The great Uncertain! Usually scares the pants off most everyone ~ atleast in “later life,” which can be anything from 40+ onward. Most Kids tend to love the openness of ‘uncertainty.’ Nothing is mapped out ~ and they get to be the Great Explorer, charting a course of adventure: dragons, magic caves, sea monsters, towering pinnacles of secret treasures. Excitement and courageous acts of daring-do. The power of late adolescence and early adulthood can be the 10-Foot-Tall-and-Shatter-Proof mentality: more exploring that adds to the repertoire of experience, new acts of courage, stepping into a world that was once envied for it’s appearance of freedom.
It is usually in the early-to-mid 30’s that the spectre of “OMG I better ‘grow up’ (which may have actually been said to the person) begins to limit that sense of Possibility. 401Ks, medical benefits, vacation pay, and other “Shoulding” seeps in. (You MUST want to own a house; you MUST look at getting ‘married;’ others want you to ‘give them‘ grandchildren; you MUST have a job that guarantees you [hahahahaha] the gold watch, etc., etc., etc.) Uncertainty is the looming Cloud. Oooohhhhh ….. scary ! Better stay safe; better have answers for any conceivable what-evers that lie ahead.
Each subsequent decade can pile on more limitors: believing in ageism; believing in a view of success that matches the ads on television (or the neighbors …. who have already bought-into these limitors); preemptive health focuses (often accompanied by a handful of pills, just in case….). Wow! Is it any wonder that, when facing a moment of future ‘when nothing is certain‘ folks freak. Well, one can freak …. or one can Remember. And Breathe.
Remember the Kid and Young Adult that you were. (And still ARE inside.) Remember those feelings and thoughts of adventure and curiosity that sparked delightful explorations. Actions that brought about greater confidence. Connections that have enriched your life even now, possibly decades later. YES !!! Remember.
Pull out your Cape of Creativity, and let’s explore the possibilities.
Feel free to share your thoughts on this post. I love having the dialogue !
Lin Church, Mssw
Coach ~ Mentor ~ Writer ~ Presenter: JourneyWoman