Thriving in Uncertainty
- Craig Law-Smith
- Apr 17
- 3 min read
Many of my clients right now are facing moments of real transition.
Some are going through re-orgs.
Some are choosing between multiple paths.
Some are searching for new opportunities altogether.
One thing they all have in common:
They’re living in the unknown.
“What’s going to happen to my role in the restructure?”
“What if I make the wrong choice?”
“How long can I sit in this in-between place?”
These are not just logistical questions. They’re deeply emotional ones — questions that bring vulnerability, fear, and often a quiet sense of urgency.
Over the years, I’ve found three perspectives that help my clients (and workshop participants) ground themselves when the future feels uncertain.
1. Recognize that change is not the exception — it’s the rule.
We often live as if stability is normal and change is the disruption. But the truth is, everything is always in motion.
A 2021 study published in Nature Medicine found that the human body replaces about 330 billion cells each day — roughly 1% of all the cells in your body.
In other words, you are physically not the same person you were even a few weeks ago.
So when you notice something shifting — your emotions, your job, your relationships, your body — see if you can meet that change not with resistance, but with presence and appreciation.
Try this:
Notice when you’re clinging tightly — to a title, a decision, a storyline.
Then, see if you can hold it like you would a butterfly — lightly, gently, open-handed.
Return to what you can control.
So much of our anxiety comes from trying to control what we cannot.
You don’t control the re-org.
You don’t control the final outcome of a big decision.
What you do control is:
Your thoughts (with awareness)
Your emotions (with compassion)
Your actions (with intention)
When you give yourself the space to respond rather than react, you create a little more freedom. A little more clarity. A little more dignity.
Ask yourself: Who am I being in the face of uncertainty?
And: How would my best self choose to respond right now?
3. Let go of the idea that there’s a “right” choice.
So often, we approach life like a puzzle we’re supposed to solve.
But life isn’t a problem to solve, it's a mystery to be embraced.
That’s why I often share this Zen parable in workshops and coaching sessions:
A farmer’s horse ran away.
His neighbor came over and said, “Oh no, that’s terrible.”
The farmer simply replied, “Good, bad, I don’t know.”
The next day, the horse returned — bringing two wild horses with it.
The neighbor said, “That’s amazing!”
The farmer replied, “Good, bad, I don’t know.”
The following day, the farmer’s son tried to ride one of the wild horses, was thrown off, and broke his leg.
The neighbor said, “How awful!”
The farmer again said, “Good, bad, I don’t know.”
A week later, soldiers came to the village to draft young men into the army. Seeing the son’s injury, they passed him by.
The neighbor said, “What good luck!”
And the farmer once more replied, “Good, bad, I don’t know.”
We rarely know in the moment what a situation will lead to.
What looks like a setback might be a gift in disguise.
What looks like a win might bring new challenges.
There’s wisdom in leaving space for life to unfold — without needing to label everything immediately.
What about you?
How do you navigate uncertainty?
What helps you feel steady when things around you are shifting?
I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Warm regards,
Craig
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