The Benefit of Stepping Into The Unknown

The Unknown...it sounds intimidating right? Perhaps ‘The Unknown’ creates visions of a dark void, scary circumstances, or the inability to make knowledgeable choices. The one thing we KNOW about the unknown is that it is unfamiliar, and that in itself can bring anxiety.

Humans love ‘The Known’... it’s comfortable, it’s easy, it’s the expected. In fact, studies show that a person would select ‘The Known’ over the ‘The Unknown’, even if ‘The Known’ isn’t an optimal choice. This is called the “Status Quo Bias”, and it occurs because what we know is simply familiar to us, even if it offers nothing else of value.

‘The Known’ appears to offer security. When choosing ‘The Known’, we can depend on the results, whether they are what we truly want or not. Staying in the confines of ‘The Known’ provides a perception of safety and control, which keeps the proverbial ‘scary monsters in the closet’, at bay.

This appears to be a good thing, the right thing, staying with the familiar, surrounding ourselves in perceived safety. There is a drawback however, that you will want to consider before choosing to never venture outside your zone of comfort and familiarity.

Facing and moving through ‘The Unknown’ brings growth, without which, all things wither and perish. Perishing...that is quite the drawback, especially if you are convincing yourself that ‘The Known’ provides safety. This is a false assumption. ‘The Known’ may feel safe, but it ultimately ends in lack of vitality, lack of life, and inertia of The Self.

Facing ‘The Unknown’ creates forward momentum, and jump starts the creative process. We are here on this earth to create. In every moment we have options for creation, making life a dynamic playground of possibilities. Imagine if a seed placed in the earth were to stay there, snuggled in the darkness of the soil as it is warmed by the sun. What a place of comfort, very similar to the womb! While this provides short term protection and ease, ultimately this would bring death to the seed. For life to occur it must reach out, push itself from the known into the unknown, where light can then propel the seed into new possibilities and full bloom.

In every moment we have options for creation, making life a dynamic playground of possibilities.

Stretching yourself, by inviting the unknown into your life, must be looked at as an exciting opportunity. The short term discomfort you may experience when stepping away from the familiar, can bring tremendous positive opportunity. Even what society terms “negative experiences” can be transformed into growth when looked at from a new perspective.

By looking at ‘The Unknown’ with a new eye, seeing it as something that is vital for dynamic living, you can bring unlimited opportunities for growth into your world. If you aren’t growing, you are withering away, so choose to step into ‘The Unknown’, even with the sense of discomfort or anxiety that may accompany it. As you move toward the unknown...you can also look forward to watching yourself BLOOM.