[{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BlogPosting","@id":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/grounding-in-the-face-of-insecurity-and-uncertainty\/#BlogPosting","mainEntityOfPage":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/grounding-in-the-face-of-insecurity-and-uncertainty\/","headline":"Grounding in the Face of Insecurity and Uncertainty","name":"Grounding in the Face of Insecurity and Uncertainty","description":"As humans, we\u2019re designed to adapt to change, but our brains are also wired for patterns and predictability. This means when we feel unsure or insecure, it\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions like anxiety, anger, fear, or shame. ","datePublished":"2024-12-17","dateModified":"2025-02-17","author":{"@type":"Person","@id":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/author\/ray-kamoo\/#Person","name":"Ray Kamoo","url":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/author\/ray-kamoo\/","identifier":7,"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0fd0f992de72f3fb492475c4b5b5e4a4f987ed76ec066b9cb4cdd3589450e3c4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","url":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/0fd0f992de72f3fb492475c4b5b5e4a4f987ed76ec066b9cb4cdd3589450e3c4?s=96&d=mm&r=g","height":96,"width":96}},"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Apex Therapy Services","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apex_Therapy_Services-60px.png","url":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/03\/Apex_Therapy_Services-60px.png","width":145,"height":60}},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","@id":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/qtq80-gv9OuY-1.jpeg","url":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/12\/qtq80-gv9OuY-1.jpeg","height":679,"width":959},"url":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/grounding-in-the-face-of-insecurity-and-uncertainty\/","about":["Individual Psychotherapy"],"wordCount":672,"articleBody":"This guest post is contributed by Apex Therapy staff member Jess Kopitz, MS, TLLP.\u201cUncertainty is the only certainty there is, and knowing how to live with insecurity is the only security.\u201d \u2013 John Allen PaulosAs humans, we\u2019re designed to adapt to change, but our brains are also wired for patterns and predictability. This means when we feel unsure or insecure, it\u2019s easy to feel overwhelmed by negative emotions like anxiety, anger, fear, or shame. We rely on predictability to help us navigate our days, so when that predictability is disrupted, it can throw us off balance.But life doesn\u2019t always stick to a script. Change and ambiguity often pop up when we least expect them. When we lose our sense of safety or control over what happens next, we can find ourselves struggling with insecurity and uncertainty.InsecurityInsecurity often shows up when we feel a loss of safety. It\u2019s when we perceive something as threatening or harmful. This threat can come from the outside, like fearing someone might hurt us, or from within, like doubting our own worth or abilities. Insecurity tends to bring on anxiety because we worry that the threat might actually happen.UncertaintyUncertainty, on the other hand, is all about not knowing what\u2019s ahead. We feel uncertain when we\u2019re unsure of what\u2019s coming next, and we often get caught up in worrying about the unknown. Our minds tend to jump to worst-case scenarios, which only makes anxiety and distress worse.EffectsUncertainty affects everyone in different ways. Some people adjust without much trouble, while others might experience mood swings, trouble sleeping, or difficulty coping. Stress can show up as racing thoughts, irritability, anxiety, sadness, or a lack of motivation. If you\u2019re feeling this way, remember that there are always steps you can take to manage these feelings.Check-Ins and GroundingSince insecurity and uncertainty can bring up some tough emotions, it\u2019s helpful to confront them when they arise. One of the most effective ways to do this is by checking in with ourselves and grounding ourselves in the present moment.Checking in means taking a moment to ask ourselves some important questions to make sure our thoughts and feelings are accurate. Here are some questions that might help:Am I really in danger? We often feel like something\u2019s threatening us, but sometimes it\u2019s more about anxiety or discomfort than an actual threat. For instance, feeling hurt when a friend doesn\u2019t approve of us isn\u2019t life-threatening.Can I make myself safe? Sometimes, we really are in danger. If that\u2019s the case, we need to ask ourselves if there\u2019s something we can do to take control of the situation and keep ourselves safe. Can we leave a harmful situation? Can we distance ourselves from dangerous people? Often, we have more control than we realize.How uncertain am I? Sometimes, we know more than we think we do. While we might not know exactly what\u2019s going to happen, we can often make a pretty good guess or at least narrow down what\u2019s likely. Sometimes the real challenge is trusting ourselves to handle uncertainty, rather than the uncertainty itself.What can I do next? Whether we\u2019re feeling insecure or uncertain, it\u2019s easy to get stuck in those feelings and lose sight of what we can control. But we always have choices. Focusing on what we can do next helps bring back our sense of autonomy and control.Asking these questions and checking in with ourselves helps us stay grounded in reality. It can ease those feelings of insecurity and uncertainty, and remind us that we have the power to take charge of our lives.Jess Kopitz, MS, TLLP, serves as a therapist, provider of psychological assessment services, and coordinator of assessment programs. She uses psychodynamic, cognitive-behavioral, and mindfulness-based strategies in work with adolescents. She is also an active community volunteer in the community to support mental health in under-resourced areas. "},{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org\/","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"name":"Grounding in the Face of Insecurity and Uncertainty","item":"https:\/\/apextherapyservices.com\/grounding-in-the-face-of-insecurity-and-uncertainty\/#breadcrumbitem"}]}]