It’s easy to feel uncertain about our journey or unsure about which direction to take. Sometimes, it can feel like we’re not even on a path that is leading anywhere at all. It’s already uncomfortable to feel this way, but that discomfort often deepens when we believe we’re alone in it.
The most freeing truth you can embrace when feeling lost is that no one actually has everything figured out.
Let me share a personal experience to illustrate this:
Recently, I spent time with friends where we candidly discussed the different aspects of our lives. What struck me is that while our situations and outward appearances may vary, we’re all struggling with similar feelings of being lost and waging internal battles. Personally, I’ve really come into my own in recent years, but I still haven’t quite figured out my ideal living environment. One friend, on the other hand, has the most beautiful apartment and a vibrant community she’s deeply connected to—a dream setup in my eyes. Yet, despite that, she struggles with feeling unfulfilled in the current standings of her career. Another friend holds a prestigious role at one of the world’s largest companies, the result of years of hard work, but the uncertainty of her next steps has her feeling overwhelmed and behind.
From my perspective, both friends are doing incredible things, and I admire them both. Yet, none of us—despite different reasons—have come close to figuring it all out.
So, why did I share this?
Because I don’t have it all figured out, my friends don’t have it all figured out, and chances are, neither do you. If none of us truly have it all together, maybe it’s time we release the pressure to be perfect and embrace the fact that feeling lost is a natural part of life. And in that realization, there’s a deep comfort—we’re all in this together.
I’m not saying you’ll magically figure everything out overnight, but here’s what you can start doing to feel more at ease:
- Stop comparing yourself to others. As we’ve established, everyone is navigating their own struggles. Even the most seemingly put-together people have parts of their lives that feel messy or behind. Comparing your challenges to someone else’s curated reality only leads to frustration and stops you from appreciating your unique journey.
- Give yourself permission to make changes. Want to figure out what’s right for you? Start experimenting. Yes, there’s some risk involved, but how can you ever answer life’s big questions without firsthand experience? In most cases, even if things don’t work out, you can pivot back and take with you a new perspective on what’s not for you.
- Let go of the need for certainty. If we all knew exactly where we were headed and how we’d get there, life would lose much of its magic. Embrace the uncertainty and trust that it will lead you to unexpected joys and growth.
Let’s stop trying to figure it all out and allow life to show us just how good it gets.
With love,
QG
