<p><strong>Most of us live to minimize uncertainty</strong>, as it seems like a cause of a host of problems like anxiety, frustration, health issues, financial problems and relationship issues.</p>
<p>But uncertainty is not the terrible thing we make it to be, and it is possible to find joy and delight in the feeling of uncertainty.</p>

Uncertainty: A Fact Of Life

<p><strong>Much as we avoid it, uncertainty is a stage of growth and learning. It is uncertainty that gets us into intimate relationships, creativity and anything new in our lives</strong>. We discover, play, dance and grow only with uncertainty. The most meaning and joy we have experienced in our lives have always been periods of deep uncertainty.</p>
<p>Being uncertain and moving into the unknown is an adventure that makes life worth living if we allow ourselves to be open to embracing the feeling.</p>

Finding Delight In Uncertainty

<ol>
<li>Notice uncertainty in a task, and the bodily sensation or resistance you feel.</li>
<li>Instead of avoidance, get in a playful mode and commit to being with the uncertainty of the task.</li>
<li>Seek the opportunity and joy that may be in the task. <em>Example: If you find public speaking filled with uncertainty, see how awesome it would be if your speech goes great and you rock on the stage.</em></li>
<li>Perform a physical activity (dancing, jumping) that takes over your mindset, pushing it into the mode of adventure and delight.</li>
</ol>

Practice Loving The Unknown

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<h2>Delight in Uncertainty</h2>
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<h4>By <a href="http://leobabauta.com">Leo Babauta</a></h4>
<p>Most of us have a troubled relationship with uncertainty, often without even knowing it.</p>
<p>Our most difficult problems often stem from uncertainty: procrastination, overwhelm, distraction, anxiety, frustration with others, beating ourselves up, trouble with forming (or quitting) habits, health issues, relationship issues, financial issues, control or perfectionist issues.</p>
<p>At the root of these is our troubled relationship with uncertainty. We don’t like uncertainty, we want to avoid or control uncertainty, we get stressed when we can’t. And uncertainty is unavoidable: everything is uncertain all the time!</p>
<p>The good news is that uncertainty doesn’t have to be this terrible thing that we hate and need to avoid. In fact … we can find joy in uncertainty.</p>
<p>We can delight in uncertainty, and fall in love with it.</p>
<p>This new relationship with uncertainty can unlock so much for us — freedom and joy and the ability to take on whatever we want.</p>
<p>Let’s dive in!</p>
<h3>Finding the Delight in Uncertainty</h3>
<p>We might instinctively dislike uncertainty, but in truth, we would be so bored without it. Imagine watching a movie and always knowing how it turns out, or reading the same book over and over. We want surprise, adventure, and possibility.</p>
<p>Uncertainty is the place where we learn — if we are certain about something, there’s nothing new to learn. It’s the place where we form intimate relationships, create art, make something new. It’s the place of discovery, play, dance, growth. It’s the pre-requisite for all of this!</p>
<p>Connect with the times when you’ve felt the most meaning and joy: these times were filled with delicious uncertainty!</p>
<p>Imagine going out into the unknown, on an adventure, and find the delight in the uncertainty.</p>
<p>Imagine doing something meaningful for someone, with uncertainty along for the ride, adding so much meaning to the endeavor.</p>
<p>Imagine the uncertainty and dance of a new relationship, the vulnerability and discovery of it.</p>
<p>Notice the uncertainty in your life right now: is there a way you could be grateful for it? Can you savor it, like a delicious desert? Can you delight in it, like a newly discovered aria?</p>
<p>Can you allow yourself to open to it, and fall in love with the uncertainty of your life?</p>
<h3>How to Practice</h3>
<p>Of course, this doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We like our routine, we like our control, we like solid ground under our feet. Unfortunately, life doesn’t let us have that solid ground. Or maybe I should say “fortunately,” because life would be dull and meaningless without groundlessness and uncertainty.</p>
<p>So … how can we learn to delight in the uncertainty? Practice.</p>
<p>Here’s the practice you might try:</p>
<ol><li><strong>Notice the uncertainty in a task</strong>. A good signal that you’re feeling uncertainty is that you feel like avoiding it. If that’s the case, notice how turning towards the task (even thinking about it) causes you to feel, as a bodily sensation. This is how uncertainty feels in your body!</li><li><strong>Commit to dancing with it</strong>. Turning away from the uncertainty gives you certain predictable results in your life. What would it be like to do something different? Commit to doing something different: face it, be with it, dance with it. Give yourself 10 minutes to be with the uncertainty of this task.</li><li><strong>See the opportunity in the task, see the joy in it</strong>. What could you do with this task that would light you up?</li><li><strong>Let yourself move, physically</strong>. Get up, and move. Dance, do some exercise, walk, jump! If we’re stuck sitting, it’s harder to feel delight. We need to move. And to really see what the world is like in this moment — look around, find the delight in this everchanging moment, and full appreciation for life!</li></ol>
<p>What delight can you find in this task, in this moment? Keep practicing, each day, and see what happens in your life!</p>
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<p>Most of us have a troubled relationship with uncertainty, often without even knowing it. </p>

