Staying Afloat in a Sea of Uncertainty
Countries are at war. Banks are failing. The stock market is teeter-tottering. Inflation is behaving like a spoiled brat, refusing efforts to control it. Politicians are taking dirty laundry and gleefully hanging it out for all to see. And all of this is coming in the wake of a worldwide pandemic, which created a mental health crisis worldwide.
If you’re feeling a bit more stress, world events could be playing a role. If you want to feel less stress, read on for some scientific news and some practical ways to easily lower the angst.
To say that times are uncertain is an understatement. To say that every person has to feel the pain of the uncertainty, live in the stress of the uncertainty, and rule their lives based on what can only be guesses at possible outcomes is incorrect. Not everyone has to suffer in uncertain times. As a matter of fact, visionaries, great leaders, and innovators often thrive in uncertain times, because they see the opportunities that the upheaval creates.
An international team of scientists has identified genetic variations that line up with the tendency toward wellbeing, depression, and neuroticism. Analyzing genomic data from hundreds of thousands of people, they have found genetic markers that predict certain mental attributes, though environment and upbringing also play a major role in shaping a person's outlook on life. It appears that we’re born with a predisposition towards a positive, negative, or neurotic outlook, and the people and events around us mold us into the people we become. Are you glass half full, glass half empty, or someone who believes the glass could break and cut your hand to ribbons? You are a unique combination of nature and nurture, and you can change your basic outlook on the world if you’d like.
I work with people and teams, identifying ways they may be sabotaging their own mental wellbeing and the success of their team, without meaning to and often without even knowing they’re doing it. Just a few tweaks, when turned into habits, will lower stress, improve relationships, and help people sail through uncertain times. Need a quick dose of de-stressing? The world’s second-shortest podcast dishes it up every day.
- Does the world feel extra-weird to you? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
- Uncertain about where your life is going? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
- Feeling overwhelmed and not sure what to do? There’s a Tiny Bite for that!
The Wellbeing Wisdom Tiny Bites podcast is a daily dose of practical solutions to problems many people face. Subscribe on the website or wherever you listen to podcasts, and share it with your friends who could use a bit of de-stressing, too.
No matter what happens in the world today, you don’t have to let it rock your world. Instead of internalizing the uncertainty, look for the opportunities that uncertain times always dish up. When you keep your focus on the possibilities, you keep stress at bay. Yay, you!
Wags, Sandy Weaver, Program Director, Center for Workplace Happiness
PS... Want the perfect way to start each day? Check out the Mind, Body, Soul Sessions podcast – something for your whole self, for just $7 per month
#wellbeing #success #leadership #uncertainty
