Building Resilience in Times of Uncertainty
By Dan Boland, Psychotherapist
Uncertainty has become a defining feature of our modern lives. Whether it's global crises, personal upheavals, or unexpected life transitions, we are often reminded that control is, at best, partial. In such times, resilience, the capacity to adapt, recover, and grow in the face of adversity, becomes not just important, but essential.
But what exactly is resilience? And how can we build or strengthen it when life feels unstable?
Understanding Resilience
Resilience isn't about "toughing it out" or suppressing emotions. It's not a fixed trait you either have or don’t. Instead, resilience is a set of skills, habits, and attitudes that can be nurtured over time. It's the quiet strength that allows individuals to bend, not break, in the face of stress. A little bit like the trees in a storm, swaying back and forth.
In my work as a psychotherapist, I often remind clients that resilience is less about avoiding difficulty and more about relating to it differently.
1. Accept What You Can’t Control
Uncertainty often triggers our desire for control. We grasp for answers, timelines, and guarantees. But resilience begins with acceptance. Acknowledge what is outside our control while redirecting our energy toward what we can influence, our thoughts, actions, and responses.
A useful question to ask: “What’s within my circle of influence right now?”
2. Stay Connected
Isolation can amplify anxiety. In times of uncertainty, maintaining human connection becomes vital. Whether through close relationships, community groups, or therapy, connection reminds us we’re not alone in our experiences.
Empathetic conversations can act as anchors, grounding us when we feel emotionally adrift.
3. Strengthen Emotional Awareness
Resilience involves feeling, not avoiding. Suppressing fear, sadness, or anger may provide temporary relief, but it often backfires in the long run.
Practicing mindfulness or journaling can help increase emotional literacy. When we can name what we’re feeling, we begin to make space for self-compassion and clarity.
4. Practice Flexibility and Adaptability
Rigid thinking (“This shouldn’t be happening,” “I can’t cope with this”) limits our capacity to respond effectively. Cognitive flexibility, the ability to shift perspective or reframe a situation, enhances resilience.
Therapeutic models like Cognitive Behavioural Therapy and Acceptance and Commitment Therapy often focus on these cognitive shifts, helping clients move from stuck patterns to more adaptive responses.
5. Build Small Daily Rituals
Routine provides a sense of stability amidst chaos. It doesn't have to be elaborate. It can be as simple as morning stretches, a short walk, or five minutes of gratitude journaling. All these can be grounding.
Resilience isn’t always built in grand, heroic gestures. Often, it's the consistent small practices that make the biggest difference.
6. Seek Meaning, Not Just Relief
Challenging times often invite deeper questions: What matters to me? What can I learn from this? Viktor Frankl, a psychiatrist and Holocaust survivor, wrote extensively about the human capacity to find meaning even in suffering.
Finding purpose, whether through creativity, helping others, or reflecting on values, can transform uncertainty from a threat into an opportunity for growth.
Closing Thoughts
Uncertainty is not a problem to solve, but a reality to navigate. And resilience is the compass that helps guide us through it.
If you’re struggling to feel grounded in the midst of change, know that you’re not alone—and support is available. Therapy can offer not just relief, but tools for lasting resilience.
Feel free to reach out if you’d like to explore this more in a safe and supportive space. Visit www.holisticcounsellingireland.com.
About the Author:
Dan Boland is a Psychotherapist based in Kilmacanogue, Co. Wicklow, specialising in the integration of science and spirituality. He deals with anxiety, depression, stress, anger, relationships and trauma. Passionate about helping individuals navigate uncertainty, Dan offers in-person therapy sessions.