<p>Our most difficult problems often stem from uncertainty: procrastination, overwhelm, distraction, anxiety, frustration with others, beating ourselves up, trouble with forming (or quitting) habits, health issues, relationship issues, financial issues, control or perfectionist issues. </p>

<p>At the root of these is our troubled relationship with uncertainty. We don’t like uncertainty, we want to avoid or control uncertainty, we get stressed when we can’t. And uncertainty is unavoidable: everything is uncertain all the time! </p>

<p>The good news is that uncertainty doesn’t have to be this terrible thing that we hate and need to avoid. In fact … we can find joy in uncertainty. </p>

<p>We can delight in uncertainty, and fall in love with it. </p>

<p>This new relationship with uncertainty can unlock so much for us — freedom and joy and the ability to take on whatever we want. </p>

<p>We might instinctively dislike uncertainty, but in truth, we would be so bored without it. Imagine watching a movie and always knowing how it turns out, or reading the same book over and over. We want surprise, adventure, and possibility. </p>

<p>Uncertainty is the place where we learn — if we are certain about something, there’s nothing new to learn. It’s the place where we form intimate relationships, create art, make something new. It’s the place of discovery, play, dance, growth. It’s the pre-requisite for all of this! </p>

<p>Connect with the times when you’ve felt the most meaning and joy: these times were filled with delicious uncertainty! </p>

<p>Imagine going out into the unknown, on an adventure, and find the delight in the uncertainty. </p>

<p>Imagine doing something meaningful for someone, with uncertainty along for the ride, adding so much meaning to the endeavor. </p>

<p>Imagine the uncertainty and dance of a new relationship, the vulnerability and discovery of it. </p>

<p>Notice the uncertainty in your life right now: is there a way you could be grateful for it? Can you savor it, like a delicious desert? Can you delight in it, like a newly discovered aria? </p>

<p>Can you allow yourself to open to it, and fall in love with the uncertainty of your life? </p>

<p>Of course, this doesn’t come naturally to most of us. We like our routine, we like our control, we like solid ground under our feet. Unfortunately, life doesn’t let us have that solid ground. Or maybe I should say “fortunately,” because life would be dull and meaningless without groundlessness and uncertainty. </p>

<p>So … how can we learn to delight in the uncertainty? Practice. </p>

<p>Here’s the practice you might try: </p>

<ol><li><strong>Notice the uncertainty in a task </strong>. A good signal that you’re feeling uncertainty is that you feel like avoiding it. If that’s the case, notice how turning towards the task (even thinking about it) causes you to feel, as a bodily sensation. This is how uncertainty feels in your body! </li><li><strong>Commit to dancing with it </strong>. Turning away from the uncertainty gives you certain predictable results in your life. What would it be like to do something different? Commit to doing something different: face it, be with it, dance with it. Give yourself 10 minutes to be with the uncertainty of this task. </li><li><strong>See the opportunity in the task, see the joy in it </strong>. What could you do with this task that would light you up? </li><li><strong>Let yourself move, physically </strong>. Get up, and move. Dance, do some exercise, walk, jump! If we’re stuck sitting, it’s harder to feel delight. We need to move. And to really see what the world is like in this moment — look around, find the delight in this everchanging moment, and full appreciation for life! </li> </ol>

<p>What delight can you find in this task, in this moment? Keep practicing, each day, and see what happens in your life! </p>

<p><span>Previous post: </span><br><a href="https://zenhabits.net/starting-task/">Getting Good at Just Starting a Difficult Task </a> </p>

Life-changing training programs and live experiences

<p>Transformation,<br>one change at a time </p>

<p>6-month mastermind<br>and Costa Rica intensive </p>

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Delight in Uncertainty - zen habits

Uncertainty: A Fact Of Life

Finding Delight In Uncertainty

Practice Loving The Unknown

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