Uncertainty Without Danger

Do you ever find yourself asking, ”Why does my brain create so many negative stories about my life experience?”

Travel, for example, sends me into a spiral of negative, anxious thoughts about everything that could go wrong. I have a hard time seeing past delayed flights, turbulence, and lost baggage to the incredible adventure that I know awaits me on the other side.

Psychologist Dr. Nicole LePera explains that the brain sees uncertainty as a danger or a threat. So a “negative” story feels safer to the brain. The brain fills in the gaps by making assumptions to confirm what you already believe to be true.

The way to work through these mind stories include noticing the brain’s narrative, naming it, breathing deeply, and staying curious and open to reality. These steps help to separate you from the story in your head. 

A great place to practice dealing with uncertainty is on the mat. Most yoga classes walk through a process of creating awareness around what you feel, naming internal feelings, breathing consciously, and allowing what you’re feeling to shift and change. In this way, you can become more comfortable with uncertainty without the negative stories the brain creates to give you a sense of safety.

What you practice on the mat becomes what you practice in life.