How To Meet Uncertainty With Hope

How To Meet Uncertainty With Hope

There is never a promise of certainty in life. The reality is that there is a lot of uncertainty in life. You cannot control everything and the truth is the strategies that most of us rely on to contend with life’s uncertainty tend to be self-defeating. Finding hope through uncertainty is a powerful way to move forward and find success.

When we face an uncertain future we often resort to feeling anxious, worrying, complaining, or being negative about events that may never occur. We focus on uncertainty.

However, with intention, some people rise to meet uncertain times with hope and resilience. You have the power within you to develop such attitudes and if you develop resilience in the face of uncertainty you will be successful in life’s ups and downs.

Rewind.. What does having hope in the face of the unknown really mean?

Think of how you handle difficult situations. Do you offer platitudes like, “I hope everything will work out”? Although this seems like hope, it is actually a loophole. This is really just a way of disengaging or checking out of a difficult situation.

True hope comes from a source much deeper. It comes from your inner self. There are vital qualities from within that help determine how much hope you yourself feel, as well as what you can offer to others. Hope is an essential component in facing any type of uncertainty, from layoffs, to promotions, to moving, and to the current state of the world.

Let’s take a moment and layout hope’s primary qualities:

Strength – You draw within and lean into your personal powers.
Resilience – You bounce back when faced with setbacks and obstacles.
Confidence – You have faith in your inner self.
Optimism – You stay positive despite the challenges ahead of you.

The qualities of hope are the opposite of pessimism, complaining, and worry. Instead of being negative, you can be strong, resilient, and optimistic, and in this way lead yourself to success.

Now, let’s take a closer look at hope’s primary qualities:

Strength

Most of us are all too willing to give away our power. Yet, what could be a more hopeless situation than being without power? This can happen in both business and personal relationships. You can find yourself going along with something you disagree with simply because you don’t have the strength or power to speak up.

Inner strength means that you can stand up for yourself, that you can overcome resistance, that you can turn a disaster into an opportunity. True strength is in the core of your being.

Resilience

Resiliency is the ability to face hard times and bounce back. It is the ability to shake defeat off at every turn. It is the ability to be hit with a challenge and instead of caving in, find a solution. Being resilient is the true secret to avoiding victimhood.

Resiliency doesn’t mean you have to be at 110% all the time. It isn’t about positive thinking and hope. It is about being able to turn the unknown into something that leads you closer to success. Resilience and overcoming adversity comes from a strong sense of self.

Confidence

Often confidence gets associated with being loud, obnoxious, or annoying. No. Confidence is about having faith in yourself and being able to know that you have all you need within you already.

Confidence is not about saying no to learning. It is about believing in yourself and making the time to invest in what you need to go to the next level. Read more in our post How To Improve How You Feel About Yourself to learn more about inner confidence.

Optimism

From day one, society has taught us that life is difficult, that struggling is the norm. In this environment, optimism seems foolish and unrealistic. And often, when we meet people who are truly optimistic, we are jealous of their cheerfulness. Optimism is not about being happy all the time or comparing yourself to others. It is about seeing ways to turn a problem into a solution.

Attitudes of pessimism, skepticism, and cynicism come from fear and distrust. Life can take care of itself, that’s the attitude of optimism. So let go of fear and allow yourself to find a good outcome.

Finding hope in uncertain times is easier than you think, it’s within you.