How To Be An Optimist In An Uncertain World

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

Times of great change can make us feel the world’s spinning too fast and the floor is shifting under our feet. If life today has proven anything, it’s that things we believed would last forever aren’t as permanent as we thought, and we have little idea what the future might bring. Whenever we feel overwhelmed, it’s easy 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. Make 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 a GP’s advice, keep a diary), and what you can’t (make a diagnosis, predict the future). Putting pen to paper takes power away from the unknown.

2 MEET YOUR INNER CAVEWOMAN