Uncertainty most will say, is the most unpleasant feeling one can experience. As humans we like to have security — whether it involve the security of shelter, something to eat, a companion or a job. In this post pandemic world nothing is certain. Truths we held true not too long ago no longer apply. I wrote about it Here during the pandemic.
Although I thought things would settle by now — three years later — it seems everything is still, well … uncertain.
The only certainty is uncertainty … or something like that
Here are 7 things I have been doing to embrace all the uncertainty surrounding the markets, public health, the future or planet and the fate of humanity.
Meditating
Reading
Walking
Enjoying the company of great friends
Breathing
Sleeping
Living
There’s really nothing you can do besides embrace the unknown.
Nothing will make the uncertainty go away but here are 6 things you can do to cope with the uncertainty… of course I wouldn’t leave you hanging!
Accept that uncertainty is a normal part of life. It’s ok to not have all the answers and just sit with the feeling.
Practice mindfulness and focus on being in the present moment. Living in the now is a powerful feeling that can calm anxiety and other feelings of despair.
Reframe your thinking about uncertainty. Try to see it as an opportunity for growth and exploration.
Develop a sense of trust. Believe that everything will work out in the end and that you have the strength and resilience to face any difficulty that comes your way.
Connect with your support system. Lean on family, friends, and other trusted colleagues to get through the unknown.
6. Take action. Even if you don’t have all the answers, take small steps to move forward. This can help to reduce the fear of the unknown. If you lost a job – get back on the hunt for a new one. If you’re health has spiraled take steps to get healthy.
Why Uncertainty Feels So Threatening
The discomfort of uncertainty isn’t random — it’s wired into us. Our nervous systems are prediction machines. They scan for patterns, anticipate outcomes, and reward certainty with a sense of safety. When the future becomes unclear, the brain treats it as a threat, flooding the body with the same stress response triggered by actual danger.
This is why uncertainty about a job, a relationship, or a health result can feel physically uncomfortable — tight chest, restless mind, disrupted sleep. The threat is abstract, but the body responds as if it’s real.
The Zen Perspective: Uncertainty as Aliveness
Zen doesn’t try to eliminate uncertainty. It reframes it entirely. In Zen philosophy, uncertainty isn’t a problem to be solved — it’s the natural state of existence. The Japanese concept of mu — often translated as “nothingness” or “not-knowing” — points to this directly. The enlightened mind doesn’t cling to fixed answers. It rests comfortably in open questions.
As Shunryu Suzuki wrote in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” Certainty closes doors. Uncertainty keeps them open.
Practices for Sitting With Not-Knowing
Name it — when you feel the pull of uncertainty, say to yourself: “This is uncertainty. It is uncomfortable. And it is okay.” Naming the experience creates a small distance between you and the feeling.
Return to the body — anxiety about the future lives in the mind. The body is always in the present. When uncertainty spikes, feel your feet on the floor, your breath moving in and out. You are here. Right now, you are okay.
Distinguish what you can and cannot control — Stoic and Zen traditions agree: suffering multiplies when we resist what we cannot change. Identify the one small action available to you right now, and release the rest.
Sit with the question — in Zen practice, a koan is a question without a logical answer. You hold it, live with it, and let it work on you from the inside. You can apply this same quality of patience to real-life uncertainties. Not every question needs an answer today.
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Zen view the future?
Zen emphasizes radical presence — the only moment that actually exists is this one. Planning is useful, but attachment to specific outcomes creates suffering. Zen teaches us to act with full commitment while holding the results lightly.
Can mindfulness really reduce anxiety about uncertainty?
Yes — and the research supports this. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce intolerance of uncertainty, which is a core driver of anxiety. By training the mind to observe without immediately reacting, mindfulness creates space between the trigger and the response.
The Zen of Uncertainty
The Zen of Uncertainty is powerful.
Uncertainty most will say, is the most unpleasant feeling one can experience. As humans we like to have security — whether it involve the security of shelter, something to eat, a companion or a job. In this post pandemic world nothing is certain. Truths we held true not too long ago no longer apply. I wrote about it Here during the pandemic.
Although I thought things would settle by now — three years later — it seems everything is still, well … uncertain.
Here are 7 things I have been doing to embrace all the uncertainty surrounding the markets, public health, the future or planet and the fate of humanity.
There’s really nothing you can do besides embrace the unknown.
Nothing will make the uncertainty go away but here are 6 things you can do to cope with the uncertainty… of course I wouldn’t leave you hanging!
Why Uncertainty Feels So Threatening
The discomfort of uncertainty isn’t random — it’s wired into us. Our nervous systems are prediction machines. They scan for patterns, anticipate outcomes, and reward certainty with a sense of safety. When the future becomes unclear, the brain treats it as a threat, flooding the body with the same stress response triggered by actual danger.
This is why uncertainty about a job, a relationship, or a health result can feel physically uncomfortable — tight chest, restless mind, disrupted sleep. The threat is abstract, but the body responds as if it’s real.
The Zen Perspective: Uncertainty as Aliveness
Zen doesn’t try to eliminate uncertainty. It reframes it entirely. In Zen philosophy, uncertainty isn’t a problem to be solved — it’s the natural state of existence. The Japanese concept of mu — often translated as “nothingness” or “not-knowing” — points to this directly. The enlightened mind doesn’t cling to fixed answers. It rests comfortably in open questions.
As Shunryu Suzuki wrote in Zen Mind, Beginner’s Mind: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities, but in the expert’s mind there are few.” Certainty closes doors. Uncertainty keeps them open.
Practices for Sitting With Not-Knowing
Frequently Asked Questions
How does Zen view the future?
Zen emphasizes radical presence — the only moment that actually exists is this one. Planning is useful, but attachment to specific outcomes creates suffering. Zen teaches us to act with full commitment while holding the results lightly.
Can mindfulness really reduce anxiety about uncertainty?
Yes — and the research supports this. Mindfulness-based interventions have been shown to reduce intolerance of uncertainty, which is a core driver of anxiety. By training the mind to observe without immediately reacting, mindfulness creates space between the trigger and the response.
Dhaval Patel
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