When the path ahead of us feels unknown, we begin realizing that we can’t keep avoiding the hard questions we’ve been too afraid to face.
We analyze our choices, both past and present, wondering if they inevitably led us here or if it was always supposed to be this way. Our narrow view of what we thought the future should look like starts to cloud our reality, and somehow the two intermix without a clear answer as to where we should turn to next.
Purpose was always a word I struggled with because it felt hard to define something that I couldn’t tangibly see or feel. I felt caught in the in-between, wondering how I could connect the dots between where I was to where I wanted to be. How do we continue pushing forward when we feel lost in the middle? And where do we turn next when it feels like our path isn’t clearly laid out in front of us?
Even if you aren’t where you thought you’d be in your life by now, it doesn’t mean that you aren’t exactly where you’re supposed to be. If you’re feeling stuck in the in-between, here are a few reminders to guide you, along with 15 journal prompts to help you find your purpose:
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Reminders When You Feel Lost In Your Path
You Can’t Rush The Timing Of Your Life
No amount of waiting, wishing, or hoping can rush the timing of your life. It’s often in the middle of waiting seasons when we feel like time stops, but it’s also in those same seasons when we learn more about ourselves than we ever thought possible.
The problem with timelines is the expectation of where we think we “should” be. We start comparing our journey to others and feel behind if we aren’t where somebody else is. I wasted too much time in my 20s wondering when my life would fall into place, rather than trusting where I was at in the in-between.
It’s easy for us to focus on beginnings and ends, but the middle is just as important. We can’t spend our lives rushing through one stage to get to the next one, or we’ll lose sight of where we are now, even when it doesn’t match the version of the life we thought we’d be living.
What’s truly meant for you will never miss you. You can’t rush the timing of your life, even if things aren’t unfolding in the way you want them to. Trusting your path means accepting you might not always have all the answers, but it doesn’t mean you won’t find them one day, usually when you least expect it.
It’s Okay To Have Moments When You Question Everything
There are a few defining moments throughout my life that I’ll never forget how I felt. One of those times included when I was sprawled out on my bedroom floor junior year of college crying to my mom on the phone.
Even though I was only two semesters away from getting my bachelor’s degree in journalism, I started to wonder if I was even on the right path. I felt completely lost in my direction and started questioning everything.
Rather than focusing on the path ahead of me, I suddenly started to feel behind and worried about what I would even do after graduating. I was more concerned about where I was headed instead of shifting my mindset to where I was. I knew following a path of writing wouldn’t be a “typical” path, that I would have multiple roadblocks and redirections along the way. But it still didn’t help at that moment when I felt the furthest away from where I wanted to be.
We can’t skip to the end of a book without reading all the chapters in between. There’s so much we have to learn in the middle before we get where we’re going, and part of that is accepting that we won’t always have the answers right away.
It doesn’t mean we won’t face challenges, but we also have to trust that our path is continually directing us to where we need to be. Remember that it’s okay to have moments when you question everything, but let it be a moment and only that.
You Can Still Keep Moving Forward Even When You Feel Lost
Two things can exist at once. You can feel uncertain about where you’re headed, and still move forward with hope.
One of the hardest parts about feeling lost in your direction is feeling unsure about what’s next. Since I’m about to turn 34 in a couple of weeks, I’ve been thinking about whether the life I’m currently living fits what I once envisioned or hoped for. In a lot of ways, it’s infinitely better than what I once prayed for. Yet, in other ways, I still find myself questioning “when” certain things will fall into place.
I started building Truth Within Silence in 2021. It took two years of trying to figure out the ins and outs of how to build a website (along with a lot of tears and frustration) until I was ready to hit the launch button. While I worked various jobs throughout that time frame, a part of me wondered if I would ever finish my website because the reality of running my own publication felt so far away.
After getting laid off from my job in 2023, I poured all of my energy into finishing my website along with applying for other positions. Even though my path felt extremely unclear, I realized that it was okay to feel uncertain about my future yet still look forward with hope. Once I launched it, I realized there were so many other things I had to learn, such as how to use social media and market myself and my site.
Even when we reach the end of what we’ve been working toward, there will always be the next thing that we’re waiting for. Our purpose isn’t only found when we finally receive what we want, it’s found where we are. There’s purpose and a reason for everything. Even when you feel lost, you can still keep moving forward and find hope in knowing that eventually you’ll reach what’s meant for you at the right timing and not a second too late.
Related posts you might like:
- Benefits Of Journaling For Your Mental Health
- 5 Ways To Find Yourself Again
- The Hard Truth About Healing And Growth
How Journal Prompts Can Help You Find Your Purpose
Journaling helps us find a sense of clarity by encouraging us to pause and be present with our emotions.
Writing how we feel lets our thoughts speak out loud. Whenever I look back on past journal entries, I realize there was a lot I wouldn’t have connected until I was able to get those thoughts out of my head and onto paper.
Journal prompts for finding your purpose can help you uncover deep insights about why you feel the way you do. They help you notice common thought patterns you want to change, revealing what truly matters to you. Prompts can also help show you what’s been holding you back and give you clarity on how to move forward with intention.
I love having a dedicated journal to answer prompts in, along with using smooth pens and highlighters for when there’s something I want to come back to later. I usually journal at the end of the day because it’s when my head feels most clear, but journaling in the morning can also be an effective way to start your day out. There isn’t a right or wrong time, just start writing when you’re feeling inspired. When you’re ready, grab your favorite pen and notebook, and use the following prompts to help you reflect.
15 Journal Prompts To Help You Find Your Purpose:
1. What makes you feel the most fulfilled and why?
2. If you could wake up tomorrow with your dream life, what would it look like?
3. How would you define the word ‘purpose’?
4. Four things that currently bring you peace.
5. An area of your life that you want to work on changing.
6. What’s a lesson that you’re learning in this season of your life?
7. What are some patterns you keep repeating that you know you need to let go of?
8. List any expectations you want to get rid of.
9. What do you feel the most unsettled about? How can you lessen those fears?
10. What are some ways that you can connect with yourself more? (Ex.: writing, self-care, reading)
11. A hope that you’re holding onto even in uncertainty.
12. Three small habits that you can incorporate in your daily routine to bring you closer to where you want to be.
13. List anything that is currently draining your energy or keeping you distracted from your path.
14. Think about a time in the past when you felt lost and your situation ended up turning out. What do you wish you could’ve told yourself at the time?
15. What mindsets are currently holding you back? How can you reframe any negative beliefs or thoughts you might be holding onto?
