Introduction
One day we all come to the point of feeling lost in life.
Maybe you just turned 30 and realized you are nowhere close to achieving the life goals you set for yourself, or you had an awful day at work and started wondering what you were doing with your life on your way back home…
No matter what triggered this feeling of being lost in life, small actions can help you get inspired and motivated to change your life, overcome self-pity and get out of this rut.
The 17 activities from the list below will teach you exactly what to do if you feel lost in life.
Let’s dive in, shall we?
Understand that it’s OK to feel lost
You might have a hard time believing it, but feeling lost in life is a normal feeling that everyone experiences at one point in time.
Feeling lost is part of life, and despite being a very uncomfortable experience, hitting a breaking point can be the start of major positive shifts in your life.
Not all storms come to disrupt your life. Some come to clear your path.
Understanding this is key to considering negative emotions and experiences as an opportunity to make a fresh start and take a new direction in life.
Slow down for a couple of days
The main mistake I see people make when trying to change their lives is setting goals without taking the time for introspection.
If you feel lost in life, you know how hard it is to find motivation and be productive.
Getting things done can be hard some days because you know something is off, things sometimes don’t make sense anymore, and you start questioning everything.
When you are in a rut, slowing down for a couple of days is important.
It will not only help you recenter on yourself but will also help you focus on your mental well-being.
And protecting/improving your mental health should be your number 1 priority when feeling lost in life.
Spend some time alone
Some people keep themselves busy to silence their negative emotions and just hope they will go away.
This used to be my way of dealing with issues and trauma, and, as you can imagine, this is not a viable long-term solution to improve your life.
Keeping yourself busy with work and friends might help you cope with the situation at first, but it will absolutely not solve your problems.
This is why spending time alone with your thoughts is important to face your problems and find solutions.
Don’t be afraid of silence. If you are serious about turning your life around, you will need to learn to be comfortable with your thoughts, even the most uncomfortable ones.
Journal
Journaling is a great way to get your thoughts out of your head and get clear on your feelings and what triggers them.
Journaling is particularly recommended if you suffer from anxiety. This habit will help you overcome negative emotions and stop overthinking.
Adding journaling to your night routine can help you improve sleep quality which is key to being more productive and focused.
Don’t know where to start? Here are a few things you can journal about:
- Ups and downs of the day
- How do you feel about your downs?
- What could you have done better?
- Describe one thing you can do this week to improve your life
- … And why you did not do it so far
Start with these prompts and see where they take you. Keep on writing until things get really clear in your head.
Describe your ideal life
Describing your ideal life can be hard because it takes a lot of inner work to figure out what you truly want for yourself.
And this will require you to step aside from other people’s expectations.
Ask yourself whether the plans you have made for your life are a reflection of your desires or an attempt to make your parents, partner, or someone else happy/proud.
Describing your dream life will help you define a life direction and set life goals.
Manifesting your ideal life is a broad subject so you might need help you get started. If that’s the case, here is a post about how to design your dream life.
Set achievable goals
Setting achievable goals is a logical step to take after designing your dream life.
The easiest way to set goals is to think about the long-term goals you want to achieve in 3-5 years and then break them down into yearly, quarterly, and monthly goals.
Breaking down your big goals into bite-sized chunks will help you make them achievable and implement an action plan.
Writing an action plan for your goals is key to ensuring you work on them daily and achieve them.
Prioritize self-care
Self-care should be your priority when feeling lost in life.
Self-care can be defined as the practice of taking an active role in protecting one’s own well-being and happiness, in particular during periods of stress.
If you feel overwhelmed, chances are that you are also dealing with anxiety and stress.
Taking care of yourself in these tough times is key to making changes, overcoming challenges, and transforming your life.
Practicing self-care and putting yourself first is a way to protect yourself and recharge your energy levels.
Spend time in nature
Spending time in nature has many proven benefits. It can help you:
- Improve your mood
- Lower your stress
- Improve physical and mental health
- Overcome anxiety
- Improve self-esteem
According to research, people who spend at least 2 hours per week in nature are consistently healthier both physically and mentally.
Spending time outside is just another way to slow down and recenter on yourself and your thoughts.
Spend less time on your phone and Netflix
We probably all spend too much time on our phones.
The average American spends 5-6 hours per day on his phone, which equals 35-42 hours a week.
Can you imagine everything you could do if you spent less time on your phone and social media?!
35 hours a week is enough for a side hustle, learning a new language, and getting fit. 35 hours a week is enough to totally transform your life in a few months.
But there’s another important reason why you should spend less time on your phone when feeling low.
Research shows that heavy social media consumption increases self-isolation, depression, and anxiety.
