt to new information, changing conditions, and unexpected barriers.
Uncertainty creates a strong limbic system response in the brain. Historically, human survival depended on our ability to react quickly to threats by fleeing, fighting, or freezing. Recognizing your brain's primitive reactions allows you to respond more deliberately to uncertainty. Instead of catastrophizing, you can manage your anxiety by deep and slow breathing, physical activity, changing your perspective, or creating daily rituals that offer familiar comfort.
What’s next?
If your response to uncertainty reflects flexibility, congratulations! If your response to uncertainty needs to be stronger, try practicing one or two of the strategies identified above when you are faced with your next challenge. Small changes can increase your tolerance for uncertainty.
