Stepping Into the Unknown: How to Navigate Change With Confidence

Change can be exciting, but it can also be uncomfortable. Whether you’re moving up an age group, changing teams, or facing a big life transition like leaving school or starting university, stepping into the unknown can bring up uncertainty, stress, and even fear.

As a sport psychologist, I often see athletes who say, “I know I should be excited, but I just feel anxious.” That’s completely normal. Change requires us to rewire our routines, adjust our sense of control, and find confidence again in new environments. The good news? There are practical ways to navigate this process with self-awareness and strength.

What Happens in the Brain and Body During Change

Our brains are wired to seek safety and predictability. When we face something unfamiliar, such as a new team, coach, or environment, the brain activates a stress response designed to protect us from potential threats.

The amygdala (our brain’s alarm system) detects uncertainty and sends a signal to the hypothalamus, triggering the release of stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. Physiologically, this means your heart rate increases, your muscles tense, and your focus narrows, all signs that your body is preparing to adapt (Kashdan & Rottenberg, 2010).

While this response is meant to keep you safe, it can also lead to avoidance or self-doubt if you interpret the stress as a sign that you’re not ready. The key is to understand that this discomfort is part of the adjustment, not a sign of failure.

In sport, transitions can challenge identity and confidence. When you’re no longer “the best in your team” or you’re surrounded by new expectations, it’s easy to feel out of place. Research has shown that athletes who can tolerate uncertainty, rather than trying to eliminate it, are more likely to adapt successfully (Moen et al., 2022).

Psychological Flexibility: The Anchor in Change

Psychological flexibility is one of the strongest predictors of resilience and wellbeing through transitions (Hayes et al., 2006). It’s the ability to stay open to experience, adapt your actions in line with your values, and accept what’s outside your control.

Instead of trying to suppress difficult feelings or control every outcome, flexibility allows you to feel, notice, and choose your response consciously. In moments of uncertainty, this might look like:

• Acknowledging discomfort: “I feel nervous about this new environment, and that’s okay.”

• Reconnecting with purpose: “Why am I here? What do I want to learn or contribute?”

• Taking small steps: “I’ll focus on showing up fully today, not mastering everything at once.”

A 2022 study on student-athletes found that those who practiced psychological flexibility were better able to manage stress and sustain motivation when adapting to new performance demands (Moen et al., 2022). This doesn’t mean you’ll always feel calm or confident, but it helps you keep moving forward even when emotions fluctuate.

Self-Compassion: Turning Kindness Inward

When change challenges your confidence, self-compassion can be a stabilising force. Dr. Kristin Neff (2003) describes self-compassion as treating yourself with the same warmth and understanding that you’d offer a teammate or friend.

n sport, self-compassion often gets overlooked. Athletes can be driven, disciplined, and self-critical, which helps performance at times but can also amplify stress when things are uncertain. Research shows that athletes who practice self-compassion experience less performance anxiety, greater emotional regulation, and stronger resilience following setbacks (Mosewich et al., 2013).

Try this simple practice:

1. Notice when you’re being self-critical: “I should be performing better by now.”

2. Pause and ask, “What would I say to a teammate in this situation?”

3. Respond kindly: “I’m adjusting to something new; growth takes time.”

Self-compassion doesn’t make you soft. It keeps your nervous system balanced so that you can recover, learn, and adapt more effectively.

Balancing Confidence and Curiosity

Confidence isn’t about knowing exactly how everything will go; it’s about trusting your ability to handle whatever comes next.

In times of change, curiosity can be your greatest ally. When you replace judgment with curiosity (“What might I learn from this?”), your brain shifts from a threat state to a learning state. This reduces the physiological stress response and increases engagement, creativity, and problem-solving (Fredrickson, 2001).

Here’s how you can balance confidence and curiosity:

• Confidence: “I’ve done hard things before; I can handle this.”

• Curiosity: “I wonder what I’ll discover about myself this time.”

Together, they create a mindset that allows you to feel steady yet open, capable yet always learning.

Small Daily Habits That Build Adaptability

Adaptability isn’t something that appears overnight; it’s built through consistent, intentional habits. Here are five small daily practices to support your growth through change:

1. Name and normalise what you feel. Change often brings loss of familiarity, identity, or belonging. Naming emotions (“I feel uncertain”) activates the prefrontal cortex and helps calm the limbic system (Lieberman et al., 2007).

2. Ground your body. When stress feels high, use body-based strategies like slow breathing, movement, or mindful stretching. These help signal safety to the nervous system.

3. Revisit your values. Ask, “What kind of person or athlete do I want to be right now?” Let that guide your behaviour more than external outcomes.

4. Reflect briefly each day. Spend two minutes noting one thing you learned and one thing you’re proud of. This helps your brain register progress and growth.

5. Stay connected. Change is easier when shared. Whether it’s a teammate, coach, or psychologist, connection provides perspective and reassurance that you’re not alone in this.

Final Thoughts

Stepping into the unknown will always involve a mix of excitement and discomfort. But with the right mindset, these transitions become opportunities for growth, not threats to your confidence.

As athletes, coaches, and humans, our goal isn’t to avoid change but to build the tools that help us adapt with strength, kindness, and curiosity. Every time you step into something new, you’re not starting from scratch; you’re stepping forward with everything you’ve learned so far.

References (APA 7th edition)

Fredrickson, B. L. (2001). The role of positive emotions in positive psychology: The broaden‐and‐build theory of positive emotions. American Psychologist, 56(3), 218–226. https://doi.org/10.1037/0003-066X.56.3.218

Hayes, S. C., Luoma, J. B., Bond, F. W., Masuda, A., & Lillis, J. (2006). Acceptance and Commitment Therapy: Model, processes and outcomes. Behaviour Research and Therapy, 44(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.brat.2005.06.006

Kashdan, T. B., & Rottenberg, J. (2010). Psychological flexibility as a fundamental aspect of health. Clinical Psychology Review, 30(7), 865–878. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cpr.2010.03.001

Lieberman, M. D., Eisenberger, N. I., Crockett, M. J., Tom, S. M., Pfeifer, J. H., & Way, B. M. (2007). Putting feelings into words: Affect labeling disrupts amygdala activity in response to affective stimuli. Psychological Science, 18(5), 421–428. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9280.2007.01916.x

Moen, F., Hrozanova, M., & Stenseng, F. (2022). Psychological flexibility, performance, and wellbeing of elite athletes. International Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 20(3), 728–745. https://doi.org/10.1080/00913847.2022.2046957

Mosewich, A. D., Crocker, P. R. E., Kowalski, K. C., & DeLongis, A. (2013). Applying self-compassion in sport: An intervention with women athletes. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 35(5), 514–524. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.35.5.514

Neff, K. D. (2003). Self-compassion: An alternative conceptualisation of a healthy attitude toward oneself. Self and Identity, 2(2), 85–101. https://doi.org/10.1080/15298860309032

Rumbold, J. L., Fletcher, D., & Daniels, K. (2015). A systematic review of stress management interventions with sport performers. Journal of Sport and Exercise Psychology, 37(4), 427–459. https://doi.org/10.1123/jsep.2015-0210