‘Being comfortable with not knowing’ seems easy to say yet hard to do.
In fact, the notion of not being in control or not knowing what to expect makes most of us fairly uncomfortable.
We are all anxious to know our futures, to be certain about outcomes so that we can prepare and navigate accordingly.
When we feel that we don’t have control, be it in good times or bad, life can feel frightening to the point of panic, rage, or even paralysis.
We have created such a strong association between control and the self that we associate the absence of control with the absence of self.
The truth of the matter is quite the opposite.
Letting go of control means you truly trust yourself.
This is not yogi dream state drivel.
You are the living, breathing example of trust in the unknown.
We go about most of our lives trusting in ourselves – trusting that we will wake up alive and successfully manage the daily motions of life.
We do it with such blind faith that we don’t even think about it.
So why do we find ourselves so often caught up in a whirlwind of fear about not knowing?
This universal condition grips all of us in different ways, the intensity varying by how much value or self worth we place on each situation.
When the things that are important to us feel uncertain it can almost feel like a life and death situation.
Deep down inside we are afraid of some kind of death.
The good news is that what is most likely to die is just a part of our ego. Exactly the part of ourself that thinks we are in complete control.
I invite you to release the grip of uncertainty by starting with easy practices like taking new routes to work, school, or the store. Try new places, eat new foods, and be open to meeting new people. Travel to a new destination.
The more we flex our strength through new or unusual situations, the more resilient and adaptable we become.
There is joy to be found in discovery – in exploring uncertainty.
The less we try to control every aspect of our lives the richer life becomes.
