Are you at a crossroad of your career or in life and feel lost and confused? Not to fear for you aren’t alone. Below are 3 tips to help you get a clearer perspective.
It’s ok not to have it all figured out
First off, give yourself a break and know that it’s perfectly normal not to have all your ducks in a row in whatever stage of life. Some might be driven early on and focus all their energy on achieving their goals, but sometimes life throws a curve ball. You might find what you thought you wanted wasn’t what you really want. So, you might be stumped for ideas on your next step. Or there are some of you that have always go with the flow and feel that it’s time you stop being ambivalent in life and take some control.
In whatever stage you are at, don’t be too hard on yourself. There is no condemnation in taking the time to reflect and figure out what you want to do with your time. There’s no such thing as ‘too late,’ so take heart and rejoice you have the freedom and the insight to take the time to figure out what your heart and your head want. Both the heart and head is mentioned because even though you want to follow your heart, your decision should also be logical and do not harm your loved ones.
It doesn’t have to be the perfect decision
Many a time, we put a lot of pressure on ourselves to make the ‘perfect’ decision. That kind of thinking will only make it harder to decide on an action. Instead of telling yourself it has to be the right decision or the perfect solution, think about the best decision for now. We are only humans, and we can’t tell the future so it’s fine not to know what could happen next.
It’s ok not to have your whole career planned out on the first month at your job or decide if you want to marry the guy on your third date. It’s good enough that you make up your mind to explore an option. Life is about exploring and discovering so sometimes even a wrong decision will eventually lead you to the right one.
Enjoy the journey
When you are constantly worried about figuring everything out, you are depriving yourself the joy of being in the present. Do not get too caught up in figuring things out or planning your whole life on a schedule. Life doesn’t work that way. Be present and enjoy your current situation no matter what it is. It can be bleak because you were laid off but take a different perspective and enjoy the free time as you look for a better opportunity. A sunny disposition as you enjoy the journey at whatever stage you are in will always ensure you the right destination.
Do not worry so much that you miss windows of opportunity. Jennifer Twardowski, writer of Huffington Post, suggests letting go of the need to “push” yourself to figure it all out and allow yourself to enjoy life right here right now. Allow yourself to simply be and enjoy the little things in life — a warm cup of coffee with a good book, a stroll in the park, the sound of birds chirping early in the morning, or a dinner with a great friend.
When we allow ourselves to enjoy where we are, we give ourselves the chance to fall into the natural flow of life. Which, in turn, will enable us to see better and know what decision we should make next.
