January 31, 2025
(image from Freepik)
At the end of 2024, I signed up for a craft fair to display my artwork and gain exposure as an artist. I felt anxious as the date of the event approached. I feared I would sit at my table and not sell anything. I knew these fears of mine drove my ego. The night before the event, I decided that any sales would be donated to my favorite charity in hopes that I would sell more. I sold a few things thanks to a good friend of mine who stopped by to support me.
Yet, the results of the craft event did not meet my expectations. I have asked myself many times over if my expectations were realistic. Was the event and location not the right fit for my type of art? Since that day of the craft fair, I have been discouraged that I have not picked up a paint brush to paint since December. When I met with my counselor earlier this month, she pointed out to me that donating the sales may have undermined my intent in the eyes of the buyer because it was a perception of product quality or worth. I admit I was stunned by that statement. I am still pondering that comment. I am still uncertain about my art. I have put that pursuit on the back burner. Making it less of a priority of mine.
I have switched gears. Earlier this month, I began writing this current blog, Curious and Creative. Most of my time and my mind has been focused on being curious. I noticed that I am less anxious. As I noted in my last blog, fear and curiosity do not often co-exist at the same time as our brains. Anxiety is closely related to fear. I have read that curiosity is also an antidote for anxiety. Although I have not done formal study, my personal experience is lining up that being curious has impacted my mind and it has been less anxious as of late.
What does this have to do with embracing uncertainty? Curiosity is linked to the unknown and uncertainty. Neuroscientific studies have concluded that curiosity, fear, and anxiety cannot exist in the brain at the same time as they affect different regions of the brain. Fear and anxiety light up the amygdala, which is the hard-wired warning system in our brain, whereas curiosity impacts the pre-frontal cortex, releasing the reward chemical dopamine that floods our body, making us feel good and happy.
“Life is uncertain. We never know what will happen, and many things are unknowable. This can make us feel stressed or worried, since the unknown is associated with danger,” wrote Jill Suttie.
I was surprised when I read that there are benefits of being unsure. Up to this point, I never considered uncertainty as a positive thing. I just began listening to Maggie Jackson’s book, Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure through Audible. It was published in November 2023.
Jackson writes that allowing us to be unsure is tied to embracing easier learning, better decision making, responding well in a crisis, improved mental health and warmer social relationships. Who knows that there are so many benefits to embracing uncertainty. I did not.
In interview with Jill Suttie, Maggie Jackson stated that we have a very negative view of uncertainty. We largely see it as paralyzing. Yet, studies find that uncertainty is really important or helpful to us, as it is an opportunity to investigate, to open up space between question and answer.
Business and Leadership coach Shruti Mouli wrote that most of us go through life in a very predictable fashion. We crave certainty and do whatever it takes to maintain that. However, Mouli added, do not expect greatness if we cling to certainty, expect mediocrity instead.
Mouli suggested that we ask ourselves what would happen if you let go of the need for certainty?
Uncertainty is a spur to better thinking, noted Jackson, adding that being unsure can be related to deeper deliberation. Uncertainty is a strength not a paralyzer.
Harvard Business Review writer Edith Onderick-Harvey points out in her article “5 Behaviors of Leaders Who Embrace Change,” that leaders who are “change-agile” look at changes in their environments as opportunities. The “change-agile” leaders try to make change thinking contagious.
Change can be scary as it can often mean uncertainty. I realize I need to learn to be open to uncertainty, although my anxiety could fight me on this.
Writer Meg-John Barker stated embracing uncertainty is that it takes time. When faced with uncertainty in life we often find it incredibly painful and rush to resolve it as quickly as possible.
While curiosity can lead to growth, the absence of curiosity can lead to stagnation as stated by the Resilience Institute. As individuals, we can avoid the pitfalls of stagnation and keep curiosity alive. It suggests that you avoid the routine ruts, stay connected with curious people, and embrace uncertainty. Lean into the unknown.
The unknown and the uncertainty can get messy. It can mean pain.
Meg-John Barker, which suggests leaning into pain. This means that you must take a good hard look at the situation that you are in, if needed take a break to regain your strength.
What I have learned from my research is that I need to embrace uncertainty, be open minded, agile, and change positive. This can lead to growth, opportunity and potential.
For now, I will leave you with this quote.
“Followers need to see it to believe it. Leaders believe so they create it,” Sharon Pearson, author of Disruptive Leadership.
Resources:
Barker, Meg-John. “Embracing uncertainty: What does it really mean?” Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://www.rewriting-the-rules.com/conflict-break-up/embracing-uncertainty-what-does-it-really-mean/#:~:text=Embracing%20uncertainty%20involves%20being%20prepared,look%20closely%20at%20the%20situation.
Jackson, Maggie. Uncertain: The Wisdom and Wonder of Being Unsure
Mouli, Shruti. “Embracing Certainty.” April 21, 2021, posted on Linked-In. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/embracing-uncertainty-shruti-mouli-1c/
Onderick-Harvey, Edith. “5 Behaviors of Leaders Who Embrace Change.” May 18, 2018. Harvard Business Review. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://hbr.org/2018/05/5-behaviors-of-leaders-who-embrace-change
The Resilience Institute, Editorial Team. “Curiosity: The Catalyst for Growth and Resilience.” August 27, 2024. The Resilience Institute website. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://resiliencei.com/blog/curiosity-the-catalyst-for-growth-andresilience#:~:text=What%20is%20Curiosity?,that%20drives%20learning%20and%20innovation.
Suttie, Jill. “How Embracing Uncertainty Can Improve Your Life.” March 11, 2024. Greater Good Magazine. Retrieved on 1/31/2025 from https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_embracing_uncertainty_can_improve_your_life#:~:text=It’s%20a%20kind%20of%20wakefulness,space%20between%20question%20and%20answer.
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