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I'm currently at work on a book about how the human brain handles uncertainty and figured I'd share some of my research here because...well, this week is probably going to be full it. Follow along!
First! Humans are uniquely equipped (cursed) to experience anxiety over the future thanks to our big frontal lobe. Yay! Here are some things I've learned about handling the pitfalls of our special anatomy:
Be gentle to others: What is deemed uncertain by an individual is highly subjective so don't assume what's bothering you is bothering someone else.
Be gentle to yourself: uncertainty is stress and stress affects you in myriad, insidious ways from not being able to sleep or eat to bruising easily. It's wild! So if you feel off/injured/unfocused - be kind to yourself.
Stick to your rituals: keep doing the same things that make you calm normally. If it's power-walking, hit the streets. If it's lighting a candle, keep it aflame. Rituals are scientifically proven to relieve stress. More here: https://catapult.co/stories/bad-things-come-in-threes-superstition-ritual-and-action-prayer-in-2020-kea-krause
Keep one thing in mind to stay sane: humans are VERY BAD at predicting the future. We generally weave a narrative about what will happen next based on how we feel in the moment. This is to say we really really don't know what will happen and guessing/predicting is futile.
Finally, I cling to this the most: hope is a symptom of bad times, not good times. Find things you hope for and hold on tightly to them no matter what happens this week.
