Most of the time I know what direction I’m going in. Whenever there’s a fork in the road, I usually have a strong sense of which path is best for me and my children. I navigate my life by listening deeply to my intuition and trusting it, using my intuition as my internal compass. However, lately my intuition is telling me to wait and not choose a path just yet.

As a parent, I’ve watched my kids overcome a lot of adversity. I talk about one of these experiences in my blog, A Weekend Victory. Right now, I’m thinking about if I need to switch my son to another music studio due to a lack of professionalism we observed at the end of the year. Do I keep him at his current studio that we just started this year, or do I find him another studio?

As much as I love a solid plan, I’m unsure about what to do about my son’s guitar lessons. There are pros and cons either way. As uncomfortable as uncertainty is, I’m learning that not knowing the next step is ok, that time spent in the unknown is just as powerful as boldly moving forward on our healing path. Trusting the unknown is part of the journey. For now, my guidance is to stay put and let events unfold.

Living in the Unknown

Trusting the unknown means not knowing what our next steps are but being ok occupying that blank space. It’s not having a clear sense of where we need to go or what we need to do. It’s understanding that sometimes the best decision is to do nothing, to sit in stillness and get our bearings until we gain clarity about what direction is best for us.

Some people are scared of the unknown (myself included), which is completely normal. The fear of being in the unknown indefinitely, the fear of terrible consequences if we don’t decide soon, and the fear of unpredictability and chaos make many of us uncomfortable.

Personally, I’ve always been a planner. Being prepared helps me not to feel overwhelmed when life throws me a curve ball. With my current decision, I fear that if we wait too long to decide, I won’t be able to help my son be prepared to make a smooth transition to another music studio.

It’s healthy to acknowledge our fears of the unknown. Tapping into exactly what we’re afraid of disempowers our fears. Pinpointing my fears, I can see that my son will be OK with either decision we make, whenever we make it. Identifying the source of our fears will help us to feel more comfortable in the unknown, helping us to avoid making hasty decisions.

Benefits of Sitting in the Unknown

Being in the unknown is necessary at times. Even though it’s comforting to know what direction we’re going, accepting the unknown as part of our healing journey helps us to choose the right path that’s best for us. Below are five ways sitting in the unknown benefits us.

·       Catch our breath.

Time spent recharging gives us the energy to move forward in whatever direction we ultimately decide to go. Restoring ourselves also allows us to better tune into our intuition and divine guidance. It’s important to know that healing is still happening even if we’re not always moving forward.

·       Clear our heads.

Sitting in the unknown can help us to focus on the present. I know I can get caught in the “what if” rabbit hole, trying to predict the outcomes of different scenarios. Trusting the unknown allows us to be still so that we can simply observe what is actually transpiring instead of guessing what could happen. When our heads are clear, we’re in a much better position to make sound decisions.

·       Allow events to unfold. 

Sometimes there isn’t a clear answer because not everything has been decided yet and not everything you need to make the decision has happened yet. What this means is that other people and organizations are in the process of making decisions that will affect the choices we make. Because of this, the universe wants us in a holding pattern as it’s trying to map out the best possible path for us based on the decisions that others are making.

·       Gain fresh perspectives.

As we clear our heads and let events unfold, we are able to gain a fresh perspective of the situation as well as all of the options. New choices may surface that we may have overlooked before. We’ll also be more equipped to think outside the box and discover alternative non-traditional solutions.

·       Reevaluate our choices.

We may have been leaning in a certain direction originally, but trusting the unknown gives us time and space to contemplate all our choices, including some new options. Our choices will look different after we’ve given ourselves time to clear our heads and reevaluate the situation. Things may seem better or worse than we originally thought, making our decision clear.

When to Embrace the Unknown

It can be difficult to know when to pause and sit in the unknown when we’re used to moving forward most of the time. When we’re focused on what’s next, we may miss the subtle ques that we need to take a breather before we make any big decisions. Below are five signs that it may be time to sit in the unknown.

·       The answer/direction isn’t clear.

·       We don’t have all the information needed to make an informed decision.

·       We’re exhausted.

·       We’re already in the middle of a big change/transition.

·       We’re feeling overwhelmed.

If we can identify with any of these signs, then we’re getting a red light from the universe and it’s time to put the brakes on and sit in the unknown.

How to Make the Most of the Unknown

The best thing to do when sitting in the unknown is to find a balance between gathering information and unplugging from the situation. First, we should allocate some time to accrue any available information that will help us make informed decisions.  Once we have the information needed, we then need to unplug from the situation so that we can put things into perspective. Meditating and breath work are great tools to help us unplug in addition to engaging in our hobbies and doing something creative.

Feeling uncomfortable or impatient in the unknown is normal too. When these feelings arise, it’s a reminder to turn to our spiritual support. Trusting the unknown is trusting God, the angels, the universe, or whomever you pray to. Spending time in nature is also very comforting, whether we’re in a forest, lake, or the ocean. Not only is being in nature healing, but observing nature is soothing too.

“Nature does not hurry, yet everything is accomplished.” – Lao Tzu

When to Move Out of the Unknown

When we start to receive clear signs or guidance about what direction to go, we’re getting the green light from the universe that it’s time to move out of the unknown. These signs can be information we receive that provides clarity about the situation and our options. The signs can also be strong feelings about the direction we feel we need to go. Once we have cleared our heads, gathered information, and given ourselves time and space to process everything, we can move forward with any decision that we feel is right.

I’m confident that my time in the unknown will give me clarity about choosing a music studio for my son that is emotionally and physically safe, a place where he can artistically express his passion for guitar and grow as a musician. Until then, I’m embracing my time in the unknown.

Even though it is comforting to be moving forward in our lives, insight and wisdom is available to us when we embrace the unknown and make space for the universe to figure out the direction that’s best for our growth and healing. In addition to trusting ourselves, our intuition, and our healing path, trusting in the unknown will also lead us to the best possible situations and opportunities for us and our freedom.

Look for my book Bold Trust – 6 Steps to Unravel the Long-Term Effects of Gaslighting, Unapologetically Trust Yourself, and Heal Anxiety which will be available this summer.