Nadine J Walters – My Life

My Question Day 8: Why Is the Leap Into the Unknown So Difficult?

Answer to Myself: The obvious answer is that it’s scary. I don’t know what’s out there—I’ve never been there. I have no frame of reference, no way of knowing if the leap is right or wrong. Am I truly prepared to venture into the unknown?

I think the difficulty of the leap depends on what the unknown is and the risks and rewards involved. A small, insignificant unknown feels much easier to approach than a vast, life-changing one. Take this blog, for example. While I’ve struggled to get here, the risk of sharing my thoughts is relatively low. My audience, for the most part, doesn’t know me personally. I don’t see them every day. That distance makes it easier to take the leap.

Similarly, I’ve started sharing my art on my art blog. Again, the risk is small—but it still feels significant to me. I’m not afraid of my skill level or subject matter, but I do worry about how my work will be received. Will people understand my art and why I create it the way I do? That uncertainty lingers, making each step forward feel both exciting and vulnerable.

Each of us defines the ‘unknown’ differently, and we all measure its depth in our own way. I do move forward. I do try new things. I do open up and share—but I’ve realized that how I continue is often influenced by how that very first step is received. A single ‘like’ or encouraging comment can give me the motivation to keep going.

And that’s the beauty of stepping into the unknown. With each small leap, I stretch a little further, growing more confident in the process. Maybe the unknown isn’t as terrifying as it seems—maybe, just maybe, it’s where growth truly begins.