Those who try to avoid uncertainty only end up avoiding possibilities. – Sadguru
In order to get to our beautiful Island in Fiji, we had a four hour plane trip from Australia, a one hour 15min trip in a small 10 seater aircraft, a 25min car drive and a 30 minute boat ride. It was the small aircraft that I struggled with.
From the moment I boarded the small plane I started to visualise what could go wrong. As I took my seat, I began to feel vulnerable and aware that I would feel every bump of turbulence or change of weather (which we did) and any technical problems the pilot was having would be seen by all because there is no door to their cabin!
Brave and courageous as I am (not!) I started to breathe and ask myself, “So what are you going to do, even if you do crash?” “Can I just accept that this too will pass?” It was only when I started to imagine a “what if” scenario, which is thinking in the future, that I was fearful. Once I began to connect and breathe in the moment, I realised that until something happened, nothing scary was happening.
Life and nature teach us that we are always living in uncertainty, but the choice for each of us is to see that from a place of fear or of possibility. The plane trip which seemed far longer than one hour, helped me realise how much fear was consuming me, when I allowed it in.
In order to complete a goal or arrive at a destination in life, we have to work through the uncertainty and the unknown. How we see those times in our life will always depend on how easily we move through it and let go. Because we do not know the future, then we cannot judge or live as if we do and so the only alternative is to surrender, accept what is and possibly even enjoy the ride!! (I tried ha)
LIVING IN THIS MOMENT 
Wow Karen! I had never thought that all of life has uncertainties, but it does – I never realized because I see the possibilities in the things that don’t scare me, and only get anxious and fearful with the things that do scare me. In both cases though, I am choosing whether to see possibilities or worried about things that haven’t happened yet, if ever. What a cool way to look at it!
Diana xo
The experience of being in the plane certainly reminded me of it Diana! and it’s true, we always choose which way to see our life and our challenges. 🙂 🙂
This experience really brings it home Karen.
I recall in my 20’s flying across the Orkney Islands to the north of Scotland in a 10 seater. The wind was horizontal and brutal. The pilot had a sense of humor and fancied himself as a tour guide. He decided we’d swing by Scapa Flow and then the ancient stone dwellings of Scara Brae so his passengers could get a taste of Orkney’s history.
As I leaned back in my seat in order to keep the luggage from falling on top of us … I thought … “This is such a hoot!! What an experience!!.”
Today, I don’t think I would have the same point of view … like you!
Val x
You are right Val, I was so much more audacious in my 20’s, no fear at all! Perhaps we realise as we get older, we are not invincible afterall, and that life is very precious. 🙂
This post is so timely for me, Karen. I’m struggling with a decision at the moment, and I know I’m letting fear occupy the driver’s seat, instead of embracing the possibilities of the alternative. Thank you for casting this dilemma in a new light for me….
I am so glad it resonated with you! Once we become conscious of where our thoughts are going, the good thing is that we can change our direction at anytime and start seeing it differently and more positively!
Great perspective! You left me breathing into NOW! Thank you, Karen.
Now is a great place to be Vicki, it’s so much easier! Thankyou. 🙂
Fear is always about the future….but I’ll have to admit….planes get the best of me most of the time!
So let’s just live in the now and avoid small aircraft ha!!! 🙂
It is so true that we have to work through uncertainty, not simply ‘get over’ it.
So too, we have to work through our fear. Thanks for the post.
Your are right Elizabeth, when I was on that small plane I had to work through my fears, but in real life, its easy to dismiss the fears and pretend we can get over them. I have found they won’t go away until we do. Thankyou for your comment. 🙂
I guess as I have experienced great loss, like so many of us. My mindset is anything can go wrong or a life changing moment can happen at any instant. So I needed to deal with all those fears (the what if’s)….now, most of the time I tell myself to trust in the path unfolding. Even in the darkest of moments I have a little hope that things will get better. Powerful post Karen.
Thanks Kath that is exactly how I feel. When we know life can be taken from us at any moment, it reminds us in many situations that we too are not immuned. But you are right, even though we do not know when, we have to trust in life and how it unfolds. 🙂
Agreed treasure each day as if it is our last. My fathers words. Gone now but not forgotten.
Huh!? Crazy how I never had a single thought of anything dangerous or felt scared when I boarded a small plane (8 passengers) before. Now, I read about 3 to 4 times on different blogs probably in under a month saying, like you, that they fear getting on a small plane. I guess my mindset is that it’s just the same (just as dangerous) as the regular-sized plane.
Sky’s the limit is one of the phrases my life’s been going by. 😉
Ha thats because your young and fearless Rommel 😉 Sky is the limit …go for it.