It’s nice if you have a purpose and a plan in your life. But what if you lose your direction and get lost along the way? Do not panic! Trust yourself. Your inner compass shows you the way.
Missing a turn is not a disaster
If you’ve ever got lost – in a strange city, dense forest or driving on remote mountain roads – you probably recognize the slight panic. A feeling that slowly turns into fear and doubt.
At first you think: “I missed a turn somewhere – I’ll find my way back in no time” . Then you find yourself moving in circles and you start to doubt yourself. Finally, ask a random passerby for directions to get back on the familiar path as quickly as possible.
If this sounds familiar to you, then you also know that eventually you will always find your way back. How? By looking around you and trusting in yourself. That’s how you get there. Even if you have to take a detour first. That detour often takes you to unexpectedly beautiful places.
You can also get lost in your own life
This does not only apply to walks, bike rides – or car trips where your navigation suddenly no longer has range. You can also get lost in your own life. Because you doubt your own talents, for example. Or because you don’t know what you want to do with the rest of your life.
In short, you no longer see the forest for the trees. This makes it feel like you have lost your sense of direction and are walking in circles. About 5 years ago a reorganization at work made me overwhelmed and I also felt lost. Suddenly the path I had mapped out for myself was no longer correct.
The result? Discomfort and doubt. Not a nice feeling. I wanted to get rid of that as soon as possible. But how? In any case, don’t just keep going. If you’re lost, the best thing you can do is stop and look around.
Look for signposts
When you feel lost, you often start to worry. Or you tend to escape from that chaos by endlessly scrolling on your phone. Makes sense, but it doesn’t help. Try to stay in the here and now. Get out of your head . Take a few deep breaths and trust your inner compass.
Look for the signposts in your life. How do you recognize it? Simple, it’s the things that make you happy and that give you energy. Think of:
- Little moments of happiness such as the sun shining, your dog snoring contentedly or freshly baked apple pie.
- The things you like to do in your spare time. Sports, reading, watching movies, taking a walk on the beach, cooking, being creative, making or listening to music, doing puzzles, gaming, photography or maybe something completely different.
- The people you love: your partner, children, family, close friends, dear neighbors. Think about what they mean to you and let them know that too.
- Your own dreams, big or small. In your dreams you are the hero and anything is possible. Are you the conductor of a large orchestra? Do you sail around the world on your own ship? Can you help stray animals on a sunny island? Or do you have your own bookshop?
- The things you care about. For example: freedom, love, health, success, family, friendship, personal development, justice, social connection, comfort, adventure or sustainability.
- All these things show you the way. They give pleasure and remind you who you are and what is important to you.
Getting lost can be fun!
Also think about the fine sides of getting lost and wandering aimlessly . The curiosity about a new environment, the promise of the unknown and the surprise of an unexpectedly beautiful view. Getting lost takes you to places you would never have gone otherwise.
Now see if you can replace the feeling of fear and despair with hope and curiosity . The situation is still the same, but your feeling about the situation changes. That makes a world of difference. With a positive mindset you see more opportunities and possibilities.
That scary alley in that unknown city? That suddenly turns out to be a very photogenic view. And that dark forest? A perfect place to discover special bird species, deer and other animals.
Take your first steps on an unknown path
Of course, this does not immediately answer all your questions and solve all your problems – but it does create more space in your head. Space you can use to continue your way. Trust the signposts in your life. You don’t have to map out a whole plan right away, one direction is enough.
Are you a true outdoorsman and dream of a meaningful life in a warm country? Then just start with a few small actions. Take the first steps without seeing the rest of the path.
- Do more outdoor activities and discover what suits you. Starting a vegetable garden, walking dogs, guiding historical city walks, setting up scavenger hunts, organizing camping trips. The possibilities are endless.
- Find out in which countries you would like to live and try living there for a while.
- Take a language course.
- Find like-minded people. Join an online forum. Listen to experience stories and ask for tips.
This is of course just an example, but anyone can take steps. Trust your own strength and wisdom to make the right decisions. Moreover, you now know much better what you need and you can therefore also ask for help. This can be a coach or course, but also financial advice, practical help at home or, for example, a sports buddy.
And maybe you’ll discover that the destination you always had in mind doesn’t suit you at all. Then you can safely change it, because if it rains in Barbados then you can continue to Sint Maarten, right?
Find direction in your life
Go look for it and discover more about yourself !!!
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