What Is Certain And Uncertain… Externally?
One of the most significant causes of anxiety and angst is uncertainty and not knowing what will happen. It can keep us frozen and stuck in fear, indecision, and feeling bad. But what if you could create absolute certainty in your life? What if this certainty allows you to consciously start to take deliberate action to create whatever you want in your life.
Certain is definite, fixed, indisputable, beyond doubt and sure to happen.
Uncertain is not known, questionable, undefinable, undecided and doubtful.
Certain and uncertain things exist outside of us, in the external world. How we feel about these things exists internally as certainty and uncertainty.
What Are Certainty And Uncertainty… Internally?
Certainty and uncertainty are internal states of emotion.
Certainty is a suite of internal feelings and sensations that keep us calm, relaxed and peaceful. We have a sense of knowing, and our mind is clear and focused on one direction.
We can easily decide and start moving towards it because there are no other options or possibilities. We know where we are going and how to get there with certainty.
Uncertainty is a suite of internal feelings and sensations that make us agitated, on the edge and nervous. We may have raised blood pressure, shallow breathing and nervous energy. Our minds may be busy, chaotic, questioning and confused. It does not know what to focus on because it does not know where it is going.
Uncertainty does not know what will happen. It is ambiguous and means that we have to expend effort trying to predict all the possibilities that will happen and preparing to deal with all of the different steps and outcomes. It creates stress and is exhausting.
Learn more… “What Are Emotions And Where Do They Come From?”
Why We Need Certainty
Humans have an inbuilt need for certainty as part of our survival mechanisms. It affects how much risk we are willing to take in all areas of life, including our work, relationships, physical activities, social interactions, financial investments and lifestyle.
When we have certainty and know something will happen, we can start to make decisions, plan, and take action to move towards it.
We can get stuck when we do not have certainty, and multiple things could happen, or we do not know what can happen. We stop and fail to make decisions and take action because we do not know which direction. We do not want to expend time, effort and energy on a futile path.
Certainty gives us direction and focus, and uncertainty keeps us stuck.
When We Have Certainty And Uncertainty
When we turn inwards to a part of us that feels certain, we know something will happen in the external world. There is an outcome that we have a good level of control over through our actions and behaviours. We know that choosing a particular path of actions and behaviours will create a specific outcome or reality.
If we get in the car and drive towards the shop, we will certainly get to the shops.
If we start washing the dishes, there is high certainty they will all eventually be clean.
If we yell at our partner the minute they walk through the door, there is high certainty we will fight.
When we turn to a part of us that feels uncertain, it is usually because there is something outside of us we cannot control.
In uncertainty, we know we cannot choose a particular reality because we can do something to create it. The combined actions of many people are needed to create it, or people or things other than us need to act to create it. Either way, we must rely on others and the external world to contribute to the external reality we may experience. We cannot control what they will or will not do.
If we gamble our money on a slot machine, there is uncertainty, and we do not know if we will win or lose. The machine wholly determines the outcome.
If we choose one of five jobs, there is the uncertainty of which we would enjoy the most. We do not know the people we will be working with or the nuances of the workplace culture.
In the case of natural phenomena, a force bigger than us will act to create a reality totally beyond the control of humanity. We have no control over nature.
We cannot always create certainty in our external world because we cannot control nature, other things, other people or how they will act or behave.
We only have certainty when our actions are solely responsible for creating the outcome, and our internal response to external uncertainty. To create certainty from uncertainty, we must identify and evaluate the options and the risk, choose one and commit to it.
Respond To Uncertainty With Certainty
When an outcome is known, we have low risk and high certainty.
When an outcome is unknown, we have high risk and low certainty.
If we are in a situation where we need to have a difficult conversation with someone, this can create uncertainty. We do not know how the conversation will progress or end or how the other person will react or respond to our responses.
Let’s say our ultimate desire is for a peaceful easy conversation and an amicable outcome where they see it from our perspective, agree with us and act to give us what we want. The possibilities range from this to an all-out screaming match.
With uncertainty, our mind goes busily trying to predict every possible scenario and direction the conversation could take. We try to prepare for everything that may be presented to us and every possible response we can give. We do not know which direction to take because we do not know which outcome will arise or which path will evolve.
Create a clear, certain intention on what you want your experience, outcome and reality to be, then take a certain step towards it and let go of attachment to the path.
For example, let’s say we need to have a difficult conversation with someone. We can create certainty by deciding we want an amicable outcome rather than leaving it up to chance. We can approach the other person with positive and open energy and actions. If we approach the conversation with the possibility of conflict, we will be defensive and ready for an argument. Our opponent will sense this and come in prepared for a fight before we even begin.
Ask yourself how a person who wants an amicable outcome would behave at every point. They would be friendly in their approach, explain what they want to discuss and find a convenient time, and both are in a good mood. They would share their perspective. They would allow the other person to express their perspective and what they would like to see as an outcome.
If a conflict arises, they would not tolerate abuse or respond aggressively because this is not creating the amicable experience and outcome they desire. Their response is all they have control over. They would walk away if they had to until the other person was ready to come back and create an amicable experience and outcome. Alternatively, they may walk away permanently to have the outcome and experience they desire.
This does not mean we harass them until they give up and agree with us. It means we enter the interaction with the full intention of an amicable outcome for both parties, and we keep directing ourselves back to that.
To have certainty in ourselves, we need to be present, have flexibility, and take control of our response in every moment.
How Certainty Affects Your Lifetime Timeline
A timeline is a linear representation of significant events in the order in which they occurred as a version of reality.
Certainty creates one single timeline and series of linear events that lead us to an outcome and our life. Uncertainty creates multiple possible timelines, events, results and possibilities that co-exist at one time. Which timeline of events we experience and make will depend on the series of actions we choose.
When we are clear and certain of what we want and what needs to happen, we can move towards it and experience our desired timeline and path. When something occurs externally, we can stop and consider what we need to do next to manoeuvre back onto our original timeline of certainty.
We may be side-tracked momentarily, but we can return to the original path with focus.
When we shift into uncertainty, we may be thrust into chaos and confusion. This will divert us from our current timeline into an alternative timeline and reality.
When we regain certainty by choosing our response and course of action, we can shift back to our original outcome.
The only thing we can control is our internal response to external conditions. This is all that is certain.
By understanding and taking control of ourselves, we can experience constant certainty in our lives.
The choice is yours…
…Liz Watt