When was the last time you were comfortable not knowing something? We step into our true power when we embrace uncertainty and continue down our chosen path, trusting that things will work out how they’re meant to. Too often, we think power lies in knowing; we feel comfortable taking action when there are guaranteed outcomes, or we permit ourselves to feel calm because we know what’s coming next. Our real power comes when we learn to embrace uncertainty and not let the “what ifs” stop us from pursuing our passions.
Not knowing doesn’t leave us without a compass,
in some relativist nether land. Owning our uncertainty
makes us kinder, more creative, and more alive.
Jamie Holmes, Nonsense: The Power of Not Knowing
One Young Man’s Journey to Embrace Uncertainty
A young man, a fresh graduate from a high school in southern Georgia, sent me a note last week.
I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it.
On May 23rd, his guidance counselor, who is also a friend of his parents, gifted him a copy of BUOYANT for his graduation present.
He recently took the book with him on the family vacation to St. Simon’s Island, thinking he might read a chapter or two.
Something else happened. He learned to embrace uncertainty:
“I sat on the beach, transfixed by waves and your writing, for hours. I eventually paused to find some shade, but I wasn’t willing to go inside and lose my connection to what was happening inside me.
By the time we left for dinner, I had two chapters to go. At that point, I didn’t want the book to end.
The following morning, I drove to Righton Books and bought a journal with a big dragon on the cover. I’ve never kept a journal outside of school assignments for certain projects, but I knew it would be (as you say) my passport to possibility.
I was pretty sunburned from the previous day, so I found a corner by the pool and sat at a table under an umbrella. I took out my new journal, a pen, and your book.
I finished the last two chapters and turned back to the beginning to do the exercises. When we left the beach, I had filled about half of the pages in my journal.
I had thought I was going to major in engineering at UGA this fall. Now, I think I’ll take a gap year and travel. I have always thought I’d love to be a writer, but never felt pursuing it was smart. I’m good in math and science and thought that engineering would be more ‘safe.’
But now, I don’t know. And I’m no longer afraid of not knowing!
Maybe I will end up as an engineer. Maybe not. Something tells me I can choose well and often and have a wildly successful life.”
The Beauty of the Unknown
After having a good cry and thanking this remarkable young man for his heartfelt, poetic note, I grabbed my pocket journal and pencil and headed for the woods. I turned the journal over and over in my left hand while the words from his note turned in my mind.
There’s a profound beauty in the unknown, a magical realm where possibilities stretch beyond the horizon. When we embrace not knowing as a friend, a guide that nudges us toward discovery, we leave room for surprise and wonder.
It’s the uncertainties, the unanswered questions, that paint our world with vibrant colors.
Not knowing can be intimidating, a shadow that often feels overwhelming, but it’s also a source of incredible strength. When we acknowledge that we don’t have all the answers, we open ourselves up to endless learning.
When we embrace uncertainty, life becomes a series of adventures rather than a checklist of achievements.
Each challenge, each stumble, becomes an opportunity to uncover new aspects of ourselves and the world around us.
The unknown is a canvas, vast and uncharted, waiting for the brushstrokes of our experiences and dreams. As we stand at the edge of certainty, we can let the mysteries of life invite us to dance. In this dance, we will find joy in the journey, strength in our vulnerability, and ultimately, a profound connection to the infinite possibilities that await us.
Break Free!
Episode 3 of my new podcast, The Courage to Live a Big Life, is live! Enjoy the 7-minute episode, “Break Free from the Ordinary” here.
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