Creating a sense of reliability in an uncertain world

We crave a sense of reliability and certainty and put energy into finding control to mitigate ambiguity. Whilst the tolerance of uncertainty and ambiguity will differ with individuals because of such things as their levels of resilience, experience and the situation itself, the brain feels safety when it gets what’s going on and can predict what happens next. Our brains pattern match stimulus it receives with the experiences it stores. Imagine a filing cabinet in which all of you is stored – your memories, your experiences, everything that has happened to you. The filing system is ordered by association and sub-divided by the categories ‘safe’ or ‘threat’. The emotion experienced with the event is the librarian for the assigned order, the chemical encoder. So, for example – for someone who was stung badly by a bee as a child, bees will be stored in the threat category. In the same category, because of association, elements of the surroundings you were in will also be filed next to bees – maybe lavender because that’s what you were near when you got stung. The threats are placed in order of danger based on the peaks of emotional response experienced at the time of the encounter. The association, in this case lavender, is the context, it gives the brain a frame for avoidance even if there are no bees to be seen. A fear of lavender may first appear as irrational, but when understood from the standpoint of the brains interpretive system, makes sense. From an evolutionary and survival viewpoint this carries advantage. The sub-conscious filing system provides the means for very fast analysis and action to keep you on the planet for longer.

Uncertainty and change however, is like a torn map, without the missing piece the whole landscape cannot completed and the next steps cannot be calculated. There is no file to pull out because we haven’t got an experience to call on and so our pattern-predictive system stumbles. In the absence of information we seek to fill in the gaps to make sense of the ambiguity and uncertainty of what’s next. This information seeking behaviour continually asks, what’s happening now?; what’s next?; what does it mean? A sense of reliability is core to our intrinsic motivation and wellbeing. So, what can we do?

Routine - Establishing a routine is still vitally important, even if it is just when you get up, a point in the day for a coffee or mealtimes. Routine is safe, known and in your control. Something you can come back to for recharge and reset.

In the midst of change and ongoing confusion, giving your brain time off from the additional burden of calculating how the day works and is structured will pay dividends.

Acceptance - Before order there is always dis-order. When we face disruption our first stance is to resist. To hold the status quo because we understand and know it. Resistance can feel good initially but it soon starts to wane. Pushing against something takes a lot of energy. Energy that is not being used to progress, adapt and move forward.

When we can accept and let go of resistance we can shift our attention to what we are able to influence. What we can learn and how we can contribute to adaptation and progress. Change can be a prime opportunity to gain knowledge and skills that are simply not as accessible or applicable in a business as usual landscape.

Focus on what is valuable - which parts of your role and world are the most valuable? Imagine all the components as balls you are juggling. Some are rubber, some are wooden and some are glass. Which would bounce if you dropped them? And, what would break if you let them go or left them unattended?

We can choose what to pay attention to, but we have to be wise with our energy – it only goes so far. None of us can do it all. If we try to give everything from the email inbox to the report equal weight, we can find ourselves spread too thin. And, when we are in the midst of change and uncertainty our energy and cognitive capacity is reduced even further. We need to ruthlessly prioritise and manage our own expectations on what we can do, and do well. What you say no to is sometimes more important than what you say yes to. Saying yes can sometimes mask our own concerns about our perceived commitment, or worry about missing opportunities. Examine your intention before you say yes. Do you have the capacity? Overstretching ourselves only ever leads to dampened mood state and frustration from a lack of tangible progress. And can be a step on a path to burnout.

What is it that requires the most attention and your energy resource for real progression? As we focus on these we start to see that everything else becomes just noise. Things we have been conditioned to think we should do. The ever expanding to-do list, like the ironing pile, never gets fully gets done but always grows. The infinite meetings and emails that clogged our days and blocked growth and progress. I am a great fan of ‘one-thing’. If we can, each day, do one thing that progresses each of these valuable factors we will reap the rewards. We will do more and do it better.

What is in your control? So much around us is out of our control. When our brains perceive that our influence and agency in any situation is stifled or absent it triggers our threat response. A bit like a warning signal to find the way out and escape being controlled. But, in a state of alert it becomes harder to find the solutions, to find the pathways. Strengthening what is termed our internal locus of control not only helps us to find these paths but exerting agency directly supports our health and wellbeing.

Part of this is focussing on even the smallest element that is in your control. To ask yourself, what are my options? What is in my gift?

Uncertainty and change are not easy, but it can provide unique opportunities for learning and growth.