Research shows that the fear of uncertainty can take a worse toll on humans than the actual fear itself coming true. While life will always have a degree of uncertainty, best-selling author Daniel Mangena has developed helpful coping mechanisms that he shares in his work for when everything feels out of control.
It was his own life experience with trauma inspired him to develop the Beyond Intention Paradigm, a system that began as a lifeline when grappling with suicidal thoughts and became a path to lasting joy and purpose. Featured in Oprah Daily by Oprah herself, Daniel has also been named a Wall Street Journal “Master of Success.” His mission is to share these life-affirming tools through his highly-rated podcasts and his latest book Stepping Beyond Intention.
6 Essential Strategies To Cope With Uncertainty From Daniel Mangena
01 | Interrogate Fears When we’re faced with uncertainty, it’s common to experience a range of emotions, including fear, anxiety and stress. One way to cope with these emotions is to interrogate them, by taking ownership of our feelings and accepting that they are real. This means acknowledging and validating our emotions without judgment, and recognizing that it’s okay to feel scared or uncertain. Once we’ve accepted our emotions, the next step is to put an action in place to control our reactions. To do this, we can ask ourselves why we’re reacting a certain way and what it says about us.
02 | Make Health And Self-Care A Priority Taking care of your health is crucial for coping with uncertainty and stress. If you neglect your physical or emotional wellbeing, you may find yourself in an even worse place than before. One way to take care of yourself is to identify what self-care means for you and prioritize it. Self-care can take many different forms and will look different for everyone. It may involve things like getting enough sleep, eating well, exercising regularly, practicing relaxation techniques such as meditation or yoga, or spending time doing activities that you enjoy. When you take care of yourself, you are better equipped to handle the challenges that come your way.
03 | Make Time for Mindfulness that Works for You We know mindfulness can help us stay in the present moment and reduce anxiety about the future. However, we should stop fixating on what mindfulness is and instead focus on what it isn’t. Mindfulness is not just an app to download or something that works the same way for everyone, despite what influencers may say. We should use the tools available to us, like certified mindfulness coaches, but stay true to our own paths—whether that’s a 10-minute walk, a yoga class or journaling. Following a rigid mindfulness template can lead us astray from the truth.
04 | Practice Random Acts of Kindness Whether physical or verbal, the true power of random acts of kindness puts us in the action mode of gratitude. They may be small, but such good deeds carry their weight; for many of us, they return to our happy stories for many years to come. Random acts of kindness have the power to reconnect us to the world we so often leave behind.
05 | Seek Support Take stock of your support system and don’t be afraid to lean on them during difficult times—as they would to you! If you don’t have such a person, it’s imperative to contact support groups or mental health professionals.
06 | Be Open-minded and Flexible Practicing flexibility is an important strategy for coping with uncertainty. In times of change or upheaval, it’s important to be willing to adapt to new circumstances and recognize that you may need to revise your plans or goals as new information becomes available.
