Seek the Unknown
The seed grows and takes root in the darkness.
I challenge you to whip out a pen and paper and jot down all the current Unknowns in your life. Just yours though. Only the ones that pertain to you specifically and not any immediate or extended family members. I guess you’re asking, “What consists of an Unknown though? What does that mean?” Glad you asked. Let’s dig in!!!
Let’s start with a basic definition of the Unknown; “not known or familiar.” Next, let’s take a peek at synonyms for the same word; foreign, new, strange, and unexplored. This will be our starting point. As you identify the Unknowns in your life, currently, keep this definition in mind.
Example Unknowns would be:
- Your mother told you to call her this evening about something important, but you don’t know what she wants to discuss.
- Your boss scheduled an impromptu meeting with you and you don’t know what it’s about?
- The doctor called you and left a voicemail stating he/she needs you to come back in for additional tests but doesn’t say why in the message.
- Your long-time girlfriend said her monthly cycle is super late and it’s never this late.
At the heart of these examples is not knowing the result. A void. That’s ultimately what makes them Unknowns. What we have is a blank canvas for a painter to paint. Meaning, because the result is Unknown, all possibilities exist. This is a good thing right? I believe some would say, “No.”
People want to be comfortable. They want to know what’s coming so they can plan (e.g. be in control). Most uncomfortable situations and circumstances are based on the Unknown. Maybe you lost feeling in your right arm out of the blue in the middle of the night. That’s not good, right? What could that mean? What might the doctor say? Should I head to the emergency room? The Unknown is where life happens. This is where experience, awareness, and consciousness is obtained.
What makes the Unknown so stressful is the concept of good and bad and right and wrong. If you emotionally cling to good and bad and intellectually cling to right and wrong, the Unknown probably triggers you. Why? Because you don’t know which way the tide will turn. Will it be in your favor? Will you feel good after finding out the result (so it’s no longer Unknown)? Or will you have more to worry about?
I wrote about Certainty and how to make it work for you.
The opposing polarity would be Doubt. Doubt would be something you observe — just like Certainty — that provides conviction to your Fear.
The Unknown may spark a conviction in you, one way or another. You may approach that circumstance or situation with Certainty or Doubt. The choice is yours and only yours. No friend or family member can “hype you up” because the result is Unknown to them as well. Isn’t that it though? People tend to rely on others for comfort when it comes to the Unknown.
So how do you approach an Unknown? Moving forward, how do you view the blank canvases in your life? Answer: With good cheer and positivity and love. Why choose anything else? Again, the result is Unknown so why inject any of your own negative mental or emotional energy into the circumstance or situation? I’m a big believer that the majority of your life is pre-scripted and it’s up to you to fill in the gaps. So approach your Unknowns with gratitude. In the grand scheme of things, the results will work in your favor in the short-term or long-term or both.
