How To Stop Fearing The Unknown And Start Leading Yourself

It took a literal pain in my ass to launch this Substack — but I’m glad I’m here.

Every Great Adventure Begins in the Unknown

Who ever heard of a great story that started with everything going according to plan?

As they say, the adventure doesn’t really begin until something goes sideways. Which means… no matter how lost or overwhelmed you might feel right now, you’re likely exactly where you’re meant to be.

Because the distance between where you are and where your big dreams live? It’s filled with questions, doubt, and the occasional identity crisis.

We all face it. Whether you're launching a project, healing a broken heart, moving cities, starting school, or growing a business — every meaningful journey begins in the unknown.

And it’s not a flaw in your path. It’s what makes it an adventure.

The unknown is where magic lives. And now that you’re here, we can walk through it together — one week, one moment, one soul-aligned step at a time. (It’s kind of my thing.)

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I’ve Had Adventures Before — But This One Nearly Killed Me

Over a decade ago, I was abandoned in the Amazon rainforest. No map. No guide. No way out — for three days.

The jungle was dense and disorienting. Every tree looked like the last. We’d been led off-trail and had no idea how to find our way back.

And on that first day, as the truth sank in — that we were truly lost — I heard a whisper from within: Stop.

Don’t wander. Don’t try to outrun the unknown.
Sit down. Get still. Take care of what you can. Build a shelter. Conserve energy. Call out for help.

That whisper saved my life.

And it gave me one of the greatest teachings I’ve ever received:

When you don’t have a map, your intuition becomes your guide.
When you don’t have control, you surrender to presence.
And when you can’t see a way out, you begin by staying still.

That moment was my first real initiation into radical self-leadership.

Being lost wasn’t a failure — it was an invitation. To trust myself. To listen inwardly. To become the guide I was hoping would save me.

That moment planted the seed of everything I teach now.

Because whether it’s a “Holy shit, I’m lost in the jungle” moment or a “When is my soul’s calling going to turn into a clear path I can explain to my parents?” kind of spiral — the skills we need are the same:

Pause. Be with not knowing. Regulate yourself. And let your inner wisdom lead.

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Rooted In The Wild, Aligned With The Divine

Celestierra is a stand for heaven on earth — not as some abstract ideal, but as a lived experience of self-love, soul embodiment, and the kind of community where you feel like you fully belong.

Because living a life that feels like heaven on earth isn’t about having all the answers. It’s about how we meet ourselves when we don’t.

And let’s be real: our brains are wired to panic when we don’t feel in control. (Hi, amygdala.) That’s why uncertainty can feel like danger — and why your nervous system might rather scroll, spiral, or sprint into action than sit still.

But we are not our survival wiring. We’re conscious, creative beings who can meet the unknown with presence, curiosity, and care.

That’s what I teach. That’s what I practice. That’s the essence of the method I live by.

After 20+ years in personal development — as a participant, certified coach, ed-tech founder, and curriculum author — I’ve come to trust this:

You don’t need someone else’s answers. You need tools to help you hear your own.

Whether you're in a season of transition, reinvention, or holy-crap-what-now, the first question isn’t “What should I do?”
It’s “How can I meet myself more fully right here?”

That’s the invitation. And today, I want to show you an example of how I guide myself.

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The Framework I Use (And Teach) To Navigate Through Unknowns

Take my current mystery: Where did this lower back pain come from, and when is it going to go away?

It’s not metaphorical. It’s a literal pain in my ass. (Right glute, to be exact.) And while my first instinct was to pop ibuprofen and head to yoga, something in me hesitated.

So I paused. I got curious. I listened.

Often, when I meet the unknown, my intuition says: Stop.
But she doesn’t just mean don’t move. She means:

Stop the momentum. You’re acting from a place of not-knowing. And it’s taking you out of alignment.

When I stop, I meet the truth: I’m not just reacting to pain — I’m reacting to not having an answer.

What I need is not a fix. It’s reconnection — with myself, my truth, and the guidance that only comes when I slow down and get quiet enough to hear it.

So I guided myself through The Celestierra Method™ and here’s how it unfolded:

1. Awareness

• I don’t know why my glute is screaming.

• I don’t know when it’s going to stop.

That uncertainty triggers urgency. Anxiety. The need to fix it, fast.

But instead of bypassing with busyness, I pause. I breathe into the ache. (Yes, literally, into my right butt cheek.)

And in that breath, I become present.

2. Acceptance

Before jumping to a solution, I soften:

It’s okay to not know.

This doesn’t mean I give up. It means I stop resisting. I stop rushing toward clarity to feel in control.

I remind myself: I am safe here, even in the in-between. The unknown is not a threat — it’s a threshold.

3. Alignment

Then I ask:

If I DID know... what would I know?

And a few things rise up:

• I’d done three yoga classes and two paddleboard sessions in 48 hours. My body might just be tired.

• My perfectionism had been quietly (loudly) delaying this post.

• What I needed wasn’t more movement — it was to stop and create.

The whisper came through: Cancel yoga. Sit. Write.

4. Action

So I did:

• Skipped yoga

• Lay on a heating pad

• Opened my laptop

• Wrote this post

Not glamorous. Just honest.

A literal pain in my ass got me to finally make it a priority to publish.

That’s self-leadership. That’s how we move through the unknown, one aligned step at a time.

5. Accountability

And now? I share it.

Not next week. Not after another edit. Now.

This post is my accountability. A real-time declaration that I’m walking my talk — and clearing space for what’s next.

Also: what if your discomfort is the doorway?

I’ll keep you posted on the glute. Because truthfully — accountability works better in when practiced in community.

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Remember, You Are Your Greatest Guide

Even in the face of uncertainty. Especially then.

In my work as a coach, I’ve seen hundreds of women discover clarity not by seeking more advice — but by listening inward.

Like Alia, who began training yoga students before she felt “ready,” trusting that her embodied wisdom would rise to meet her courage.

Or Hannah, who left a high-pressure job and flew across the world without knowing what would come next — and landed more deeply in her purpose than ever before.

You don’t need all the answers to begin. You need the willingness to pause. To listen. To lead yourself.

And a practice you can return to — anytime the path ahead feels uncertain.

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What’s Coming Next

In my next piece, I’ll be sharing about inner authority — and how many of us were conditioned to seek validation outside ourselves, instead of trusting the wisdom within.

If this resonates, stay close.

I’ll be here — not with all the answers (those live inside you), but with real stories, soulful tools, and invitations to help you reconnect to your truth.

You’re not lost. You’re initiating into a new level of self‑leadership. And this method? It’s here to walk with you through the unknown.

For now, take a breath. Honor your own questions. And if this speaks to you, share it with someone who needs permission to pause, feel, and take their next right step.

Let’s walk it together.

Love always,

Celeste

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