4 Ways to Not Know

4 Ways to Not Know

“When nothing is sure, everything is possible.”  ~Margaret Drabble

Something we tend to struggle with is accepting and communicating that we do not know.

To the extent that we have been raised to believe that knowledge is power, we have come to believe that not knowing is weak and unproductive. As such, being honest about not knowing is difficult, and we feel pressure to act as if we know, when in fact we don’t. We fear judgment, asking for help and feeling as if we are a failure.

Where in your life are you not accepting that you do not know? If you were to make it OK to not know, what would you do differently?

Four ways to express not knowing

  1. “I don’t know.” (Variation: “I don’t have an answer for you.”)
  2. “Can I get back to you?” (Variation: “Give me a moment to think about it.”)
  3. “I’m not sure. What do you think?” (Variation: “What does everyone else think?”)
  4. Stay silent ~ Where possible, say nothing, and wait until it is time to speak.

When we own that we don’t know we actually stay open to possibilities. We are more open to other points of views, and to ideas yet to arrive in our mind. We make it OK to hang out in the space, and trust that it will be filled when it is time.

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Related Reading:
Let It Play Itself Out
Don’t Decide, Discover
Embracing the Space Between

Related Playshop:
Conscious Communication ~ Compassionate, Creative & Productive Communication

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