Writing

Uncertainty

Or, accepting and overcoming fear.

Lyndall Thomas

Jan 15, 2026 • 4 min read

Of late, it’s become apparent that uncertainty raises the hackles of my constant companion: fear. Or, should I say, one of my many companions. Fear lives right next door to ego, and together they foster anxiety, dread, panic and reactivity.

Because here we find ourselves in the most uncertain of times. As I write this:

I’m guessing you know what I mean.

And so what do we do? Somehow, we get on with our lives.

For me, getting on with my life must involve overcoming fear. I have a very strong tendency toward embracing routine – even an imperfect one – as a method of claiming safety. My home, too, has become a bastion of safety in this strange, uncertain world. And, as I dig deeper within, I find that I am developing a stronger sense of internal safety by acknowledging all the different parts of myself.

Last year, I delved into the important work of Dr Jill Bolte-Taylor, a brain scientist who, incredibly, at the age of 38, had a massive stroke. If you’ve not had the pleasure of watching her famous TED talk, please carve out the 18 minutes or so you’ll need to do so.

Her most recent book, Whole Brain Living, talks about the groups of cells in our brain that determine how we think and feel. As we know, our brain has two hemispheres. Dr Bolte-Taylor explains that each hemisphere has two regions of cells – effectively dividing our conscious brain into four parts:

Left thinking – reasoning, language, discipline (similar to our ego, as Freud described it)
Left emotion – fear, worry, dread
Right emotion – love, community, compassion, connection
Right thinking – fun, joy, pleasure, adventure

Dr Bolte-Taylor calls these parts of the brain characters and she gives them names. In her mind, she brings them together, into what she calls a huddle, to examine which part of the brain needs to step up at a particular time. Importantly, she embraces the strengths of each of the characters, recognising their contribution.

What I love about her work is that she speaks to the concept of the higher self – something that those of us who are spiritual recognise as the central, aligned being we are. If we have an overarching presence in our mind that can bring our four characters together, we have a powerful force within us.

For me, this sense of alignment becomes a way to deal with uncertainty. Some days, I stagger about, frightened and overwhelmed, living largely in my left brain, with Character 2 in the driving seat. But if I step into conscious awareness, remember to breathe and return to my higher self, I can ask Characters 3 and 4 to navigate.

Don’t get me wrong, fear plays a vital role in our lives. It warns us of danger and teaches us where we should not tread. So, I’m not seeking to silence it. I’m just asking it to take a less dominant role.

Every now and then, I dip into a book called Living Beautifully with Uncertainty and Change by the American Buddhist nun, Pema Chodron. Here’s a quote to inspire you:

‘Uncertainty and unpredictability, impermanence and change, good times and hard times, sorrow and joy, loss and gain – all of this constitutes the mandala of our life, our base for practicing fearlessness and compassion. This is our potential richness, our power. So we work with it, rather than struggle against it. If we aspire to find freedom exactly where we are, there could be no more fertile ground for our awakening.’

I’ve recently had the pleasure of working on a new project, a new part of my journey towards being instead of doing. It’s called Dreams are Arrows and it’s a platform to create content that soothes and supports. We’ve started by creating some beautiful affirmation meditations that you can listen to for free on YouTube or Insight Timer. And soon, we’ll be publishing some helpful resources to help achieve stronger alignment with the higher self.

I believe that our dreams and desires can strengthen us during these uncertain times. By responding to life’s challenges from the aligned position of the higher self, we can overcome fear, overwhelm and reactivity, helping us to make sense of the world and our place within it.

My favourite of the meditations we’ve released so far is called ‘I can find safety in this moment’ and I wrote it especially for those moments of overwhelm or distress, when fear has taken over and we need to return to that safe, powerful place within.

I’m going to finish off with a poem from Rumi, The Guest House, which is the foundation for my work with Dreams are Arrows. Like Chodron and Dr Bolte-Taylor, Rumi suggests that we don’t need to banish the so-called negative emotions. Instead, we need to embrace them, understand what they are trying to tell us and to let that become our teacher.

The Guest House
by Jalaluddin Rumi

This being human is a guest house.
Every morning a new arrival.
A joy, a depression, a meanness, some momentary awareness comes as an unexpected visitor.
Welcome and entertain them all!
Even if they’re a crowd of sorrows, who violently sweep your house empty of its furniture, still, treat each guest honourably.
He may be clearing you out for some new delight.
The dark thought, the shame, the malice, meet them at the door laughing, and invite them in.
Be grateful for whoever comes, because each has been sent as a guide from beyond.

Stay safe and well, dear readers.

Ps. Those of you who are in Melbourne might be interested in this one-day yoga retreat with my fabulous yoga teacher, Kaela Raku. If you’re looking for a glorious way to step out of our challenging times for a few hours, this has got to be it. More info here.

Pps. If you have any spare cash, can you please help me continue to support these two families in Gaza? It's winter in Palestine now and they need food, clothes, blankets and much better tents. You can donate to Mohmmad here. You can donate to Sherine here.