Own what you know
“What you don’t know isn’t important. Focus on what you do know.”
So many of our actions seem motivated by filling in the gaps of our knowledge so we do not appear ignorant. Knowledge can give us a sense of belonging (at its best) and superiority (at its worst). We use knowledge as a shield to protect us from potential embarrassment and being labeled as ignorant. Knowledge gives us a sense of security.
The pitfall of always seeking knowledge, though, is that it can keep us from taking action. How often have you said to yourself, “I just need to know x, then I can do y.”
In the pursuit of knowledge what we often overlook is the knowledge we already have—not just in the form of external information but also the knowledge gleaned from our own thoughts, feelings, felt senses, and experiences. Tapping into that wellspring of information very often gives us the answer we are looking for.
Like so many, I have been overwhelmed by recent human events and racial unrest. There is no denying the atrocities caused by systemic racism, but I felt overwhelmed by the deluge of information, opinions, and calls to action as well as the emotional energy of the collective.
There is so much I do not know about racism in this country that I felt stuck not knowing what to do. All I knew for certain was that I felt overwhelmed, and I knew I couldn’t make a decision or take any action from that place. I needed to give that feeling space—space to be and to flow through me. Trying to bypass the feeling would only make the overwhelm persist, keeping me stuck in inaction.
What helped me work through the overwhelm of what I did not know was taking stock of what I did know. I sat down and wrote everything I knew about my own white privilege living in this country and how I am a reflection (in words and deeds) of the wounds of my ancestors and their shame, fear, stories, and limiting beliefs about race. I wrote down what I knew to be true in my heart, including how I have unconsciously inflicted harm against POC by maintaining the status quo of white supremacy that has kept me comfortable and complacent and in denial of systemic racism.
Digging deep into what I know and could no longer ignore helped me to process my overwhelm. More importantly, doing this work revealed the next step I wanted to take in healing the parts of me that contribute to systemic racism, my own white privilege, and gave me a sense of how I can contribute to the solution longer term.
If you find yourself feeling overwhelmed by a situation, whether that has to do with current events, a relationship, your job, or something else entirely, and are unsure of how to take action, ask yourself this question:
What do I know?
Then write down or draw or speak aloud everything you know about the current situation until you feel you have exhausted your knowledge. Now, walk away from it. Chances are, as you go about your day and as your brain continues to process, additional nuggets of knowledge will surface. Add those to your list. When the list feels complete, sit with it. Giving yourself this space to just be with what you know allows the solution that is right for you to reveal itself.
You cannot and will not ever know everything there is to know about any situation or issue you encounter. However, you should never discount what you do know. Focusing on what you know keeps you present and allows you to act from a place of peace. And what you know is all you ever need to know to move forward in the moment.
