Accepting Uncertainty: We Can Be Happy Without All the Answers
"Your quality of life is directly proportional to the amount of uncertainty you can deal with comfortably." ~ Tony Robbins
I just started to feel like I was in the cross section at my job and, as a result, I felt completely uncomfortable.
I love what I do, working with clients and teaching new therapists; however, I am also a mother to two young children and feel the pain of their infancy. This has left me wanting to spend more time at home with them, so, maybe I work less.
If you had asked me when I was twenty-five, I knew with absolute certainty that I would never want to be a stay-at-home mom.
In fact, most of my life is colored with laser determination and fully knowing what my next step will be. I am a perfectionist and have a lot of control!
Today, I live in a very different place; today, I sit with uncertainty. I don’t know what the next step will be for me.
There is a lot that is unknown at the moment: do I want to work or do I want to stay at home, what other options do I have, where can my practice grow from here, where can I grow from here, and so on. My automatic response to this uncertainty is a constant concern until I find it.
However, what I have noticed is that all my “knowing” ideas actually block me from reality more than the way they express themselves.
Uncertainty makes us feel threatened and we try to avoid it by any means.
We convince ourselves that we are not diviners so we can see the future. We act crazy, we wander our minds in a few similar situations, over and over again, never feel close to some kind of decision.
However, it seems to be a major paradox of life that it is actually because of the acceptance of the uncertainty we achieve. Our lives are largely determined by what we do when we are unsure.
Without the uncertainty, we may never grow up because we will never be pushed beyond our comfort zone.
Many of us have found ourselves living in a stressful job or in an unhealthy relationship because the uncertainty of leaving those situations has created more anxiety than the certainty of living in those unpleasant situations.
Many people do not just go along with their cravings because it seems impossible, or because there is a high degree of uncertainty associated with following that path.
There are no guarantees when we enter anonymity. But it is during these times of crisis that the most important events in life can arise.
Making peace with uncertainty requires courage, faith, and confidence that you will actually be cared for, that no matter what happens, you will find a way to go through it, that you do not have to have all the answers today.
Contrary to popular belief, not knowing exactly what will happen next in our lives is okay. In fact, it is actually liberating.
The ability to let go, not knowing, and not trying to fully control what will happen next is a necessary skill to live happily, happily and freely.
Most of the spiritual activities ask us to consider whether there might be a greater force in the workplace, so it is wise to relinquish control at some point.
I have found it easier to let go of many situations where I can see that I am not alone in my ability to play, that there are situations beyond my control that affect my health and what the future holds.
When we focus on problem solving, we tend to look at the tunnel and walk away with our eyes open, failing to see the opportunities.
We cannot embrace a new uncertain future when we are completely attached to our old lives or to the idea of what we think something should be like.
I have found that when I am in that state of anxiety, and fear, when I try to understand all of that, that noise in my head trying to control everything tends to erode my feeling.
When we accept that things are unknown, that we do not have all the answers, we realize that teachings are always there when we pay attention. When we hope, let go, and accept uncertainty, that noise in our minds subsides.
Ironically, the peace created by letting go of the need for knowledge allows for communication with our intuition, and we actually receive clear direction from our hearts and feel confident in this direction.
I have heard it said that the longest distance in the universe goes from head to toe, but it is silent when we find this path. It is in a quiet place where we can get out of our heads and communicate more deeply with ourselves, thus opening up for ourselves the opportunity to get there.
I found meditation to be a very useful tool to facilitate this communication. Taking the time in my day especially to be calm and quiet allowed me to find peace and the fact that, today, I do not have all the answers to what will happen next.
I am able to set goals for myself and stay there all my life, in the context that I am moving on to a new path in my life. With horrible conversations in my head silenced, this skill is developed and I am open to new opportunities.
I will continue to learn to listen to my heart, which informs me that I am right even though I do not have all the answers.
About the Creator
Samyog kandel
I am a passionate writer, trying to inspire other through my story..
