(opinion article)

What will happen tomorrow? I often think about what the future holds for me and feel nervous when I don’t have a clear understanding of what might happen. And since I live in a country where a full-scale war has been going on for more than a year, I sometimes worry whether “tomorrow” will come at all. Nevertheless, I learned to live in the present, to appreciate what is now, it gives me confidence and peace about my future. But this text is not about war. This article is written to help people who are afraid of the very fact of the future. Who are afraid of the unknown and don’t know how to act, which hinders them from living here and now.

Fear of the unknown is normal

Feeling anxious about the future is a common experience that affects people across the world, regardless of their life stage, age or social class they belong to. Therefore, it’s quite normal to be scared of the future. It reflects a person’s natural reaction to uncertainty. Life is always full of various challenges and unexpected situations, and it’s important to understand that feeling afraid is a normal reaction to it. Experiencing angst can be a signal to be cautious and careful, which is generally a useful trait. However, fear should not paralyze us or prevent us from moving forward. It’s important to find ways to turn this fear into motivation for action and finding solutions. Here are three tips, three basic steps to dealing with your fear of the future.

Listen to yourself

Try to figure out what especially the reason is for your fear. Is it fear of uncertainty, possible loss, or failure? You may be experiencing anxiety over a lack of control over a hypothetical future or fear of the unknown. Or they are specific situations that cause you anxiety, such as changes in your personal or professional life, unexpected circumstances etc. Understanding yourself is the first step to finding a solution.

Plans and goals for better confidence

Lack of self-confidence is a frequent cause of strong fears about the future. To feel more confident, make it a habit to make plans (not grandiose, but ordinary, everyday) and set achievable goals. So you will clearly know and understand what you need to do and where to move. Also, instead of your disadvantages, try to think more about your advantages. Make a list where you put them both side by side and think about how your strengths can positively impact your future. As a variant, you can also write down hypothetical situations and future best-case and worst-case scenarios, and determine how you would act and how your strengths would help you if a problem appeared. The more confident you are, the less fear of the future you’ll have.

Live here and now

Not yesterday, not tomorrow, not sometime in a year or a month. It is necessary and useful to make plans for the future, but you must not forget that you live in the present. Focus on your task at work or university, on the good weather outside, on an interesting book or on a conversation with a friend. Don’t think at this moment about what may happen tomorrow or a month from now, or what’s happening far away from you. Reducing your social media activity or partially limiting your news consumption can also help you focus better on the present moment. Social media and news often distract you and focus on negative events, which contributes to anxiety about the future and distracts you from the present. Practicing meditation exercises can also help.

It’s okay if things don’t go according to plan

Life is sometimes unpredictable, there are events that are beyond our control, so you should be ready for anything and you don’t need to blame yourself for everything, but you also should not set yourself up for negativity in advance. In general, it doesn’t really matter whether your fears of the future are caused by a specific event or have abstract causes: you can learn how to deal with them anyway. Remember that you are not alone, and professional help is available if needed. Therapy is a good addition and can help you more effectively to handle anxiety, till it turns into depression. So, the most important tip for dealing with fear of the future is to share it with others.

April 27, 2024