Life is hard. Am I the only one that wish it came with a guidebook or a leveling system so you could know what you’re supposed to be doing?
In my 20s I had no idea what I was doing or what I was meant to do. I was on autopilot and and just existing. Purpose wasn’t ever something I put a lot of thought in.
But it’s important to understand your path and where it’s taking you.
We all feel lost sometimes. We feel weird. And we feel like so many people are ahead of us.
So let’s talk about those crossroads that we often come to that define our path.
Your Career
The first thing that we’re going to look at is your career or your passion. The first thing to acknowledge is that people are different! Some people get a sense of accomplishment and joy from advancing their careers and other people don’t care what job they have as long as it allows them to follow their passions.
If you have a career: What is it that you do? Do you love the job that you’re in at the moment? If not, is there a chance to progress to where you want to be? These are all questions that you should be asking yourself. If you’re currently in a job that you don’t like, then keep an eye out for something in your field that might be a better fit.
If you have a passion: I have a “regular job” and I also have Blessing Manifesting, which is my passion. Are you making enough time for your passion? Does your passion feel like one of the reasons you were meant to be here? How can you spend more time on your passion?
Your job is important. Your passions are important! No matter which path you take (or maybe you can combine the two!) know that you’re making a difference. Even the most “menial” jobs are important. On the side, I stock in a grocery store and while it isn’t glamorous, it’s still important. We all have our vital roles to play and it’s so important to embrace that.
Your Finances
You may be someone who loves security and wants a nice cushion of savings or someone that only needs enough to get by. There’s no right way. But finances are usually a big aspect of our lives. If you’re not making as much money as you would like, or even barely enough to cover your living expenses, then it can be a hard thing to process.
Set goals for what you’re saving your money for. I’m an anxious saver – meaning I save money, not for a specific purpose, but because my anxiety says I might need it one day for something bad. I’ve been working through that by setting goals for my savings. What are you saving your money for?
If you’re struggling to climb out of debt visit https://www.dtss.us/ or something like it, where you might find tools and advice to sort out your finances.
Part of self-care is taking care of all aspects of your life and that includes your finances!
Your Mental Health
We all have mental health, even if we don’t have a mental illness. Stress affects your mental health. Poor boundaries affect your mental health. Stress leads to so many problems, not only emotionally but physically.
So we can choose to ignore it, or we can make our mental health a priority. It’s so hard to break out of those cycles, especially if you’ve struggled with your mental health since you were young.
It doesn’t always have to be a struggle. You’re allowed to feel happy and content with all you have. You enjoy your job, you have good relationships, and you don’t feel like you should be somewhere else. You feel good where you are, but if you’re ignoring your mental health, it’s hard to see any of those things as good.
I highly recommend therapy no matter who you are! It’s not just for people who have a mental illness. It can help you form healthy relationships, manage stress, manage overwhelm, deal with toxic family members – it’s for everyone. A site like https://www.rethink.org/ will give you some more information about what to do if you’re worried about your mental health.
Your Relationships
One of the most important things that you are going to do in your life is forge relationships with people. Your relationships will be the cause of so many crossroads in your life.
Do you want to stay friends with this person?
Do you want to stay connected to this family member?
Are you ready to get married or move to the next step?
Is this person right for you?
If you think about the relationships in your life right now, what are they like? Do they feel, right? Is everyone putting in equal amounts of effort? Do you feel content with the way things are? If you do, then you’re in the right place, with the right people, doing the right thing.
If not, then it’s time to focus on your boundaries. Some people are toxic, and if you let them drag you down with them, you’re going to get lost somewhere.
My last relationship had me wandering so far from who I was on every single level. Find people that build you up and make you feel more “you and set boundaries with the people who don’t.
Your Core Values
And lastly, your path is mostly comprised of who you are as a person and what you stand for.
When you don’t know who you are, it’s hard to know what you stand for.
When you know what your values are, and you act in a way that honors them, you stop being at war with who you truly are on the inside and how you decide to act. What things are important to you? What things make you feel guilty or at odds with yourself?
Make a list of five values that you stand by.
What things are really important to you? What nourishes you and makes you feel good about yourself? How do you want to see yourself? How do you want others to see you? Where does your faith or spirituality factor in?
Your path is yours and it doesn’t matter if it looks like anyone else’s. Your path is yours and it’s important.
This is so helpful, thank you!