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“The Man Who Never Missed a Day”
When I was 17, I met a man who delivered newspapers in the rain. Not in a casual, half-hearted way—but fully committed, every single morning. He would leave his house before sunrise, his coat soaked, shoes falling apart, and the wind cutting through him like a knife. Yet, despite the cold and wet, he smiled at everyone on his route. To a teenager like me, it was both confusing and inspiring. I remember the first time I saw him struggle with a bundle of papers that seemed almost too heavy for him. He slipped on the wet pavement, muttered something under his breath, and kept walking. When he reached the next house, he knocked on the door, handed over the paper, and smiled as the door closed. That smile was strange to me—it wasn’t pride or satisfaction, it was… calm. Almost peaceful. Curious, I approached him one morning. “Why don’t you take a day off when it’s so hard?” I asked, shivering in my hoodie as the rain soaked me through. He laughed, a deep, gravelly sound that didn’t sound annoyed, only knowing. “Son, nobody cares about today,” he said, shaking his head. “What matters is tomorrow. You build your life the same way: one small effort, every day, even when nobody notices.” At the time, I didn’t understand. My life felt urgent, like it had to explode with success immediately. I was chasing big ideas, jumping from project to project, leaving most half-finished. I thought motivation was everything—without the spark of inspiration, nothing mattered. The idea of showing up every single day, even when tired, even when bored, even when invisible, felt almost insane. I watched him for weeks. Rain or shine, he was there. I started noticing small details I hadn’t seen before—the careful folding of the papers, the way he adjusted his wet coat to protect the bundle, the extra minute he took to smile at a child running out to grab the paper. Every morning, the same ritual. Every morning, the same effort. And yet, nobody cheered. Nobody noticed. Years passed. I went to college, chasing my own “big dreams,” my own versions of instant success. I started businesses, abandoned them; learned new skills, stopped halfway; made promises to myself I couldn’t keep. I told myself I was working toward greatness, but mostly, I was chasing the idea of success, not the work itself. Motivation was my fuel, and when it ran out, I stopped moving. Meanwhile, the memory of that man stayed with me. The quiet diligence, the smile in the pouring rain. I didn’t realize it at the time, but he had already taught me the most important lesson: consistency matters more than talent, and persistence matters more than inspiration. Years later, I found myself struggling. A career path crumbled beneath me, a relationship ended badly, and my confidence had hit rock bottom. I remembered the man with the newspapers. I thought about how small, invisible efforts can be the hardest to trust—because results are not immediate, and recognition is not guaranteed. Yet, he had shown me that those small efforts accumulate, slowly but inevitably, into a life that cannot be ignored. I started experimenting with this principle myself. Every morning, I wrote 500 words for my stories—even when tired, even when uninspired. I practiced my skills quietly, without posting or sharing. I did the work not for applause, but because it mattered to the person I wanted to become. Some days, it felt like nothing was happening. Some days, I wanted to give up. But then I remembered the man with the newspapers, and I kept showing up. It didn’t take long before I started noticing changes. The words I wrote flowed better, ideas connected in ways they never had before. People began noticing my work. Small victories became more frequent, and my confidence started to rebuild. What had seemed like meaningless, invisible effort had quietly transformed my life. That man never became famous. He never went viral. He had no thousands of followers, no awards, no recognition. But every paper he delivered, every smile he shared, every step he took in the rain—it all mattered. Each day of consistent effort built a life he owned completely, a life he could be proud of. I realized then that success is not a moment. It is not a sudden flash of recognition or a single lucky opportunity. Success is the sum of the quiet, consistent decisions we make when no one is watching. It’s the choice to wake up when it’s easier to sleep. It’s the decision to work when it’s easier to scroll on your phone. It’s the effort we put in when the world doesn’t applaud. And the truth is simple: showing up every day is more powerful than talent, motivation, or luck. Talent fades. Motivation fluctuates. But showing up—every single day, rain or shine—creates results you cannot imagine. Just like the man in the rain, your efforts may not be recognized immediately. People may overlook them, circumstances may feel unfair, progress may seem invisible. But over time, the cumulative effect of your daily effort will speak for itself. One day, the world will notice. One day, your consistency will transform your life. So, start today. Don’t wait for motivation. Don’t wait for inspiration. Show up. Every day. One small effort. One action. One step at a time. Let your grind be louder than your excuses. Because the man who never missed a day wasn’t special. He was ordinary. But through persistence, he became unstoppable. And so can you.
By Ihtisham Ulhaqa day ago in Motivation
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