Tips on how to get comfortable with uncertainty

 October 22, 2023 |  

When I put together an event for my introvert community, there are many elements outside my control:

❓The weather

❓ The numbers

❓Whether things run smoothly

❓How enjoyable the experience is.

If I fixate on these issues and try to control every variable and anticipate every problem, I would probably have managed just a handful of events a year, instead of over 100 events in the past 3 years.

There have been many times I have asked myself: only a few people have shown interest in this event. Should I go ahead or cancel?

A few times, I decided to reschedule to allow more time to promote the event.

Most times, I chose to show up for myself.

I wanted to show my unconscious mind and higher self that I believe in myself and back myself regardless of who is in agreement with me.

Sometimes, this has been very uncomfortable, like on the (rare) occasions when I organized a walk and no one showed up, even though a few had registered.

I cannot control what other people do, and I acknowledge that everyone is going through their own journey and sometimes life just gets so overwhelming that things like remembering to update our RSVP or organize ourselves to get out of the house on time fall by the wayside.

Let’s be realistic: the world has been a strange place in the last 3 years, and many of us are still recovering and readjusting.

I know for myself that there have been times I have felt really low and dispirited, and other times when my health has not permitted me to be as energetic and consistent with event organization as I would like.

So just as I give myself grace to accommodate these shifts and uncertainties, I give the same to others.

I am also learning to sit with the uncomfortable feelings of not knowing, of having no control, of taking a risk with no guarantee of success.

This is the path I have chosen. I cannot become a Quiet Warrior if I am not willing to accept challenges, uncertainties, and disappointments as companions on the journey. They are the instigators of courage, persistence, fortitude, and grit – gifts to help me grow.