Dear alchemist,

The discomfort of uncertainty is what keeps most people stuck in the same life.

Feeling awkward in uncertainty makes a LOT of sense and doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. As we know here in this corner of the internet, your nervous system will try to keep you the same because it thinks that staying predictable keeps you safe. So, unless we intentionally reprogram this (which is why you are here 😉), trying to follow your soul’s purpose can sometimes feel like swimming upstream.

Your soul’s purpose (aka, the inner calling within you that comes in the visions that excite you and the quiet nudge that is like… hey….. you should do this thing….👀✨🧚‍♀️) CRAVES expansion. It has no limits, because it isn’t tied to an old way of being or reacting. Those visions you have and the things that inspire you are signals of your connection to your soul’s purpose, and they will never lead you astray.

BUT! If your nervous system and mental attachment to an old identity compute this expansion as “unsafe”, it will start sending you thoughts like:

• “Lol. Ok…. but how can that actually happen?”

• “There is no way. That’ll take way too long.”

• “Okay, that might work for someone else, but they might have something I don’t.” (Which isn’t the case, btw. If you desire it and see it in your mind’s eye, it is a possibility, period. This limitation is always coming from the ego/analytical mind that would rather be right than be free.)

• “I feel so confused. I’m not sure where to begin!”, accompanied with some lovely… * procrastination * 🛋️🥱😴 

… and this list is NOT meant to call you out or spark any shame.

The only reason I can even write this out is because I’ve BEEN there… multiple times, may I add!

But on the other side, I’m here to tell you: it’s all a really tricky illusion that your old identity is playing on you.

I posted this video on the 3 most common blocks I see, and #2 was confusion. After posting this, I got a bunch of DMs asking the big question: how can we sit with uncertainty?

So! 🥁 Here it is: your practical guide to uncertainty!

Before we get into it, you are among the first people to know that A NEW LIVE CHALLENGE is coming in September!! 👀 If you want to be the first to know details and when doors open, reply “waitlist” to this email, or sign up here, under “The Dream Self Blueprint 🦋💫”

1. Remind yourself that confusion is human, and is a huge part of expansion.

I know, I know!! This is sometimes annoying to hear, but I do need to start with it: if you aren’t feeling any confusion or uncertainty, it means you’re staying the same.

So, what if we really leaned into that? If you’re uncomfortable, it MEANS you are expanding. Think of it like a mental growing pain: by allowing yourself to experience that discomfort, it means you’re expanding the surface area of what you’re comfortable with.

What if we didn’t label uncertainty or confusion as a problem? What if it is just a temporary experience to surrender to?

I thought this was a perfect place to share one of my favorite quotes of all time by poet David Whyte:

2. The problems arise when you make confusion mean something personal about you.

As #1 said, confusion isn’t personal. It is something everyone experiences, especially those who are creating their own path and acting on their intuitive wisdom. For a while, it literally will not make sense to the analytical mind and old identity.

But the problems arise when you resist confusion, and make it mean something that it isn’t.

Let’s break down how this can turn into a loop:

→ Inner calling: gives you an intuitive nudge about quitting your job, moving across the country, talking to that stranger, sharing your art with the world… or insert whatever slightly terrifying desire you've been ignoring here.

→ Analytical mind: Ugh. How will they react? How do I start? How can this happen?

→ Now, the analytical mind is feeling confused. Since uncertainty is uncomfortable to the body, the analytical mind searches for an explanation… and the “explanations” it comes up with are usually super personal. Like: “If I feel confused, I must be doing something wrong.” or, “This confusion and uncertainty must mean that it won’t work out.”

→ Body: Reacts to those thoughts. It perceives a threat. So it gets tense, pressure rises in the throat, the chest tightens. The nervous system is now in a state of fight, flight, or freeze.

→ Analytical mind: SEE!? I was right! These thoughts must be true because now they FEEL true.

See how this can become much bigger than it actually is?

BUT! The analytical mind is not the enemy here. As stated earlier, it’s just trying to keep you safe.

The only issues arise if this process happens unconsciously. All it takes is a moment of presence, of labeling the analytical mind when it arises in the moment, and then bam! It’s no longer in charge.

3. Ask better questions to give your brain a better direction.

Your brain is a problem-solving machine. All it needs is the right questions.

As I was in the process of writing this letter, I opened Pinterest on my phone to look for a new wallpaper, and this was the first post on my feed:

I thought that was pretty synchronistic.

So, to assist you on this journey, I brainstormed a few uncertainty-friendly questions you can ask yourself at this time:

• What if it all worked out? (hehe. One of my personal favorites. You need to really lean into it for it to work, though.)

• Or, perhaps more importantly: How would I act differently if I knew it all worked out? What would shift in my energy and daily approach?

• What if all of these worries never came into fruition, and I just had to focus on showing up today?

• What actions would help ease this uncertainty? (Start small here. Focus on the one-degree turns.)

• What would it look like to be completely accepting of this uncertainty?

• What is this uncertainty or this moment of life trying to teach me? What if I leaned into it?

• What would my highest self tell me about how I am feeling right now?

• How would I talk to a loved one who was feeling the way I am feeling right now?

…that’s it for this week, alchemy club. ❤️🫂

Hit Reply and let me know what you resonated with and what you’re currently working on. I love reading your responses. 💌 And if you’d like to be the first to know when the live challenge in September opens up, reply “waitlist”!

PS - thank you so much for 100k on Instagram. I am so grateful and honored to be a part of your journey, in any way that I can. ❤️

With so much love, now and always,

Emma Karólyna