Anxiety = uncertainty + the underestimation of our ability to handle the situation.
We cannot predict the future and know the outcome of every event, nor can we revisit the past (in our mind) and know exactly what happened. It's entirely up to our interpretation. Some of us interpret past or future events with doubt and fear. Was our tone too sharp and we offended our coworker? Or (in my case) how can I get my cats safely to the opposite coast when one of them panics? Worry can be about anything.
If uncertainty is left unchecked, it can spiral from a simple thought into a never-ending guessing game of finding the answer. This often happens without us even realizing it, and before we know it our lives have been disrupted by an event that has already passed or has not yet come. And we know that relying on our minds to "work it out" or telling ourselves "it will be fine" does not work.
The next time you find yourself sinking in the quicksand of uncertainty, embrace the doubt. Try telling yourself: "I may or may not have offended Joe at work, I really don't know. I cannot read minds and have no idea what he's thinking, so will accept this fact. I can handle the feelings that comes with not knowing. I've got this."
If the thought returns, go through the routine again. Then, if needed, drop into your body and feel the physical sensations of the anxiety. How is it showing up? How is this playing out in the body??
THIS is how we let the doubt and discomfort of not knowing wash over us. And take back our mind.