Facing Prolonged Uncertainty with Confidence - Wisdom4Humanity with Patrick Mosher

Uncertainty. Uncertainty leads to doubt, and prolonged doubt leads to despair. Stop. How can you drain that despair and face prolonged uncertainty with confidence? We humans love certainty. We call it safety. We call it security. We call it freedom. We like to predict what lies ahead. Because it gives us relief. Our brains can let go a little bit and coast. We glide. And yet, our brains are energized by uncertainty. We crave novelty, newness, creation, and innovation. We humans are a paradox. When I was a change management consultant, I often heard in boardrooms, hallways, and cubicles a popular phrase: Change is the only constant. This phrase was quoted from the Greek philosopher Heraclitus, who said, change is the only constant in life. I learned to hate that phrase. It was usually a response to someone struggling with the relentless onslaught of change. The consoling person would put their hand on the despairing person's shoulder and utter, change is the only constant. What a terrible way to console someone who's struggling. However, digging into that ancient Greek philosophy, I found gold. Constant. When facing uncertainty and change, dig deep and find the constants in your life. The things you can rely on that don't change. When you're feeling overwhelmed, doubt, fatigue, stress, drop everything. Take a deep breath. Get as 100% present in this very moment and let go of what has happened and what might happen. And take another deep breath. And then try one of these: look at the sparkle in your children's or your grandchildren's eyes as they play. Reread your wedding vows to your longtime partner. Go outside, take off your shoes and socks, and step onto the earth. Feel the nourishing freshness spread across your soul. These actions tap into your constants, the things you can rely on every day, anytime. They're the things you take for granted, the things you assume are true because they are ever-present. They are constant. Constants like fidelity, Sunshine, growth, novelty, joy, fresh air, gravity, just even waking up. So what are your constants? Get a glimpse of harmony with the universe. Your confidence will lift your corners of your mouth. Elevate your constants into more awareness. Make them more visible. Appreciate them frequently. Turn your constant appreciation into a routine. Or ritual, and encourage others to discover their appreciation for their constants. The Constant Appreciation Movement has begun. In the face of prolonged uncertainty, don't despair. Find a little bit of stable ground to stand on. Rediscover your rock. Your constants are always there. Face uncertainty with constant appreciation.