It is very common to feel stuck in life and not know what to do next. Normally when people say they don’t know what to do with their lives the advice tends to be to meditate, exercise, or eat well. While these are all good advice to help someone focus on themselves and find their purpose, what about long term solutions? What about people who have no idea what to do with their life for a long time, what are the next steps?
Sometimes, life feels like a giant jigsaw puzzle. Unsure of what the best strategy is when it comes to building the puzzle. Do you start with the edge pieces first? Do you start with an area you feel comfortable starting with? Do you try to assemble random pieces, hoping they are the best fit? Who knows the best strategy for building a jigsaw puzzle –unless you are a professional jigsaw puzzle solver, also known as a dissectologist (I think the former sounds more professional?). Regardless of your ability to solve jigsaw puzzles, the only difference is that life feels like a giant puzzle you don’t know the image of. Am I building a mermaid puzzle? Maybe it’s a puzzle of puppies because everyone loves puppy puzzles. This puzzle had better not be a 1000-piece pure blank white puzzle.
Regardless of the finished product, nothing is more frustrating than being stuck during the building process. A sore neck from constantly looking down for hours, the movie you played in the background as you were building the puzzle is finished, and now you are stuck with an unsolved puzzle taking up your dinner table.
At this point, you debate if you give up and put all the pieces back into the box and throw it into a cabinet you will never open again. But if you are anywhere near as stubborn as me, you might just try to convince yourself that you can finish this puzzle. You question whether this puzzle can be completed as you try every possible combination. Then, you try to force some pieces to fit, convincing yourself that all puzzles require some kind of force to fit the pieces together.
As the puzzle is coming to a completion, you get frustrated and wonder if you even have all the pieces to solve the puzzle. Then you think you solved the puzzle only to realize you are missing a piece. Sometimes, you feel hopeless, like all that work was for nothing. Did I kick it under the couch? Did I accidentally throw it away, and I ruined my puzzle forever, and it will never feel complete? Honestly, who knows what happened to that puzzle piece?
Regardless of my frustration with jigsaw puzzles, sometimes in life, we feel lost and unsure of our path and the end goal. We are expected not to know what to do in life because most of us just live life one day at a time. The majority of us are still looking for that missing puzzle piece that will make us feel like we have found the secret to life, so we can better understand our bigger picture. What is the missing piece that will help us find out what we should do with our life?
Take some time to reflect on your life. This could include your current situation, values, and experiences. When looking back, what emotions do you feel? Are you happy with where you are in life right now? What do you love doing? What makes you happy? These questions allow us to think profoundly and evaluate our thoughts, desires, and motivations. It is never too late to discover who you are; take time to get to know yourself better. If you are unhappy with where you are in life, think about ways to change that. Are you in the wrong university program? Should you switch programs? Should you change careers? Always remember that it is better late than never; changing careers, no matter how late in life, will always be better than staying miserable for the rest of your life.
You aren’t alone in your journey through life, don’t be afraid to say that you don’t know what to do with your life. Don’t be afraid to ask for help whether you need to contact family, friends, or professional assistance. There is no shame in needing a therapist to navigate through personal issues or seek help from a career counselor if you feel lost in your professional life. Understanding your limitations and reaching out to other sources takes strength and courage. New perspectives can open your mind about your situation, and you may find new opportunities or solutions to your issues.
If you are unhappy with your life, try exploring new hobbies. Do things you enjoy doing even if you suck at it. We all start somewhere, and starting is the hardest part. The only way to know if you should pursue something is if you give it a chance. If you want to change careers or return to school, then do so; explore those opportunities in hopes of finding yourself. It is never too late to switch programs. Time is never a waste if you learn from your mistakes and experiences. If the only setback to exploring your interests is that “it will take too much time, " do it. That time will pass anyway; you might as well do things you enjoy.
What do you want to do with your life? It is important to set short and long-term goals for yourself. Small steps make a big difference; short-term goals are helpful to get yourself on the right track and to motivate yourself to work hard. It is essential to celebrate small achievements as it might not look like you are progressing in your journey; however, when you reflect and look back at your achievements, you will realize that they are not valid. Small goals can be things you want to achieve within the next month or even the following year. It is essential to push yourself and dream big, but it is equally important to create goals that you know you will be able to achieve. Nothing is more unmotivating than unrealistic goals; understand your limits and set yourself up for success.
For bigger goals, think about the long-term future. Where do you want to be in 5 years? These goals can help you think about the bigger picture and set up the proper small goals to help you reach your main one. Remember that your goals can change, especially if they aren’t working for you or making you happy. Regardless, plan your future so you know what you are working towards.
Be loving, be kind, be patient. Remember, this is your first time navigating through life, too. It takes time to find that missing puzzle piece; it takes time to finish that puzzle. Life is not a race; some people never get to finish their puzzle, so just enjoy the process while you can. Practice mindfulness to alleviate the stress and to gain better clarity. Prioritize your needs occasionally and do what is best for yourself. Allow yourself the time and space to explore your path, even if you get lost. Feeling lost is normal; don’t let the darkness overwhelm you because the sun will rise again tomorrow.
While understanding certain limits, such as financial or physical limitations, push yourself. Think about the steps you must actively take to move forward and work towards that. Walk forward because even if you go the wrong way, you go somewhere. Just because you don’t know what the missing piece looks like, doesn’t mean you don’t try to find it regardless. With your goals in mind, figure out how you can be successful and achieve those goals. Hard work requires time, commitment, and effort. If you want to do something, then do it. If the only thing holding you back is your fears, then do it scared.
If you have made it this far, you must be very interested in jigsaw puzzles or really lost in life. Regardless of whether or not you find that missing piece, just think about the big picture and remember all the steps you took to be where you are right now. Understand that it is perfectly normal to not know what you want to do with your life.
Just remember, growth isn’t linear –one day, you will feel like you are making progress, and then the next, you will wonder what went wrong. Life is challenging, and you should be proud of everything you’ve achieved, as your experiences have shaped you into who you are. Be proud of the silent battles you face daily, and be brave enough to challenge yourself to discover more about yourself. Reflect on your passions and set goals to make yourself happy. Life is a rollercoaster, so just enjoy the ride and have fun. Allow yourself to make mistakes; just remember to learn from them and be better as a result. Who knows, maybe one day you will discover that you have the missing puzzle piece in your pocket.
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