Not Knowing is Healthy

There is beauty in not knowing. And this past month was an opportunity to sit with not knowing as many life changes unfolded. The only thing that was certain was the unexpected.

I quickly discovered that this path is not about manifesting dreams, more and more achievement and self-actualization. And that it is time for the self-help and self-improvement times to come to an end. There is no quick program to unlock ourselves. We are  given opportunities to let go of attachments, conditioning, beliefs and stories through life itself. 

Uncertainty and the unknown are becoming increasingly important allies for us to pause and go inside ourselves. 

Reflection is Necessary

It also became more and more clear that Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs no longer serves us. Questions arose like, isn’t it time to ask ourselves whether the need for security, safety, belonging, esteem, self-actualization are the primary values we aspire to? Why should we look at life through a pyramid of needs when one size does not fit all?

And where does community come into the equation and what we can create together in this transformational time in human history.

The interesting part is that we are the ones to give ourselves permission to experience and experiment. Everyone of us not only has our own experiences but are responsible for how we react to the twists and turns life introduces without blame, shame or judgement. 

Experiencing Not Knowing

What if we see life as a series of experiences where change is natural? Bud Harris in his book, Becoming Whole shares, “Simply put, individuation is about transformation. It means being willing to embrace a lifetime of full-fledged metamorphosis analogous to a caterpillar becoming a butterfly over and over again. 

The pain in this process is the pain of breaking through our own limitations. The joy is our increased capacity for living and feeling at home within ourselves, and experiencing our wholeness.”

I am grateful for making tough choices, taking leaps of faith and navigating uncharted territory without certainty. And what I can honestly share is that it has been a gift that I never imagined. Being able to discern what and who is healthy for our wellbeing can be found in our hearts; not in someone else’s pyramid. 

What if there is joy in not knowing and discovering what’s possible for ourselves? 

Having the courage of not knowing up opens up hidden parts of ourselves.