Assata Omowale is a Career and Emotional Intelligence Coach. She is the owner of CPR Management Coaching, a company that supports committed mid-career professionals in designing their own career path and shape their success using Emotional Intelligence, Positive Intelligence and Neuroscience tools.
Dealing with uncertainty can spark anxiety, frustration, and overwhelm. It’s natural our brains are wired to crave certainty because it helps us feel safe. But the truth is that uncertainty is inevitable, especially in our careers. It's not the smooth sailing some of us imagined as children. It's certainly not as guaranteed as our parents explained. Whether you’re facing layoffs, a slow job search, or just wondering what’s next, managing these feelings in a healthy way can make all the difference.
Positive Intelligence (PQ) offers a practical approach to turning uncertainty into growth. Below are 5 simple, actionable steps you can use to manage uncertainty with a sense of control and compassion:
1. Empathize with yourself
Pause. Take a moment to acknowledge the thoughts and emotions swirling in your mind. Whatever you're feeling is valid; it's your experience, so give yourself permission to name it and sit with it. Maybe it's frustration, fear, or sadness. Imagine offering that five-year-old version of yourself some kindness and compassion because, yes, even grown-up, you need that.
Try this: Take some time to grieve for what you don’t have yet or what’s no longer in your life. It’s okay to feel this loss before moving forward.
2. Explore your thoughts
Ask yourself: What’s really behind my worry? What do I imagine will happen if I don't have this thing yet? Sometimes our unease stems from unmet expectations, beliefs about how life should be, who we believe we are, or values not being honoured by ourselves or others. So maybe right now you're upset because you haven’t landed a job or promotion yet and you find yourself saying – " life is just harder for me, it's the way it's always been". Or maybe you're stressed because your company is laying off employees, and safety is one of your core values.
Try this: Write down all the thoughts showing up about the situation. Are they true, or is your mind just doing its job and making these predictions?
3. Innovate & experiment
Now that you’ve identified the root of your thoughts, it’s time to get creative. Ask yourself: What’s a different way to look at this? Get really crazy with your ideas! Could you try something new that’s within your control? What are the facts here, and which one of my strengths can I use? Maybe it’s reaching out to a mentor or brainstorming with a friend.
Try this: List ideas. Don’t judge them right away! Instead, add a twist to each one. For example, if you’re nervous about asking about the promotion, you could say, “I’m excited about this role, and I’d love to share some ideas on how I can contribute.”
4. Navigate using your values
Envision your older and wiser self or even yourself five years from now. Ask yourself: What choice would my future self thank me for? What did I wish I had said or done, or chosen at that moment? How would I have wanted to handle this based on my values? Consider what aligns with where you are now, your values, desires, and goals. When you act from this place, you can navigate uncertainty with more clarity.
Try this: Before making a decision, ask, How does this choice align with my values or what really matters to me?
5. Activate your intention with positive intelligence
Decide! Bring to mind all the thoughts, emotions, and people that may get in the way of executing your decision and come up with a mantra, a counter-action that could support you with the follow-through. It’s decision time! Prepare for this by coming up with a mantra or reminder to keep yourself focused and motivated.
Try this: Visualize any thoughts, emotions, or people that might hold you back. Now, create a simple mantra like, I am capable, and the outcome isn't about my value as a human.
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Assata Omowale, Career & Emotional Intelligence Coach
Assata Omowale is an awareness evangelist who is always excited about the power of self-discovery and self-management to facilitate personal growth, confidence and influence. As a Career & Emotional Intelligence Coach and an expat she has a keen interest in identity, people and how they function, consciously or unconsciously within spaces. She loves supporting highly skilled mid career professionals over 30 trapped in supporting roles to make bold moves in careers they love with confidence and grace.
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