How I pulled myself out of an uncertainty spiral

By asking these three questions

After making the mistake of catching up on the news just before bed one night last week, I found myself spiraling deep into the early hours of the morning. Even though I don’t live in the U.S., the global implications of a Trump presidency - and everything that’s come with it - left me shaken and in a black hole of questions:

Should I be playing it safer?

What does this mean for my career?

Am I making the right choices?

When you’re carving out your own path, there are always moments when the safety of the ‘traditional’ option can suddenly look very appealing.

And for the past couple of years, my worst-case scenario - the plan that’s comforted me in these moments- has been: if all else fails, I can go back to working in tech.

Lately though, even that back-up plan feels shaky. With more layoffs, the tech broligarchy we’re facing, and the harrowing stories from my friends still on the inside, it’s clear my “safe” option is looking much less so.

So now what?

After scraping together a couple of hours sleep, I sat down the next morning with my journal to take myself through my clarify, unblock, create process and ask three important questions.

CLARIFY

What’s my immediate focus?

Uncertainty can trick us into thinking we need to take some big, drastic action to regain control. But counterintuitively, starting micro with small daily habits can make the biggest difference in feeling a sense of control, helping us regulate from the fight/flight/freeze response so we can think clearly and strategize effectively. So I’ve been focusing on getting my steps in, taking my time cooking, and getting into the gym.

Then going macro and reconnecting with the intention behind my existing goals. What am I optimising for on my current path and how can I recommit to that as my immediate focus.

Whether it’s landing a new job, saving for a sabbatical, getting more clients, or growing a side hustle - reminding yourself of what the purpose is behind your current goals can ground you when everything else feels shaky.

For me right now, that focus is my coaching practice, the foundation of all my work.

What about you? What’s your immediate focus right now?

UNBLOCK

What limiting belief is getting activated right now?

Uncertainty has a way of digging up old fears, anxieties, and limiting beliefs. The panic you might have been feeling recently? Chances are, it’s not new - it’s an old script being triggered.

As my therapist used to say, moments like these are ‘a wonderful opportunity to learn’ 🫠.

For me, one of those old scripts is the belief that I have to handle everything alone to meet my needs. Whenever uncertainty strikes, my brain worries about how I’ll take care of myself if things go wrong.

So I used this opportunity to practise interrupting and reprogramming that pattern. I reached out to a friend and asked them to support me by coming over - we commiserated, cooked dinner, listened to a podcast, and laughed at how absurd it all feels.

That simple, shared moment reminded me that I don’t have to figure things out alone, and that no matter what happens, I have people to lean on.

What old belief is showing up for you right now? And what’s one small way you can begin to challenge it?

CREATE

What does this give me an opportunity to experiment with?

When I look back, most of my biggest breakthroughs came during periods of uncertainty. Disruption forced me to pause, rethink what I truly wanted, and stop following inertia.

One example that stands out is from when I first joined Meta. My hiring manager was a big part of why I joined, and I was excited to collaborate with her.

Then, just three months in, she was reassigned to another team. I was heartbroken, and the future of our work felt incredibly uncertain. But that disruption created the opportunity for me to step into a new level of leadership.

This is why I encourage my clients - and myself - to use the uncertainty to experiment, play, put your self out there in new ways.

Because creation and destruction are always happening simultaneously.

The question is: what will you build from the pieces?

Uncertainty can feel overwhelming, but I’m reminding myself to take it as an invitation to clarify my focus, challenge and unblock old beliefs, and experiment with creating new possibilities.

I hope this inspires you to do the same.

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Whenever you’re ready, here are three ways I can help you:

• 1:1 Coaching
  A 12-week coaching program designed to help you clarify your purpose, unblock limiting beliefs, and create an actionable plan for a purposeful and abundant career. Book a free 45-minute discovery call here.

• Listen to The Possibility Pattern Podcast
  Explore what to expect from your transformation journey and learn how to move through each stage with confidence. Listen here.

• Take the Clarify Your Next Move Quiz
  Discover where you are in your transformation journey and get three actionable steps to level up immediately. Take the quiz here.