Most of us don't warm up to change easily, whether it's starting a new job or moving to a new neighborhood. In fact, when change is imminent, many of us tend to get awfully nervous and think the worst, making such defeatist statements as: "I'm going to fail." "Something bad is going to happen." "This isn't going to work." While it's normal to feel a little apprehensive about the future -- that is, the unknown -- we should not get in the habit of always facing it with trepidation. After all, what lies ahead may actually turn out a lot better than we expect. In order to better take the future in stride, we must do two things: 1. Stay positive : Negativity not only makes us more anxious, it eats away at our self-confidence. Success starts with opening yourself to the possibility of things turning out favorably. You need to give it time -- human beings are surprisingly good at adapting to new, unfamiliar situations. As tem...

Are you the type of person who:  feels uneasy at not knowing exactly what's expected of you when starting a new job?  has to have things planned weeks in advance?  generally shirks spontaneity?  likes to eat the same foods every day?  likes doing the same things at the same time every day?  likes taking the same route to and from work every day?  generally avoids unfamiliar situations? If this sounds like you, you have a high level of uncertainty intolerance (also called ambiguity intolerance) . If, however, you prefer to live a bit more on the edge and can't help but change things up every so often -- whether it's your wardrobe, job, or partner, you likely have a low level of uncertainty intolerance. Those who avoid ambiguity generally prefer a structured, cut-and-dried lifestyle, while people who embrace it tend to like taking risks and thrive in fluid situations.  I think most of us find ourselves somewhere in the middle, th...