Five ways to deal with uncertainty during the pandemic

31 Oct 2021

Uncertainty is a part of the world. We live with impermanence where things, people, and situations are subjected to change all the time. But why is it so hard for many to cope with these uncertainties? What do we need to do in order to deal with uncertainty from the new normal?

1. Reduce the amount of news you consume.

News or articles, whatever they are, delivers a message to our mind. Of course, incoming messages do not bring only information but opinions, feelings, or emotions are also attached as well. The feeling after we’ve finished listening to the same message a hundred times is not going to be the same because the mind has already absorbed fear, anxiety, or negativity from the message. Therefore, it’s important to be aware of the situation by receiving some news but do not spend the whole day watching the same news again and again. That’s going to reduce willpower and mental strength to deal with the uncertainty that is currently happening.

2. Try to look at the situation from two perspectives.

As every coin has two sides, every situation has two perspectives: positivity and negativity. The current situation is freezing everything around the world, stopping us from traveling, working together, and spending our time the way we want, but is something good also happening at the same time? There is a report saying that factories that are currently pausing the operations stop emitting CO2 to the atmosphere. Perhaps the climate is going to be improved when the hard time is over. What about the food and necessity supply? This hard time will teach us a lesson about what we need and what we want. We perhaps realize that we don’t need that much to survive. So, when the situation is over, we can look forward to appreciate every remaining breath on earth.

3.Understand that changes are inevitable

It’s hard for people to cope with uncertainty because people don’t like to change. Each change requires mental preparation, thinking, speaking, and doing are gradually adjusted. When changes happen once in a while, it might seem okay for people to adapt. But when changes are happening daily, it is going to be much harder to prepare the mind. The mind is also controlled by one more thing called ‘habit’. Habit will force us to come back to the same old way of thinking, speaking, and doing. Once our old habits conflict with the changes, the mind is brought to bear pressure on both sides of it.

4. Live with the present moment

A lot of uncertainties will lead to issues, challenges and difficulties we need to handle. Each of those also leads to questions and expectations about the outcome either positive or negative. Having a lot of questions and expectations in the mind will leave little space to feel happiness and contentment. If we live with the present moment, these questions and expectations will disappear. We will have more space in the mind to feel more comfortable and slowly solve all issues, challenges, and difficulties. The fruits of constructive and positive Karmas will always become positive as well.

5. Meditate to feel a certainty from within

When everything in the world is uncertain, the only sureness we can feel is the positive energy from inside through the practice of meditation. It might not be easy to meditate during a difficult time. But when the mind can advance through all meditation obstacles such as worrying thoughts it will surely come to a state where all anxiety disappears. That’s when we can appreciate the certainty of inner peace by ourselves. What if we keep meditating every day, bringing this certainty to our daily life, it will surely help us deal with uncertainty at this difficult moment.

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