Does uncertainty always have to be negative? The short answer is no. However, uncertainty often originates from a traumatic event accompanied by fear, pain, or anxiety, within a volatile world; but rather than seeing it as a threat, uncertainty can be an opportunity to bring light into our lives, acting as a catalyst for personal and professional growth.
What is positive uncertainty?
As Zygmunt Bauman pointed out, uncertainty means fear of the present moment, and freedom is gained at the cost of uncertainty. While it's part of human nature — just as when we read a new book we feel uncertain about what will happen to the protagonist and how the story will end — in the same way, we're the protagonists of how we want our own script to unfold, with or without uncertainty.
According to Bauman, freedom is something we grant ourselves, by understanding why and what it is that generates our uncertainty. Instead of clinging to the unknown and resisting change, this philosophy of positive uncertainty should lead us to embrace the unknown and explore new paths amid insecurity, chaos, and change.
Benefits of adopting a positive outlook on uncertainty:
Positive uncertainty can offer us many benefits, such as:
- Building resilience: as people, accepting uncertainty means building resilience to change — to the volatile shifts of everyday life, of any given event
- Increased creativity: not knowing how to get out of a problem or facing a change that makes us feel insecure will increase our creativity to find a way through — of course, within what's legally possible and within our own capabilities, since creativity is what helps us get past uncertainty.
- Personal growth: Uncertainty pushes us out of our comfort zone and helps us gain new skills.
- Greater flexibility: By staying open to different scenarios, we become better able to adapt to change and less rigid
Guidelines for applying positive uncertainty in everyday life:
- Cultivate curiosity: Ask why, how, and what for. Curiosity will lead you to explore new ideas and perspectives.
- Accept the unknown: Instead of resisting change, embrace it as an opportunity to learn and grow.
- Practice flexibility: Be adaptable and willing to adjust your plans if the situation calls for it.
- Encourage experimentation: Try new things and step outside your comfort zone.
- Celebrate failure: Failures are learning opportunities. Don't take things too seriously.
- Visualize the future: Imagine different possible scenarios and prepare for them.
- Connect with others: Share your ideas and seek support from the people around you.
- Practice gratitude: Focus on what you have, rather than on what you lack.
Practical examples:
- At work: Instead of fearing a new project, look at it as an opportunity to develop new skills, grow professionally, and open yourself up to new opportunities.
- In relationships: learn to meet new people; connecting with others is a chance to improve our professional processes, gain experience, and draw on other people's insight to become better versions of ourselves.
- In personal life: Explore new interests and hobbies — this will help us stay in the present, build neural connections that boost creativity, and step out of the chaos
Flower essences that help us cultivate positive uncertainty:
- Cerato: Helps us in states of uncertainty and decision-making, reflecting our true desires and needs when chaos is pressing in.
- Scleranthus: You've probably heard the saying “it's better to think with a cool head than act with a hot one” — well, Scleranthus helps ease those swinging emotional states, and in tense moments, it allows us to think with clarity and wisdom.
- Gentian: An ideal flower essence to consider when bad news arrives, because it contributes to faith in oneself, in one's own management, and in one's own resources, showing us what we're made of in the face of adversity.
- Gorse: Especially suited for issues of uncertainty, particularly when there's a chronic illness, when this generates unease about what might happen.
- Hornbeam: Ideal for taking action when the outlook is uncertain, especially for those who put everything off until tomorrow.
- Wild Oat: Ideal for students starting out in university life who don't know which career path to choose.
How to use: You can take these flower essences as 4 drops, 7 times a day; it's recommended to follow your flower therapist's guidance for best results.
Conclusion
Positive uncertainty invites us to turn anxiety into excitement, fear into curiosity, and rigidity into flexibility. By adopting this perspective, we can live a fuller, more meaningful life, full of opportunities. Remember, uncertainty isn't your enemy, but your ally on the path toward personal growth.
Are you ready to embrace uncertainty and find your flower essence?