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Uncertainty
is like a big vacuum-filled bubble that wells inside of us.
It’s highly unstable and seeks to be filled as quickly as
possible with anything that will make us feel less empty. For
many Americans, there are a lot of unknowns right now.
Times of conflict are always uncertain, but add to this conflict
the fact that we are fighting a war unlike any other, that we’ve been
hit on our own soil, and that others around the world live in terror on a
regular basis, and we have a degree of uneasiness that is unparalleled in
most of our lives. If we’re
not careful, this void of uncertainty is easily filled by whatever
reaction is most handy like fear, anger, hatred or despair.
But if we understand how this mechanism works, we can improve our
situation by being more selective in filling the void.
For some, this is the motivation for joining the Red Cross, the
military or a pacifist movement. For
others the call to action is more local or personal.
So when the bubble starts to form in you and you feel fear or
something equally as undesirable rushing in, ask yourself what it is that
you would miss the most in the unlikely event that all the crazy scenarios
running through your head were to play themselves out.
Chances are it’s something very fundamental like loving someone,
expressing yourself, or perhaps even the opportunity to show that you will
not be frightened. Chances
are, again, that most of these goals are within reach right now, and by
acting on them and enjoying them to the best of your ability right now,
you begin to displace all the unsettling emotions that previously filled
the void of the unknown. But,
acting on our desires and confronting our fears is more than just a way to
feel better in the moment, it’s a positive declaration for the future.
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