The four most dangerous words in the English language are “I already know that.” Deciding that you know better is a recipe for staying stuck and feeling disconnected from others. This week try to admit the things that you don’t know.
This may seem obvious—no one knows everything. But when cynicism sets in, it will try to convince you that you know how every story is going to end. With disappointment. And you don’t know how every story is going to end. That’s impossible.
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Be An Empty Cup
There’s a mindset shift you can make to keep cynicism at bay And that is to admit that there are things that you don’t know. Speaking metaphorically, you want to be an empty cup. Think of a cup of tea. If you fill it all the way to the very tippy top, there’s no room for any more tea to get in. But if it’s only partly full, there’s space for more tea.
The truth is, there’s always more available to us.
More insight, more knowledge, more faith, more love, more development. Taking the stance that you already know everything about anything blocks you off from that more, or that you’re done with something—whether it’s a person or a phase of your life or a trauma from your past—means you’re cutting yourself off from more healing and more feeling better.
There’s a real power in admitting that you don’t have all the answers
Because then you have an impetus to be open enough to receive whatever version of more is trying to come through in that moment. It helps you set down that heavy shell. And sometimes you can’t perceive how much effort you’ve been exerting on keeping new ideas out until you stop doing it for a little while. You might find that you don’t want to keep doing it to the extent that you have.
Daily Tiny Assignment
So, how to make this practical? Here’s your tiny assignment… First, notice the next time the thought “Oh I already know this” comes up in your mind. And then in that moment, challenge yourself to ask a question about that particular topic and really listen to the answer. This might also look like someone doing something that you don’t like, and you assume that you understand their motive. (Probably, you’re taking it personally.) A helpful question to ask yourself in that moment is, “What if this has nothing to do with me?” If you take yourself out of the equation, it’s easier to let down those mental defense shields. So that you can see another point of view.
I hope this tip is helpful, and here’s to staying open to more.
