3. Seeking Maximal Certainty

This pattern refers to the attitude and behavior of seeking an excessive degree of certainty and stability (no change) towards current or future situations. 

Examples are: 

• The need to feel certain that my partner or spouse will love only me for the rest of my life and will bring me happiness and a strong sense of wellbeing. 
• I need to be certain that the money I invest will bring high returns. 
• I will not change my job unless I am 100% sure that the new job is much better. 
• I need to be certain that my financial standing will be healthy and stable forever and there will be no financial challenges or instability in the future. 
• I will not let my children go anywhere unless I am 100% sure that it is 100% safe.

Related patterns include: The Urge to Control, Polarized Thinking, Fixed Expectations, Unfounded Suspicion, Negativity and Pessimism, Indecisiveness, Avoiding and Hiding and Tormented by Loss and Gain. 

This pattern can disrupt the relaxed, calm and natural state and cause unhealthy emotions such as uneasiness, nervousness, anxiety and fear. It can restrict life and reduce the freedom and choice we have. Life experience can therefore be limited by this pattern.

• Cultivate trust and openness. The foundation of true openness is full acceptance. 
• It is important to know that everything in the universe is constantly changing and developing according to its own law. What we can do is to respect the laws and work with change, rather than ignore the laws and refuse to change. 
• It is an inherent need on the human nature level to seek basic security and interest. However, when we seek certainty to the extent that the fundamental laws of things are not taken into consideration, it is as though we are hoping things will operate outside their laws – our expectations are going against the laws. In such cases, not only would our hopes and expectations fail to come true, but we could be frustrated by the repeated experience of things not going as we wish, which could compromise the wellbeing of ourselves and those around us. 
  
• As we try very hard to make sure that things will go according to the ideal picture we imagine, what is really driving us is a deep- seated distrust, negativity, pessimism and fear. What could this kind of Xin and consciousness lead to? There is a saying: ‘The more one is afraid of seeing ghosts, the more likely one will see them.’ 
• In essence nothing in the universe is absolutely good or bad. The so-called ‘good’ and ‘bad’ often coexist like Yin and Yang transforming into each other. The important thing is to have a sound view of a thing and a sound way to relate to it. Firstly, we need to cultivate the ability to accept reality with openness and then we need to transform it. Acceptance is the foundation for balance and harmony. Transformation is necessary for continual growth and should occur in accord with natural development. Anything, no matter how good or bad it may seem, can be turned into a driving force and a resource for learning and growing. 
• If a person does not have problems or challenges, it is highly unlikely s/he will attain realization.