Feeling Lost: How I Found A Way Back
Feeling Lost: How I Found A Way Back
Written By: Shaundtrya Ganasan, Licensed Counselor (KB11097)
Feeling lost? Ever felt so lost in life? There is no sense of direction or purpose? It feels like “I have everything I need, I am done”. Nothing feels fulfilling or sparks inner joy. Uncertainties knock on your door.
“What do I want in life?”
“What am I actually feeling?”
“Why am I always demotivated and low in energy?”
“What to do next in life?”
“What do I feel about certain relationships?”.
Many of us feel lost at some point in our life; so do I. Here is a story of how I personally found a way back home to myself. There would be times when you feel too numb to even give life a chance. At times overwhelming emotions would hit you harder than ever. You may have long-term goals to work on but would be clueless about where and how to start your journey toward the goal.
Undeniably, I did feel the same in many life instances.
Reminder: If you or your loved one are struggling with feelings of being lost, please don't hesitate to reach out to us at Soul Mechanics KD or Soul Mechanics Ipoh.
Remember, seeking help is not a sign of weakness but strength!
What does feeling lost feel like?
For each of us, the feeling of loss manifests itself in different ways. Below are some experiences that you may go through if you are feeling lost:
Emotional Turmoil
Feeling lost involves a range of emotions like sadness, frustration, confusion, or emptiness. These emotions may intensify or fluctuate, making you feel unsettled and overwhelmed.
Physical Symptoms
Some of us subsequently may also experience physical manifestations of feeling lost like fatigue, change in sleep and appetite, or body aches. These physical symptoms can exacerbate your feelings of loss further; leading to more distress.
Loneliness
You may also feel lost, although you have been surrounded by others. You may feel misunderstood or not understood enough; leading to a sense of void and loneliness.
Uncertainties
Feeling lost also feels as if you are disconnected from yourself, reality, others, and the world around you. It is like you are moving aimlessly, with a sense of uncertainty and without a sense of belonging.
Spiritual Disconnection
For some of you, feeling lost also involves spiritual disconnection. A sense of disconnection from the higher power that you believe in, or in a journey of finding deeper meaning and life purposes.
Why do we feel lost?
I have often questioned myself ‘Why do I feel so lost?’ in my journey. Exploring deeper within me, I can tap into the answers. Hence, if you struggle to find your feelings of being lost answers, seek professional assistance to understand further your personal feelings of being lost experience.
Here are some common causes of feeling lost for many of us:
Disconnection from self
Feeling lost can be also rooted in a sense of self-disconnection or lack of self-awareness. When you lose touch with yourself, you may find it tough to understand your needs and values, leading you to feel lost.
Unresolved Emotional Issues
Unprocessed or suppressed emotions, traumas, or conflicts can also weigh you down, making it challenging for you to move forward with clarity and lightness. This heavy emotional baggage can disrupt your sense of direction; leading you to feel lost.
Lack of Direction or Purpose
When you have unclear goals or purpose in life, it can cause you to feel unsure of where you are heading in life or what you want to achieve; leading to a sense of feeling misdirected and lost.
Comparisons & Expectations
Being constantly compared to others or the pressure of meeting self-made or external expectations can lead you to feel inadequate. This may cause you to feel a sense of insecurity, leading to feelings of being lost.
Life Transitions & Changes
Major transitions in your life like graduating, moving out, relationship changes, or losing someone can lead you to feel like losing your sense of identity. These changes may lead you to feel confused and uncertain.
How to work on feeling lost?
Working on feeling lost is redefining your life, purpose and identity. However, rather than perceiving it as a task, let us view it as a journey of self-discovery. A journey that leads home, to your real, authentic self.
Thus, here are some ways you can start your journey of healing from feeling lost:
Self-Reflection & Exploration
Take some time off to reflect and explore your feelings, thoughts and experiences. Explore the triggers and possible roots of your feeling of being lost and engage in activities that help you rebuild your sense of self such as through creative expression, journaling, or meditation.
Journaling
You can also dedicate some time to journaling your feelings and thoughts which helps you to process your emotions, gain clarity, and understand the underlying ones. Journaling can be a powerful tool of self-discovery; redirecting you towards your sense of self and authenticity.
Start your self-reflection journey with Soul Mechanics Journal. May your healing journey begin with us. You can purchase our SM WHO Journal here.
Set Small, Achievable Goals
Sometimes larger goals make you feel lost and demotivated on how to achieve them. Break your larger goals into smaller, achievable ones; leading you towards a sense of accomplishment. Celebrate your small wins, and remember it is okay to start small which gives you a sense of direction towards your goals.
Therapy
Seeking assistance from a licensed therapist provides you with a safe and non-judgmental space to explore the roots of your feelings of being lost, gain clarity, and develop more personalized strategies and tools to help you regain your direction, purpose, and clarity.
How Does Therapy Help in Feelings of Being Lost?
Remember, the feeling of being lost is a messenger that wants you to tap within you to align the misalignment, leading you to find the real you. But sometimes it may be challenging to work on your feelings of being lost. During those times, therapy can be a beneficial guide.
Being a therapist myself, here are some ways how can therapy guide you towards a path of healing and rediscovering your purpose.
Exploration of the Underlying
Therapy provides you with a safe and non-judgmental space to explore the depths of your feelings of being lost. This helps you gain clarity on the underlying emotions or issues that you may have unconsciously carried which leads towards these lost feelings; leading towards healing.
Build Self-Compassion
Through the self-exploration and self-awareness you gain in therapy, you are able to understand yourself, your needs and your emotions better. This leads you to develop a more embracing and nurturing relationship with yourself; cultivating a sense of self-compassion along the process.
Identifying Strengths & Resources
With the guidance of a professional therapist, you are able to identify and acknowledge your abilities, strengths, and inner resources. This aids you to push through the phase of feeling lost, promoting you to be more focused on your strengths than shortcomings; building your resilience and self-empowerment.
Clarifying Goals & Values
Oftentimes, feeling lost could be also the root of the lack of insights into your values, purpose, or goals. Through therapy, you would work along with a professional therapist in clarifying what is truly important to you which gives you direction to set achievable goals aligned with your values.
Develop Personalized Strategies to Heal
Therapy also equips you with more personalized tools and strategies to re-align you from the feeling of being lost tailoring to your needs and roots of your issue. These strategies help in understanding yourself better and pave the way towards long-term healing from the feelings of being lost.
Conclusion
In short, despite everything, feeling lost can also be an answer to your inner search of finding the real you. Rather than sliding it aside, have a moment with it. Thus, listen to its concerns, the pathway that it leads may be the road towards finding the authentic you and experiencing a sense of inner fulfilment.
In this journey of self-discovery, therapy can be an invaluable assistance to navigate you through the feelings of being lost, gain a sense of direction and purpose, and foster a more meaningful life ahead.
“Feeling lost is a messenger to delve deep within you, searching for the real you”.
Shaundtrya Ganasan, Licensed Counselor (KB11097)
If you’re looking for a therapist in Kota Damansara or Ipoh area, you can click here for more information.
If you enjoyed reading this, why not broaden the horizon of knowledge by learning about "Depersonalization: Experiencing The Unreal"?
You can read the blog here.
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