Thinking partners make a huge difference in our lives. Even when we don’t immediately need them, there’s comfort in knowing we have people we trust to go to with our questions and concerns. But what about those times when there is no trusted advisor around to help? When we are all we have? Many years ago, during one of those times in my own life, I created a statement that helped me move forward in moments of uncertainty:

Practicing this taught me that, at the times when we feel there is nothing else we can do, we can stand with courage and face what we do not yet understand. In those moments, when fear of the unknown threatens to steal our joy, diminish our vision, and stop our momentum, we can stand with courage and face whatever comes.

I still practice this when I need to get out of my own head, away from the doubts, uncertainties, and stinkin’ thinkin’ trying to hold me back or pull me down. Sometimes, we’re stuck. We don’t have the knowledge or perspective we need to feel complete. And that’s okay.

It’s been said that the oldest and strongest human emotion is fear. And the oldest and strongest kind of fear is fear of the unknown, so it’s no wonder that is feels so natural to try to look for a familiar reference point and try to make the unknown, known. My encouragement for you, today, is to understand it’s possible to stand in the unknown with a completely new awareness, to allow the unknown to create a new awareness: a new idea, a new solution, a new perspective. This happens best when we give ourselves permission to be courageously present in the unknown. So, next time you find yourself stuck because of something unfamiliar or uncertain, try this and see if it fits: