What to do when you are feeling lost…
Tools for when you feel unsure, confused, and overwhelmed:
Pause and take a deep breath
Uncertainty and discomfort trigger a fight or flight nervous system response. The breath acts as a key to accessing coping skills and regulation. Take a moment to remind your body that you are safe.
Brain dump
Create some space in your mind by writing, drawing, or speaking aloud your thoughts, worries, and feelings. This shouldn’t be pretty or well-written. Just get everything out without worrying about punctuation, spelling, grammar, or correctness. Now put this away and do not look at it.
Bring your attention to your narrative
As much as they may feel like it, thoughts are factual reflections of reality. Take control of the narrative by changing your thoughts. For example, just because you may think are a failure, does not mean you are a failure. Instead of telling yourself that your current experience is a problem to be fixed, remind yourself it is okay to feel lost, you are learning and growing, and there is no feeling that is permanent.
Acknowledge, Validate, Permit (AVP)
It is normal to feel lost, especially during periods of transition or change (positive or not). Acknowledge whatever feelings are coming up. Validate their presence by accepting and respecting them. Feelings are simply messages to guide your future action. Give yourself permission to feel whatever comes up and know that you are not the only person who has felt this way. You are not alone.
Engage in self-care and repeat
Do something that both helps current you feel better and takes care of future you too. Dance, call a friend, color, go for a run, take a hot shower. Whatever works for you.
When you find yourself consistently feeling lost, unstable, or unsure of how to move forward in your life, working with a coach can help you find clarity and balance. Seeking support is both brave and a smart investment in your future self.