And this is why, if you feel lost in life, spending less time on your phone and social media should be one of your priorities.
Read more to find yourself
We already talked about the need to focus on yourself and your thoughts when feeling lost in life.
Another great way to do so is to read more.
Self-help books can change your life if you apply the theories you read about.
Reading personal growth books will not only help you reduce stress, but it will also help you be more focused, improve decision-making and increase self-awareness.
You can truly find yourself through self-development books.
This is actually how my life transformation journey started. The Mountain Is You by Brianna Wiest helped me overcome my negative thoughts and stop self-sabotage.
Reading can help you understand your current situation and define the actions to take to change your life.
Don’t know what to read? Here are the 10 books that changed my life.
Declutter
Decluttering your home can help you make a fresh start in life…
Because physical clutter = mental chaos
Our habits and actions are direct responses to cues from our environment. To change your daily habits, you need to change your environment.
And there is no better way to do it than by decluttering your home and deep cleaning it.
It will help you start fresh and will give you a great sense of relief.
Get your finances in check
No matter your goals in life, having healthy finances will help you achieve them.
You shouldn’t think about money as a means to get more stuff but as a way to achieve freedom.
Having enough money in the bank will allow you to quit a job you hate, take a well-deserved vacation and retire early.
If you want to live life to the fullest and want to be able to enjoy the present moment and make the most out of it, you need to be in control of your finances.
And it all starts with a good budget and a debt payoff plan.
Want to do your future self a favor? Then start working on your finances today!
Plan your time
Being more in control of your time will help you find balance in life which is important to get out of a rut.
Planning your time with time blocking is a simple but effective way to ensure you make time for all the things you love and spend more time with family and friends.
There is no such thing as work-life balance.
Work is part of life, but there is more to life than work.
If you struggle to get motivated and are overwhelmed with negative emotions, you might be lacking balance.
No matter your career and responsibilities at work, you need to find ways to disconnect from work and have hobbies to help you unwind.
Your entire life does not revolve around work. Planning your time will help you ensure you make time for your personal goals as well.
Meditate
When feeling low and stressed out, meditating is a must.
Meditation will help you realize you have more control over your life than you think.
And it will also help you understand that sometimes, all you need to do to overcome negative feelings and calm down is to stop and breathe.
Meditating will help you get a new perspective when you feel lost in life.
It will also remind you that anger and fear are temporary so should not let these negative feelings guide you when making decisions.
Meditating with Headspace helped me take control of my life and overcome anxiety. If you have never given meditation a try, I definitely recommend you this free app to get started!
Find inspiring podcasts
Just as reading books, listening to podcasts is a great way to find inspiration.
Listening to a podcast can be just as effective as reading a book when it comes to improving your emotional well-being.
What I love the most about podcasts is that you can listen to them while being busy with other activities.
You can listen to podcasts while doing housework, taking a warm bath, or working out.
Don’t know any inspiring podcasts?
Here are a few of my favorites:
- Ten percent happier with Dan Harris
- Happier with Gretchen Rubin
- The Lavendaire Lifestyle by Lavendaire
- Design your dream life with Natalie Bacon
- The Tony Robbins Podcast by Tony Robbins
Listening to inspiring podcasts regularly will make you realize you can create a new you and change your life in a few months.
Start something just for yourself
This is another way to spend time alone and give more meaning to your life.
Are you doing something just for yourself, to learn new skills, or step out of your comfort zone?
Pursuing things that bring happiness to your life and give you a sense of accomplishment is important to living life to the fullest.
Lack of hobbies and social interactions is the main reason most people feel lost in life.
Work, unless you are on a life mission, is simply not enough to give meaning to your life. Finding activities you enjoy and helping you grow is important to give your life a new direction.
Ask for help if needed
If you feel lost and don’t seem able to turn things around, do not hesitate to reach out to a loved one or a therapist for some guidance.
We all have our ups and downs, and again, this is part of life.
But sometimes, life is hard, and no matter how hard you try, sorting things out by yourself might seem impossible.
If you find yourself in this situation, do not hesitate to reach out to a professional.
Final thoughts
When you are feeling lost in life, the first step to turning your life around is to accept that this situation is normal and a lot of people have already experienced it before you.
Understanding that feeling stuck in life is actually an opportunity for change will help you turn this unpleasant situation into a positive experience.
If you have ever felt lost in life, you already know that this situation is temporary. However, taking action is key to turning things around.
If you feel lost in life, your main goal should be to find a purpose and try activities that help you grow as a person.
Doing so will give you plenty of things to look forward to, which will help you stay productive and focused on your new life goals.
