Dealing with existential concerns and fear of the future – Will it ever be the same again?

Resistance vs. change

Our brain loves constancy – recurring rituals, predictable events, deadlocked structures and patterns – all this gives us security and gives the impression that life is predictable and plannable. We strive for control and therefore have respect for change and uncertainty, which often takes the form of fears and endless brooding. How much these fears of the future torture us depends strongly on our previous experiences and more or less successful life changes. But it is not only the fact whether we have been able to deal well with the changes of the times up to now that shapes this fear – also the trust in ourselves and how we confront these fears decisively influence how much power we attribute to this emotion.

Questions, fears, worries – that’s ok so

That situations like the current corona crisis raise existential questions and fears is, to a certain extent, perfectly normal. It is therefore also essential to give these thoughts and feelings enough space and not to force yourself to go about your everyday life in a lively and carefree manner. It may be that you are desperate in between… it may be that isolation causes frustration, and it may be that fear sometimes makes its way in and raises unpleasant questions.

Get out of the spiral of thoughts – full perspectives

This makes it all the more important to consciously step out of these circles of thought and to ask oneself questions:

What can I actively contribute today to help shape the future in a positive sense? Which thoughts help me and which musings only lead me to bury my head in the sand and become unable to act?

 
If you get entangled in a spiral of “what-if” fantasies, it becomes increasingly difficult to control the feelings that arise and to deal with them constructively. Fear and uncertainty grow and make it more difficult to make rational decisions. If, however, the emotions are successfully intercepted on a factual level, then this creates perspectives and gives back the so familiar feeling of control piece by piece. This can be achieved, for example, by remembering which crises you have already mastered in your life. Think about how often you have already outgrown yourself. But not only that – the whole world, whole cultures and societies have already overcome global crises, wars and severe diseases and some of them have certainly not come out of it without damage, but also not without growth.

In the here and now – strengthening attentiveness in everyday life

And based on the awareness of what you have already achieved, it is then also important to consciously return to the “here and now”. Try to focus on what counts at the moment.

Because right now it is not only about what tomorrow will bring – right now it is about recognising and using our own strengths.

 
It’s about making the most of every single day and not losing sight of the view of the positive/strong>. And it’s about realising that the best way to invest in the future is to hold on to what we have now and not to what we might be missing tomorrow.