![]() ![]() But trying it in situations where there isn’t much at stake is a great place to start,” says LeBon. “It would be wrong to over-romanticize embracing uncertainty. But LeBon stresses the importance of balancing adventurousness with caution. But if our internal radio has been fine-tuned over millions of years to seek control over uncertain outcomes, how do we turn down the volume? It might seem like the way to shrug off our prehistoric paranoia is to throw caution aside entirely. The food chain of modern life is different, and our tendency toward neuroses shows that we’ve gracefully evolved from warriors to worriers. The potential threat of becoming lunch for a saber-toothed tiger has been replaced by the potential threat of job rejections, social exclusion, and having rent due next week. But this survival mechanism gets somewhat overworked in the modern world. The cautious one is far more likely to have contributed to your gene pool.” Speculation was important in the perilous landscape of early human history, and our ancestors passed on their “safety first” genes with the best intentions. “One sees a berry and doesn’t pause to consider whether it’s poisonous, while the other won’t eat anything until they’re certain it’s safe. “Imagine two of your prehistoric ancestors gathering food,” LeBon starts. Psychotherapist and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy expert Tim LeBon says our need to know the outcome of any situation we face probably comes from a very pragmatic evolutionary bias. So why does not knowing what’s going to happen next in real life often feel so unsettling? Like tearing paper off a gift, we seek entertainment in the uncertainty of storytelling. ![]() #I dunno face movieSo it’s ironic that when the lights go down in a movie theatre, or when we turn the pages of a good book, it’s the uncertainty-the anticipation of what might happen-that we relish. But uncertainty can be a horrible feeling. Is your phone charged enough to last the day? Will you hear about the job you applied for? Are you going to end up destitute and alone? Hopefully not. And the vastness of what might happen can become terrifying. But sometimes the desire to know what’s going to happen next can become overwhelming. It’s important to keep tabs on the infinite variables of everyday life, and wear a utility belt of answers for whatever situation comes flying at us. Shrugging our shoulders and being comfortable in uncertainty is something we’re taught to grow out of as we learn to be responsible adults. ![]()
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