The feeling of not knowing “what to do with my life” is daunting and overwhelming. This is the type of question that never gets old and can arise sometimes every day or every decade. But when it comes up, it can feel like the most insurmountable question on the planet.
Whether it’s about your career, your mission, your higher purpose… Whether you are just launching your business or at the top of your field.
There are so many contradictory suggestions out there. Follow your passion…Don’t follow your passion…Trust the process…
We all want to have a clear idea of what to do next. Well… I don’t want to burst your bubble and say there is no one right answer. The answer is different for everyone. Just like some people do really well on the Keto diet, some do better on Weight Watchers. Everyone is different.
What everyone who is asking that question does have in common; you are frustrated and confused. I’ve been there.
Take it from a person who has asked this question many times. I now consider myself the queen of re-invention. It’s been partly out of necessity and partly out of the thirst for new experiences and challenges.
I’m the type of person that is always questioning things…wanting to find a deeper meaning. I’m not one to just accept things the way they are presented. I need to change everything, make it my own. My clothes, my home, I modify almost everything and put my personal spin on it.
If you are like me, here are some steps you can take until the day you open that fortune cookie with the perfect answer.
Explore and then fine-tune
Sometimes we just need a place to start. If you have a tendency to ask the bigger question “What should I do with my life”, you may also be waiting for the perfect fit before you begin to make changes.
Waiting and hoping is one strategy. Another is to begin to explore. That might look like doing informational interviews. While I was in the process of growing my business and career, one strategy that proved pivotal was contacting people who were in the field that I was interested in. I found people generally very helpful and willing to talk about their experiences, especially in the business realm.
Information interviews can be done for both business and personal passion projects.
You can start out by asking for a short conversation with a few core questions you had in mind.
Tap into what makes you feel alive
Life is precious. You get to choose what to do with your life. You also
choose how you define your values which is the first step to choosing what to
do.
Our values are what’s most important to you in your life. Some of my core
values are love, connection, freedom, movement and getting to the heart of the
matter. Whether you have one core value or multiple, anything and everything
you need to do to answer that burning question of what to do with your life, is
based on your values.
It’s hard to get what you want out of life if you don’t know what it is you want.
Tapping into what makes you feel alive will help you create a vision of where you want your life and business to go.
Understanding your negative self-talk and what beliefs you hold
Beliefs have a profound effect on your behavior and decision making. Your beliefs are the control center of your life. It’s critical to understand your beliefs before you begin to start thinking about what you want.
Your thoughts affect your decisions, your decisions affect your behavior and your behavior directly controls the outcome of your life.
Are you living with F.E.A.R (False Evidence Appearing Real)? This is a big
one.
Fear is your biggest saboteur, it’s also your biggest teacher.
Choosing empowering beliefs that put you in control, not your fear, will give you the best chance at success and answering that BIG question of what to do with your life.
Make space for the answer to show up
“In stillness, I find my true self”. This is a quote from Deepak Chopra on one of my favorite audio recordings of his. There is truth here. You just need some quiet time to quiet your mind and body. Sometimes a long walk with fresh air will give great insight as well. Whatever form you choose to take some quiet time, turn off all electronics and make sure family, friends and children know your busy and sit in stillness. Nothing to do, or accomplish or figure out. The answers may come quicker than you imagined.
The best way to predict your future is to create it.
Most people lack a support system to help navigate the overwhelming maze of being an entrepreneur, business owning a business owner struggling to move forward and worried about your future.
It takes courage to ask this very big question. If you are reading this, you have found yourself in a transition or change. Maybe you are starting or upgrading your business, or taking the leap to self-employment or changing careers. These are transitional times.
As a Certified Life Coach, CPCC and Master Neuro-linguistic Programming Practitioner, MNLP, I can help you create the life you know you can have. Want to talk? Schedule your free coaching session.
This article was originally published at www.jadelifecoach.com. Reprinted with permission from the author.