Feeling Lost In Life
Sometimes, it happens. Feeling lost in life – like we’re lacking clarity on what we want or where we’re going.
Or who we even are.
Perhaps it happens due to taking on too much?
Jobs, business, chores, family, kids. Burnout’s certainly not in fashion – but it’s on the increase.
Naturally, we all want to do more, achieve more. We’re motivated by wanting to improve our lives, our children’s lives, our communities. We want to get things done, make a difference.
This is a need within us. To become the best version of ourselves, and by striving for this – sometimes – we miss the point entirely.
Clarity
Other times, there’s a mismatch between what we’re doing and what we want.
If you’re feeling this, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s just a bit of a mind-bender.
Moreover, it’s a case of getting to a place of clarity.
It’s like an alarm clock. The need to wake up with ideally a clear head. A signal to step back, and do some self-reflection.
This is where we learn what’s important. What we want.
We take stock, and start to understand our priorities.
We get a sense of what we need to do.
It’s like a compass. A guiding light. It leads us back to a place of clarity and calm.
Self Reflection
The first step in overcoming the feeling of being lost is to tune in, and admit that you feel the way you do, rather than distract yourself or ignore it.
Face reality for what it is. Believe me, feeling lost – it’s a gift!
The reason it’s a gift is that it gives you the motivation needed to find meaning and direction.
Self awareness is a powerful tool! It’s all data – there’s nothing wrong in feeling lost. So remind yourself of this on the days when it feels particularly difficult.
Take a Big Break
From personal experience – stripping back on unnecessary commitments is required to overcome the feeling of being lost.
By doing so, you prioritise your ‘none negotiable’s, which are:
- Your family
- Your health
- Your career
So all the social media scrolling, all the ‘yes’s to commitments you don’t have to be doing, all the trainings and webinars etc, all the arguments years ago which keep coming up in family gatherings… Stop it all!
For context, when I felt lost a while back, I stopped everything. Apart from focusing on my family and home life.
And it allowed me to re-evaluate what I spend my time doing and with who.
Gradually, I didn’t feel lost anymore. I realised my priorities, what my role is, and who I want to spend my time with.
Focus on Today and Tomorrow Only
What do you need to get done tomorrow? Or today? Taking your mind off the pressure you may be putting yourself under to ‘figure all this out’ is key here. Bring your attention back to your responsibilities today.
Put your priority on making today and tomorrow good days.
A great way to get clear on your responsibilities is to journal. Writing down how you’re feeling and what’s going on for you is wonderful self directed therapy. If you’d like some guidance on how to journal, check out my e-book on the topic.
A nice hot bath afterwards goes down a treat too 🙂
Remind Yourself of Your Qualities
Part of getting clarity on yourself and your life is reminding yourself where you’ve come from and who you are.
What have you achieved to date?
What are your best assets?
What is one big win from today?
What did you do right today?
The brain tends to default to the negative (it’s our survival mechanism), so it’s important to reinforce the good bits of yourself whenever you can. This in time will help overcome the feeling of being lost.
Ask For Support And Support Others
When you feel lost in can be a confusing and anxious time. It’s important to get support. You know best who can support you, so don’t be shy to reach out to them.
It’s equally important to keep a positive mind and be supportive to others while you’re feeling this way.
You may find that you don’t feel so lost when you take the focus off you and put it onto someone else.
Even if you don’t have a close support network, you can still be supportive to others. You can be kind to your neighbour and order groceries for them, or volunteer at the local aid centre.
Small changes like this can make a big difference to how you feel.
Quotes about Feeling Lost In Life
“When you’re feeling lost, take heart. It’s just your brain gathering the information it needs to make good decisions.” (Josh Kaufman)
“Embrace feeling lost. It’s the beginning state of doing things YOUR way.” (unknown)
“Feeling lost, confused, sand and uncertain is a sign that you haven’t been listening to your heart and expressing yourself.” (Unknown)
“It’s all part of a grander plan, of shedding the layers of past hurts, and finally saying ‘now is my time!'” (Sophie Slosarczyk)
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