“The only thing I know for sure, is that I know nothing at all, for sure.” – Socrates

We all face uncertainty, even when we feel like we succeeded in finding the perfect formula to our day-to-day lives. The only thing that we are promised is that we have absolutely no idea what will happen next. One moment we can feel perfectly safe in our comfort zones, and the next moment can feel like complete and total chaos. Because, when it rains, it pours. Right? Not everything can be planned for, and not everything can go according to plan. Sometimes the safety net is ripped right out from underneath us. So then it feels like we’re free-falling into the unknown. That’s the human condition. And as terrifying as it may seem, it’s actually one of the greatest universal gifts: We get to create new possibilities out of the chaos.

Leaders stand in the drift. They create new ground when faced with uncertainty. We get to look at our ways of being together, so that we are resilient, adaptable, confident, and courageous, even when life throws you curveballs. Let’s explore how to find a sense of meaning and purpose during times of change.

What Does Creating Possibilities Look Like?

When we find ourselves in the middle of a chaotic storm, it’s easy to see how hopeless things can feel. But remember that taking action – no matter what happens next, is always an option. Taking risks and embracing change can lead us on remarkable adventures that we may not even have considered an option. If you from five years ago saw you right now, would she have thought that where you are in life right now was a possibility? If you’re like me, probably not. And that’s okay. We’re all works in progress when it comes to learning how to let go of the past and embrace what is next, even if we don’t know exactly what will happen next.

The only way out – or through- is by taking a risk on something new. Here are some ways you can take risks beyond your comfort zone:

• Explore the things you have never been willing to try.
• Make a change in your daily routine. Change up your diet, exercise habits, or even how you spend time with people.
• Find someone who’s living their life differently than you and ask them about it (this is especially helpful for those of us that feel stuck).

It’s tempting to want to keep change from happening. But ultimately change is inevitable, and there is no hope. When we try to hold on to our old ways of being, it doesn’t work because it causes even more pain and struggle. It would be like a butterfly fighting to stay in its cocoon for the entirety of its life instead of busting out and pumping its wings, and ultimately flying.

Use Your Fear as Fuel

The one thing that can stop anyone cold in their tracks is fear. However, it can distort our sense of reality and prompt us into thinking in black or white, good or bad. When we let fear take over, we become reactive and emotional instead of practical and creative. The truth is, there is no good or bad when it comes to an event. They are neutral. The shift is actually the way that we perceive what is happening to us. When we surrender and stay present with our feelings and make an active shift in how we choose to handle what’s coming up, that’s when we really allow possibility to emerge. Instead of allowing the drift and the waves to crash over you, you’re able to stand up and see the big picture. You get to navigate to where you want to be, regardless of circumstance. When you overcome fear as an obstacle, you become limitless.

Here’s the interesting thing about fear as well: When you do the thing you’re scared of, it actually goes away. And the more you do those things, despite having fear around it, eventually that fear dissolves. When you don’t do the thing you’re scared of though, the fear just gets bigger. So if you find yourself stuck because you’re scared, it’s as good of time as any to just do it anyway. Trust me, it was hard for me too at first.

Knock Out Your Assumptions

If you’re anything like me and the 7 billion people that inhabit this Earth right now, you judge yourself harder than anybody could possibly judge you. And your self-judgement is closing the door on your possibilities, because you beat on yourself and don’t allow yourself to try. But it wasn’t always like that. You assume that just because you haven’t seen someone else do something that it can’t be done. Or you allow yourself to internalize the narrative from other people that because you aren’t enough in some way, shape, or form, that you can’t do the thing you want to do. So you sit on your ass and stop trying, and maybe you even whine like a dog sitting on a nail because it’s uncomfortable. But not so uncomfortable that you want to get up to fix the situation and take action. Stop rejecting yourself and telling yourself no.

My challenge to you is to contact that prospective client. Let them tell you it’s not a good fit. Create that podcast or YouTube channel. Let other people tell you they don’t resonate with what you have to say. Do the thing you want to do, even if it feels uncomfortable or you feel like it’s “beyond your level.” Feedback is a gift, and it is a neutral reflection about your way of being. You can’t please everybody. But you aren’t going to create results if you’re the one constantly shutting yourself down.

Conclusion

Ultimately, the key to creating possibilities is to stay open-minded and adaptable. Just like Thomas Edison created 10,000 possibilities that didn’t work with his invention of the lightbulb, you will fail numerous times before you succeed. But with your vision and commitment to it, you will bend to whatever life throws your way rather than breaking. There’s never just one way to respond to an opportunity. Are you ready to stand powerfully in the drift? Let’s schedule your breakthrough call so we can support you in creating new possibilities.