In this blog, I explore ways we can embrace the unknown and be ok with not knowing so we can sooth ourselves when we find ourselves in desperate need to know that next step, or the right one, or the next right decision, or what we should do, say, think, eat and so on…
Life is inherently uncertain, and learning to navigate the unknown builds resilience. In a time where everything is expected to be available instantly, embracing not knowing becomes a revolutionary act.
We live in a world where information is at our fingertips, we’ve grown accustomed to instant answers. However, there are questions that the internet and libraries cannot answer – questions that reside in the depths of our souls. Can you sit in the question without needing to know the answer?
Here’s a personal story of how throughout my life growing up, I struggled to not know.
“It’s okay not to know,” my mum would say to me, again and again, throughout the years.
Each time I came to her announcing yet another religion I was embracing—”I’m Catholic now,” or “I’m Muslim now,” among many others. I’ve tried them all, fully immersed and curious!
My mum was always loving and accepting of my choices, even though she had zero interest in any of these paths I was exploring. I did not grow up in a religious home, and my mum, once said something like “you’re free to choose whatever religion you want, or not follow any religion at all”.
In my moments of existential uncertainty, I found myself literally pleading with my mum wanting her to help me unravel life’s profound mysteries: What happens to us when we die? Why are we here? Her response was always, “I don’t know”. And she was genuinely ok with not knowing and would try to sooth my desperate quest for answers by reassuring me over and over again that “Its ok not to know”.
Only in recent years have I understood the profound wisdom of her words and the power of embracing the unknown.
EMBRACING THE UNKNOWN
See it as an Opportunity to Learn:
Rather than viewing not knowing as a lack, see it as an opportunity to learn. What insights might you gain as you spend time with the unanswered questions?
Embody Curiosity and Wonder:
Approach the answers you seek with the qualities of curiosity and wonder. What hidden truths might be revealed when you bring a sense of awe to your decision-making process?
Accept Unanswered Questions:
Acknowledge that there will always be unanswered questions and that some things will remain unknown. Can you find comfort and acceptance in this realization?
Be Present Without Judgment:
Practice being present in the moment without judgment. Let go of the need for immediate answers and trust the unfolding of the life. Answers often come with divine timing.
Is there something you’d like clarity on, that you’re willing to surrender and give it space and time to breathe while you sit quietly in the unknown, basking in stillness, reflecting with curiosity and wonder?
That unknown space is our access point to greater peace, growth, transformation, and guidance for our soul missions in life.
