6 Tips To Be An Optimist In An Uncertain World

These days it can feel like there’s a lot to worry about. But when nothing’s certain, anything is possible, our experts reassure Christabel Smith

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Times of great change can make us feel the world’s spinning too fast and the floor is shifting under our feet. If Brexit has proved anything, it’s that things we thought would last forever aren’t as permanent as we thought and we have very little idea of what the future might bring. Whenever we feel overwhelmed by politics or our personal lives, it’s easy for us to turn turbulence into a full-on crisis in our minds.

Here, we say stop… breathe. There’s always a bright side and we have six ways to help you find it.

1 WISE UP

Our brains are wired to react to uncertainty with fear, but this may lead to poor decision making, which will only make us feel more out of control. We go down the path of thinking everything in our world is unstable, but that’s hardly ever the case. Information has never been more accessible than it is now, so read up, get googling and counter your irrational thoughts by gathering facts.

DO IT Take stock. Write a list of what you know and what you don’t. For example, if you’re worried an elderly relative’s memory is failing, jot down what you can do to help (seek the GP’s advice, keep a diary), and what you can’t do (make a diagnosis, predict the future). Putting pen to paper takes power away from the unknown.

2 MEET YOUR INNER CAVE WOMAN