We tend to like to know what is going on. We feel safe when we have a sense of direction, less anxiety when there is movement, we like to know the plan.
Uncertainty threatens our levels of safety; it throws us into limbo which is always a tough place to be. If we happen to come from a childhood that was chaotic or in any way emotionally unsafe, uncertainty can create even greater anxiety levels – to the point where the discomfort feels unbearable.
Uncertainty keeps us stuck. We may feel “okay” in a job but not happy, “fine” in a relationship but not fulfilled. We stay because it feels familiar and comfortable, and the unknown keeps our doubts high and our movement stagnant.
Uncertainty has the power to derail. Sometimes, the fear of what we can’t be sure of threatens to derail us and we begin to ruminate. The overthinking cycle takes over, and our desperate thoughts begin to spiral.
And yet, where would we be without change? What would happen if we never experienced variability or chance? What if we never experienced the healing properties of letting go? We can’t get to certainty without some uncertainty. We can’t get to stability without some degree of risk.
When uncertainty is a part of world, we can remind ourselves that it is temporary; that it is a necessary part of the process. We need to go through it, not around it. We can have faith that it will all work out, know that limbo can be an important time for growth, and work towards movement with what we can control in times of uncertainty. We can be brave.
Photo credit: https://unsplash.com/@robert2301