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With an ever-shifting economy as well as unpredictable job and housing markets, it's no surprise that uncertainty is a common feeling among creators. But even if you don't know what tomorrow might bring, it's possible to thrive both personally and creatively without getting too sucked in by fear of the unknown.

"Being an artistic, creative person earning a living in the entertainment industry or the arts all but guarantees that you will face uncertainty and and a roller coaster ride of emotional upheaval," says Deb Castaldo, PhD, a couples and family therapist who also provides psychotherapy for the entertainment and music industries through Backline Care. "But uncertainty is a part of life, and being an artistic, creative person working in any of the arts is certainly not an easy path. Fortunately, there are ways to alleviate anxiety and depression, make the uncertainty bearable, and propel individuals towards new emotional growth and strength."

Here, Dr. Castaldo and other experts weigh in with their best advice and tips to help creators navigate uncertainty.

Focus on what you can control

According to Courtney Morgan, licensed therapist and founder of Counseling Unconditionally in Louisville, KY, focusing on what is within your control allows you to break the cycle of worrying over things that you can’t change. 

"Spending significant time thinking about things out of our control leads to feeling powerless and frustrated," she says. "Instead, try shifting your attention to what is within your control and taking actions that help you get to where you want to be, as this will improve resiliency and grittiness."

"Locus of control (having a sense of control over at least some of your circumstances) is critical," adds Matt Sosnowsky, founder and director of Philadelphia Talk Therapy. "Uncertainty of any type – local, national, global – is unavoidable in life. Finding ways to leverage strengths, like creativity, to make meaning or impact change serves as a 'port in the storm' during scary times.”

Prioritize efforts rather than outcomes

While our efforts are mostly within our control, outcomes are not, and it’s important to recognize the difference. "Sometimes we can do everything exactly right and still not produce the outcome that we are looking for," says Morgan. But we shouldn’t allow fear of failure to demoralize us or prevent us from going after what we want.

"Rather than viewing this as a waste of time or effort, acknowledge the gains you've made by trying,” she says. “You might have learned something really valuable along the way, which can help to redirect feelings of disappointment toward feelings of hope."

Identify what your personal values are

Personal values are the things that are most important to you, such as connection, leisure, loyalty, creativity, empathy, curiosity or autonomy. Identifying and protecting your values can help keep you anchored when everything else seems to be in flux.

"Elevating our core values matters," says Sosnowsky. "Especially if creators derive purpose through interpreting the world around them through art, I suggest they embrace it."

"Your personal values will withstand even the greatest of changes," explains Morgan. "Prioritizing them in your daily life will help you to feel happier, more satisfied and content, regardless of the changes happening around you.”

Uncertainty is sometimes hard, and that’s okay

A consistent fear of the unknown can keep you in an unhealthy cycle of extreme rumination and stress, says Lyndsey Getty, author of Overthink: A Simple Guide to Calm Your Thoughts and founder of Thought Method, a thought-based approach to personal development and mental wellness. That's why she encourages people to anticipate uncertainty and the whirlwind of emotions it can set off.

"Uncertainty is uncomfortable. It’s scary. It’s not something anyone would actively choose. But you need to learn how to embrace it, because in life more things are uncertain than are certain," Getty says. "In times of uncertainty we get to find out who we are, build resilience and confidence and get things done. And yes, sometimes we cry on our couch for a few days and want to give up, but then we get back out there."

"Two things can be true at once,” she says. “You can be excited and also sad, or you can be nervous and scared while also being strong and resilient. Not considering we can be two things at once can put pressure on an individual to embrace uncertainty and reject how uncomfortable it is, or the fact that, for lack of a better phrase, it sucks."

Consider how uncertainty can be motivating

"Crisis and uncertainty are an opportunity for growth, even if it may not be much fun while you are going through it," says Castaldo. "While something like a loss of work or income can be stressful, the pain of going through that circumstance is what may motivate someone to take huge leaps forward.”

That’s why Castaldo recommends focusing on staying mentally present in the moment, where the opportunities are, rather than obsessing over mistakes you may have made in the past. "Remind yourself that the past is over and there is nothing there for you," she says.

Visualize the future, then work backwards

Just like ruminating on the past can cause unnecessary stress, looking too far into the future can also lead to overwhelm. "Ruminating about the past can create depression, and worrying about the future can create anxiety," says Castaldo. However, during times of uncertainty, imagining a more favorable set of circumstances in the not-too-distant future can help you devise a plan and regain some sense of control.

Castaldo recommends looking ahead a maximum of one year from now, to when your current feelings of uncertainty will likely be behind you, and then working back from there. "Visualize specifically what you will ideally be doing then, and then imagine each step you took or what happened to get you there, all the way back to the present day," she says. While things won’t always go according to plan, one thing that is certain is that if you don’t try you’ll never know.