Coming Back When You Have Lost Your Way
Life coach and author John Kim LMFT believes that in life you sometimes have to lose your way in order to find yourself. It is inevitable in everyone’s life that they will experience disappointments and setbacks which cause us to lose direction. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/intl/blog/the-angry-therapist/201801/you-are-meant-lose-yourself).
The effects of these setbacks can be short term or have longer lasting repercussions. They can become cumulative and send people’s lives down harsh and sometimes dangerous paths. When people lose their direction in life it can greatly impact their happiness and impact their future. It may be hard to come back when you feel lost in life but it is not impossible.
1. Reconnect With What You Love
It is easy to get lost in life especially when we face the loss of things, we hold important or dear to us. A long-term relationship may end, our career may have stagnated or for some other reason our lives just aren’t progressing.
In order to start getting back on track when we feel lost in life, we must reconnect with the fundamental things that bring us joy. Taking a step back to reflect and remember the things that used to make us happy will give us ideas on how to find our happiness again.
This may be a hobby that you enjoyed or a career path you abandoned. Whatever it is that used to make you happy, try and find a way to bring it back into your life.
2. Go on an Adventure
Sitting and stewing in your disappointment and sadness will never let you find your way back. Some time away from the troubles that have derailed you is a perfect way to hit that reset button.
Take time for yourself to go on a short trip to do something exciting and fun. This will give you a chance to escape the woes and reflect upon yourself. It may even inspire you to find solutions to the problems that have caused you to lose your way.
3. Take Your Time but Work Each Day.
Trying to force yourself to get over things and get back on track quickly will only serve to create more problems. Imagine you are lost in the woods but instead of stopping and assessing the situation you stumble off in a random direction convinced you will find your way eventually. This is not likely to work and you may end up more lost than you were already.
In order to come back from being lost you need to assess the situation carefully and make an intelligent plan for moving on. Send out metaphorical flares to your support network for help, take stock of what you have to help you and then slowly, with help, make your way forward. You do not need to rush your recovery but you do need to make regular steps forward.
4. Don’t Be a Victim
Clinical psychologist Melanie Greenberg Ph.D. suggests there are a number of ways to recover from disappointment. With failure and feelings of disappointment playing a large role in the derailment of some people’s lives it is important to have coping mechanisms to come back from these feelings. (https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/the-mindful-self-express/201506/8-ways-bounce-back-after-disappointment).
Greenburg believes that avoiding feeling like a victim is important to bouncing back from disappointment. Know that you have the skills to deal with things and do not blame others for your woes. Own your life and find ways to fix it.
5. Find Your Determination
You have to want to come back and find your way again in life. If you want to be happy again then it will take work, so dig deep and be willing to put in the effort.
Somatic coach (therapist) in Canton, GA, and Worldwide Life Coach dedicated to inspiring and assisting people worldwide through candid conversations about anxiety. Having personally battled general anxiety, panic disorder, and OCD, I understand the daily challenges those grappling with anxiety face. My journey involved searching for the right therapist, medication, and natural supplements and undergoing various tests. It was only after deciding to reclaim my life that I finally overcame anxiety’s hold. I’m passionate about helping others conquer their struggles and discover their life purpose.