Our entire life consists of some level of uncertainty. Events occur that are inevitably out of our control. Change is difficult and frightening at times. But with change, beautiful parts of ourselves are revealed that we never even knew existed. Surrendering ourselves to uncertainty allows us to be vulnerable and leads us down a road of endless possibilities.
We all have experienced that unbearable fear of the unknown at one point or another. For someone like me, who takes time to plan every aspect of their life down to the very last detail, this fear can become overwhelming and debilitating at times. This fear rooted in many factors is primarily a result of the inner belief of our inability to overcome adversity when it comes our way— this is why we plan. We plan to avoid mistakes, failures, missteps that may set us back from our goals. Often “planning” is just us overcompensating for our insecurities instead of facing them head-on.
By no means is planning a bad thing. Our inability to steer slightly outside of our plans is what causes built-up anxiety. Once we start trusting in ourselves and our ability to overcome challenges is when we begin living peacefully and open ourselves up to new experiences.
Someone once told me to “ride the wave of the unknown” when explaining to them my apprehension surrounding a situation that was out of my control. Again, being a hyper detail-oriented planner, I strongly rejected this idea. At one point in time, I convinced myself that I had the power to control every aspect of my life. I attested this to my drive to get somewhere in life, my overly ambitious work-ethic. When in reality, I was running. Running away from my fears and my lack of self-confidence. I learned the hard way that this type of living is unsustainable and entirely unenjoyable.
One of the most significant ways that helped me overcome this fear of the unknown is trusting myself and my abilities. For example, I have always had an uneasiness surrounding public speaking. I wouldn’t say I am an expert by any means now, but I don’t shy away from it anymore. Failing at public speaking time after time is not the end of the word but conditions me to grow into a great public speaker as I continue to learn from my mistakes and explore ways to become better.
Engaging in self-care is another factor that has helped significantly. When you feel better, both physically and mentally, you relieve stress and have better peace of mind for what’s coming.
Being mindful of all the good in my life, both past and present, has made me more self-assured when embarking on new, unfamiliar experiences. Additionally, changing my perspective on failure into an opportunity for growth encourages me always to try new things.
Lastly, putting my pride aside and asking for help when needed has allowed me to establish a phenomenal support system. This network of people keep me grounded and readily remind me not to ruin the present by fearing the future.
Accepting the unknown is empowering.
Suddenly you feel free of all the unnecessary baggage you’ve been stumbling on for years.
Through this process, we often outgrow the very things we were so scared to live without and fall in love with what we didn’t even know we wanted.
So have faith, don’t be afraid & ride the wave of the unknown.
All my love,
Adriana
Personal & Professional Development 