Dear Healing Braveheart,
In our journey together, we often talk about the ‘Four Healing Essentials’ (Mindfulness, Acceptance, Self-Kindness, Action) and perhaps the one that asks the most of us is Acceptance. Usually, we think of acceptance as making peace with a symptom of healing or a difficult day. But there is another kind of acceptance that is just as vital: making peace with the unknown.
Right now, you may be asking the questions that have no immediate answers:
“How much longer will this last?” * “Why did this symptom return today?” * “When will I feel like myself again?”
When the mind meets these questions with silence, it often fills the void with fear. We feel we must know the “why” and the “when” in order to be safe. But I want to remind you today that not knowing is not a sign that healing has stopped.
The ‘I Don’t Know’ space is a weary place to sit, but it is also where true surrender happens. It is the moment we stop fighting and instead, we sit down, wrap a blanket of self-compassion around our shoulders, and trust that the path is still beneath our feet even if we cannot see it.
You don’t need the answers to be okay in this moment. You only need to know that your loyal body is still working for you, still working on restoring balance, and still carrying you through. If the only thing you can be sure of today is that you are breathing, let that be enough.
Sending you much comfort, encouragement and compassion,
A Gentle Step for Today: The ‘Anchoring Breath’
When the ‘I don’t know’ feels too heavy, we can use the Action element of MASA to anchor ourselves back to the present moment. Try this simple practice:
-
Stop and Acknowledge: Quietly say to yourself, ‘I don’t have the answers right now, and that is okay.’
-
Find Your Anchor: Place one hand on your heart and the other on your belly. Feel the physical sensation of your hands against your body.
-
Breathe into the Unknown: Take three slow, soft breaths. As you exhale, imagine you are releasing the need to solve the puzzle of the unfolding of your healing.
-
Choose One Small Comfort: Instead of trying to figure out next month or even next week, choose one small thing you can do for your comfort in the next ten minutes: a sip of water, a change of clothes, or simply closing your eyes.
By doing this, you are teaching your nervous system that even in the midst of uncertainty, you are safe, you are cared for, and you are taking the lead.