We have all been there. Our lives looked like a treadmill, where we’re continuously repeating the same actions. It felt like no one at home and work gives us the respect we deserve. All the choices we made so far seemed wrong.
The good news is that this condition is not permanent. If you’re feeling lost right now, there are steps you can take to find yourself and rediscover your passions in life. The road will not be easy, but nothing good and permanent ever came out of taking the easy road.
Here are a few tips that will help you get through it as painlessly as possible.
Embrace your feelings
It’s impossible to fight something if you’re pretending it’s not there. This is a mistake many of us make. We try to keep up the routine and pretend like nothing is wrong, when in fact we are sinking deeper by the day.
There is a better way of handling this. You should try to identify the feelings you’re experiencing, recognize them as valid, and accept that you need to make a change. Remember, this will be a really dark period and you will want to look away. But only by looking in will you be able to reveal what’s behind your current situation and find a catalyst for positive change.
Remember the things you used to enjoy
Sometimes, things are that simple.
You may already have the answer and that answer may lie in your memories of the things that used to bring you joy. Remember the last time you enjoyed something. The last time you were engaged in an activity you were passionate about. It might be something career-related, or it might be a conversation with a friend, listening to a certain musician, reading a book…
See what you need to reconnect with your life’s passions. Commit to the things that make you happy.
Don’t be afraid to ask for help
When you accept that you’re stuck in a loop and that nothing seems to work, you’ll be able to seek out a helping hand. It can come in the form of an honest conversation with a partner, friend, or family member.
If you believe you need more than that, you can schedule an appointment with a therapist. Counseling can help you deal with your emotional issues and equip you with the tools you need to find a solution.
Or, you might be curious about other methods, which have become popular through the modern practice of holistic wellness. For example, many people claim that energy therapy is efficient in transcending life challenges, especially if you’re in need of empowerment and self-awareness.
Make a review of your life so far
Your life is a motion picture – filled with plots, ups, downs, misfortunes, resolutions, and happy endings. Try to take note of all the important things, good and bad, that happened to you up until this point. Write down achievements and regrets. Think about how you achieved good things and what you have learned from the bad things.
Reconnect and reflect
Sometimes the best thing you can do is go back to where it all began. This can mean something different for everyone – it might be a precise moment, place, or person that made you who you are today. This person might be your mother, a friend, or even a complete stranger. The place can be your elementary school or hometown. The moment can be anything determining that happened to you (an accident, a reward, a decision you’ve made that has affected future decisions, etc.). Whatever it is, it should make you feel the truest form of yourself.
As you try to reconnect with that piece of you, reflect on who you are today and what that means to the person you once were. Revert to your six-year-old self and see what would that little kid think about what you’ve become.
Make room for changes
You’re probably as burdened with responsibilities as the rest of us. But you need to make time and room to improve your life. This can mean unplugging digital distractions, eliminating the negative influences from your life, and finally, mustering up the courage to be the person you’re meant to be.
If you look inside you and find out what you want to do with your life, take the leap. A change could be just what you need right now. But don’t jump into the unknown without having proper support. Ask the people closest to you to have your back during this turmoil.
In the end, we all need to understand that there is no such thing as a road map that will guide you safely along the path of self-discovery. However, if you take a deep and honest look inside, you will find important bits and pieces of who you are. The process of putting them all together and finding your true self, as difficult as it is, will be rewarding.