Whether you’re working to heal yourself from a life of addiction or life’s obstacles seem to trip you up time and time again, we all find ourselves faced with uncertainty. There’s no way to peer into the future to see what it holds. Uncertainty is a part of the human experience.
For those working through the Recovery process, there are a lot of uncertainties. Do you even have the ability to get well? Are you strong enough? What more could you do to speed up the process?
As all these uncertainties collect in your mind, fear and anxiety start to take hold. However, one of the keys to a successful Recovery is to learn to accept the uncertainty of life. If you’re able to do this, you will feel more positive as you continue on in the process.
Uncertainty of Life
Most people dread the Recovery process because of its uncertainty. Recovery is not a sure thing. Relapse is a possibility. However, dwelling on these fears and focusing on your potential failure can lead to self-sabotage.
Uncertainty is a natural part of life. Everyone feels it on a daily basis. From big things to small, being uncertain does not mean you are lost or a failure. It just means you’re alive.
At times, you may be overwhelmed by uncertainty, but if you can learn to deal with life’s uncertainty each day, you’ll be more confident and able to trust that things will work out for the best. Just like any new thought pattern, you will need to practice accepting uncertainty until it becomes easier. Moving through these difficult feelings will allow you to develop self-confidence and faith in yourself, even as you progress through Recovery.
Tips for Dealing With Uncertainty in Life
One of the only certainties in life is that uncertainty isn’t going anywhere. While learning how to deal with uncertainty may be easier said than done, here are a few tips that may help you learn to accept instead of resist the uncertainties you feel:
- Let go: The first step to accepting uncertainty is realizing that you can’t control everything. Instead of running from that reality, realize that you are stronger with each new challenge put before you. So, don’t panic about or avoid uncertainties, even those concerning your Recovery.
- Choose to feel: When you resist your emotions, they hold more power over you than they should. Instead, choose to feel all the emotions surrounding your uncertainty — anxiety, fear, self-doubt, restlessness. By allowing yourself to feel even difficult emotions, you can gradually move through them.
- Focus on what you can control: While you can’t control everything, there are a few things you do have control over. Your attitude is an example of this. Instead of obsessing over what may or may not happen in the future and becoming paralyzed with fear, keep a good attitude about what’s taking place in the present.
- Be open to surprises: Not all uncertainty is bad. When you’re prepared and open to surprises, you’ll learn and experience things you’ve never even dreamed of.
- Take risks: Uncertainty can leave you incapacitated and unable to move forward. For those in Recovery, you must accept that moving forward to becoming a healthier individual comes with risks — but it’s worth it because you’re worth it.
- Be brave: Fear and uncertainty go hand in hand. Yet, as Amelia Earhart said, “Courage is the price that life exacts for granting peace.”
Learn to Be Strong in the Face of Uncertainty
As you learn to accept uncertainty, you will realize just how resilient and strong you really are. Even as you walk the long road of Recovery, you can begin to trust yourself more and relax even when obstacles attempt to trip up your progress.
At 7 Summit Pathways, we want to walk alongside you. Our treatment center exists to help patients cope with the challenges that arise throughout the Recovery journey. We incorporate evidence-based treatment strategies into every aspect of your personalized care. To find out more, we invite you to schedule your appointment at our Tampa-based facility.