Uncertainty is Scary

(Originally published in 2020)

We don’t handle uncertainty well. In fact it scares the crap out of us. We’ve all been tossed into a period where all we have is uncertainty, and we are losing our collective minds.

There is a lot of shit going down. A lot.

There’s a lot we don’t know right know regarding the immediate future. Whatever you believe about the media, government, how it’s being handled is valid but ultimately irrelevant. Train has left the station. We’re here.

Shit’s shutting down left and right. More is likely coming.

There a a lot of people in gig work, service and hospitality, and other areas that are going to lose income and deal with those repercussions.

Parents have to make choices whether to stay home from work or roll the dice on the kids being alone.

Retail workers, health care, emergency services are or will be overwhelmed.

Kids are having their activities, performances, sports seasons gassed. Even as they may be cool with missing class, the other stuff being lost is devastating to them. Also, they’re watching us adults stressing and picking all of that up. And there’s a lot to stress.

Besides what I mentioned above, and the fears that stem from all of that, and the other things that I am sure I spaced, there’s also this virus flying around that may only be getting warmed up. And even as we do our best, we may still be unintentionally putting people in danger. We don’t always know who may be at risk, we don’t know everyone’s history we walk past.

Whatever you think of those making the decisions or the decisions themselves, it looks a lot more like they don’t really know what’s going to play out. I don’t think anyone truly does and they’re winging it until they do. That makes for a whole lot of uncertainty. We humans generally don’t do well with uncertainty. Uncertainty is scary as shit. Uncertainty means making guesses based on what you know in the moment, which may not be much and may change drastically and quickly.

That’s going to create a whole lot of fear. I know it’s natural to fight it, or avoid it… but it’s there. Resisting it makes us even less able to process what we need to, just accept that it’s there. It’s okay to be afraid. Let it do its thing, so it can move on. Then you can do as you need to with a clearer head.

Remember please, all anyone can do in any moment is the best we can with the information at hand. When that changes, just do your best to make a better, more informed choice. Don’t beat yourself up about the earlier ones. The information changed. that happens, and it’s going to keep happening in the coming days.

Stay present, control what you can, let go what you cannot (as best as possible).

I can’t promise smooth sailing, or much of anything. No one can. If they do they’re lying. Some of us are going to take some punches in the days and weeks. But know that this will pass. And know that, while we may be isolated we are not alone. Please reach out if you are in need.

This may hurt but we’ll get through it.