Detachment

There is a reason why we don’t like to do difficult things — they’re frightening. Why are they so scary? Because we don’t know what will happen and, as human beings, we subconsciously recognize this as danger. So, it’s not weird that you don’t like to do unknown things. It’s actually perfectly normal. It’s evolution at play.

This is why it’s so hard to lose the weight, quit your job and begin your dream career, to speak up to your boss, to go on that date, etc. If you say “no” to these things, nothing will happen — and no movement equals safety. But if you say “yes” to these things, you may fail, or you may succeed. Either way, not knowing the outcome feels like danger. We believe the illusion that we can be certain, so we choose to “play it safe.”

As long as we stay in the illusion, nothing will change. Deepak Chopra calls this field of possibility: “pure potentiality.” Being attached to certainty shuts down the field of possibility; it cuts us off from our potential.

The way to live out of your pure potential is to embrace uncertainty. The way to do this is to be detached from outcomes. Through meditation and silence, you can center yourself on the solid ground of your existence. From there, you can live your life in the present, only acting, moving, and speaking from a place of presence. When you are no longer worried about outcomes, you are free to live and discover who you are.

Practicing detachment takes commitment and courage. You are capable of both.