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face the Fear of Uncertainty



This past Friday I took a trip to a Haunted Ropes Course at Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Center.
I know.
Not only was it a high ropes course, but a HAUNTED high ropes course!
What was I thinking?!?!?
I haven't been on a course like this since my ninth grade Wolf Ridge trip, but it was on my adventure list and my sister-in-law was brave enough to help me experience it.
The night was perfect.  The perfect fall temperature to be outdoors.  The evening light let us enjoy the view of our beautiful surroundings while we took deep breaths at each courage-gathering platform, high in the trees.
I didn't know what to expect so fear was lying just under the surface, waiting for me to give over and think about it too much.  But, I also knew I could do it.  I was calm even as the rope swayed and my balance was challenged.  I just had to slow down and be even more intentional in my moments.
We finished the course with a feeling of relief and empowerment.  A big high-five and a hug.

I am coming to realize that these adventure challenges seem to line up with some inner calendar of growth that is leading me this year.  Unconscious steps that will bring more light to areas that I need to dig deeper into.
Facing fear is something that keeps coming up.
I have been on the cusp of creating my own business while at the same time I have made a firm commitment to foster my own creativity.  It feels like these two things are in a push-and-pull.  I need to think logically about the steps of this venture, but I am trying to let it unfold as it will.  The right-brain/left-brain tango.  Outcome thinking versus process.  A battle that usually finds me standing on the side that is offering safety, reliability, and control.  A side that keeps me fearful of figuring out all of the details, making mistakes, and commitment.

I recently listened to a great conversation on NPR's TED Radio Hour, The Source of Creativity.  In the interview, TED speakers examined the mystery of creativity and ways to channel your creative ability.  It was fascinating.
Sting was one of the speakers and started by stating that he believes that "creativity is the ability to take a risk."  Elizabeth Gilbert goes on to say that what really kills creativity is fear.  "Creativity is going into the uncertain."  She says you have to bring fear with as you go, but let it ride in the backseat while you drive the car.  Researcher, Charles Limb, notes that creativity isn't magical.  It involves practice so that you can get into a flow state. The place where self-checking shuts off and novelty is born.  He finds the most successful people are able to "get out of their own way" by suppressing the self-monitoring part of their brain.
As I listened, there were a bunch of lightbulb moments.  I intuitively knew this stuff, but I needed to hear it again to get the dust off the bulbs.  After I listened, I was confirmed in my commitment to living more creatively and realized that creating a business might be the perfect way to do it.  Maybe these can go hand-in-hand.  If creativity is being able to take a risk, and the risk is having an idea that I want to put out there,  then this is exactly it.  I have to practice getting comfortable with uncertainty and a new venture like this will enable me to get lots of practice.  I will have to turn off the self-monitoring part of my brain and be unafraid of the outcome.  

My challenge is to keep going on this track of uncertainty and risk because that is how I can live out my creativity.  I have to feel the calm underneath my decisions, just as I did on that ropes course.  One foot in front of the other.   Trusting that my inner guide will line things up for me.  I have to keep showing up with curiosity and follow the things that feel light and good and then just get out of my own way!

How do you manage fear and uncertainty?  Do you have some creative ideas that you haven't 
shared because the self-checking/self-monitoring voice became too loud?


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