Embracing Uncertainty

Turns out, getting lost is one of the best ways to find something new. On my last day in Dublin, eager to explore a bit more, I walked to a bus stop just down the corner from our hotel. Thinking it would be a simple venture, I jumped on the the first bus that arrived. Feeling satisfied, I leaned against the railing, ready for a smooth ride to the city center to do some last minute souvenir shopping and enjoy a final stroll around the city streets.

A few minutes later, a crucial realization struck: I had no clue where I was going. I had climbed in through the open door at the back of the bus, only later realizing that I had inadvertently bypassed the payment system up front and was unintentionally fare evading. Probably why people looked at me for a while after I got on the bus.

Sorry, Dublin.

I hadn't checked the route, the bus number, the direction, the name of the bus stop, or even which of Dublin’s public transport buses I was on. I was on a random bus, heading in a direction I could only hope was towards the city or at least somewhere I was familiar with.

As you can imagine, a slight wave of panic started to set in.

I began scanning the bus for anything that could help me get my whereabouts. Finding the bus number, I looked up its route, and thought “Great! I’ve got it!” …Only to be met with more confusion as none of the announced stops matched what I found on the internet. The intercom announcements were mostly in Irish, and what little English I could decipher was broken and crackly from poor quality speakers.

Did I mention that my phone was dying and I left my backpack and portable charger at the hotel?

Finally, after about four stops and with the help of Apple Maps confirming I was, indeed, heading in the right direction, relief washed over me. In that brief moment, the thrill of being lost in a strange city, not knowing my destination, was…honestly bliss.

The Great Lie We Tell Ourselves: Certainty

For as much fun as getting lost in a city can be, the taste of uncertainty is distinct, however enticing. Yet, so many shy away from uncertainty, fearing the feeling itself. I would argue that most people have developed a severe case of risk aversion. But risk aversion isn't just about avoiding skydiving or gambling; it's a subtle suffocation of the soul. It's the invisible walls we build around ourselves, brick by brick, made of our deepest fears and insecurities held together by the thoughts that feed them.

We fear uncertainty and seek to avoid it entirely. We tell ourselves that a paycheck, a bank balance, a home, or a relationship will alleviate our feelings of uncertainty and finally free us from its grip altogether. We pursue the belief that certainty is an attainable state, just beyond the hill. "If I just reach this goal," we whisper, "then I can finally relax." We convince ourselves that someday we will arrive and that security will prevail.

But the truth is that a gilded cage is still a cage. Our barriers promise comfort, when all they deliver is stagnation. They are where our dreams wither, and our passions become distant memories.

As the philosopher Heraclitus says, "The only constant in life is change." We cannot rid ourselves of uncertainty; it surrounds us, constantly, no matter what we do or how desperately we try to avoid it. No matter what comforts we construct, we cannot escape the truth that the very nature of life is uncertain. To live fully, to taste the richness of existence, we must embrace the unknown.

Navigating the Unknown

So how do we navigate uncertainty? Whether it's the uncertainty of a new adventure, like changing careers or moving across the country, or the uncertainty of daily life – a confusing geopolitical atmosphere or the final embers of last week's paycheck – the sheer volume of uncertainty can be both daunting…

…and liberating.

You see, when you name something, it loses its power. Simply by acknowledging uncertainty, we demystify it and lessen its sting. Recognizing and accepting that we will never be free from uncertainty makes it easier to enjoy the ride.

As I’ve mentioned, I'm leaving my teaching job at the end of the year to embark on a new entrepreneurial venture with you. Recently, I finally hung up Jesse Itzler's "Big A$$ Calendar" (that may or may not have been sitting in my office since January, but hey, better late than never?). As I began writing in dates and events, a jarring realization hit me: after May 22, my last day, the calendar was, for the first time in my life, blank.

Nothing.

Well, besides annual events. This blank slate staring back at me was both freeing and terrifying.

I look uncertainty in the eyes every morning, and some days are easier than others. One day, we feel on top of the world, while next we question everything. Am I doing the right thing? What if _____ happens? The good news is that these thoughts are natural. The trick is not letting them run our lives.

My Personal Toolkit for Uncertainty

Here's three ways I've been dealing with thoughts of uncertainty lately:

1. Don't Fight It: Fighting only amplifies. You are countering a thought with more thoughts that lead to more thoughts that you have to counter with, you guessed it, more thoughts. It's a mad house! Surrender to the flow of thoughts; doing so quiets the chaos. In accepting the storm, and in observing it pass by, we find an unexpected calm. This acceptance opens the door to a fulfilled life, one where you're no longer wrestling with what is, but embracing what could be.

2. Take One Step Today: Ask yourself, what's one thing you can do today that moves the needle in the direction of progress? Most things in life aren’t a one-day feat. Design a graphic, browse potential inventory, write two paragraphs. If you are struggling financially, cancel a subscription or put that $5 in your wallet into a savings jar. It's not everything, but even a small step can wash away those pesky thoughts. Every victory, however small, builds momentum.

3. Seek New Knowledge: Sometimes, we're haunted by uncertainty because we lack the knowledge or skills to demystify it. Learning about our worries can make them more manageable. Uncertain about your financial future? Watch a video on financial preparedness. Starting a business? Research trending marketing strategies. Grow in the right direction, in the direction of your goals. We'll never know everything, but the more we learn, the broader our understanding and the better equipped we are to manage the unexpected.

Uncertainty can be terrifying or exciting, paralyzing or invigorating, debilitating or constructive. If we know we can't avoid it, why try? Unintentionally, I think I've always been called by uncertainty. I moved to Tampa, FL at 18 having never left my small town in Kentucky to attend a school I'd never even seen in person. I took a job teaching high school without an existing music program, knowing that I would have to build it into from the ground up and not having a single clue how to do it. I subconsciously searched for uncertainty, and now I am consciously walking towards it with open arms.

Life is uncertain, but it's also meant to be lived. As the old adage goes, "The only thing certain is that nothing is certain."

Until next time, live uninterrupted.

~ Coleman