A Letter to Those Who are Wondering How to Move Forward.

It is and will always be a journey you didn't expect.

If you're finding yourself at a crossroads, or if you feel you've hit a wall and are not sure of where you're headed anymore, or are wondering how to move forward when life is not going according to how you thought it would, this is for you, as I'm in the same boat.

This is not the first time I feel I'm having a crisis — I've written several blogs touching on this subject in the past few months.

Those of us who like to have a plan and feel in control don't do very well with not knowing.

However, I'm learning it's necessary to get comfortable with the unknown.

After all, the future is in our imagination if we really think about it.

Tomorrow isn't here. All we can do is make decisions in the now that will hopefully have a positive impact.

This is why we need patience.

Which I struggle with in certain areas. We all do.

I struggle with sticking with plans or goals when I do not see results when I think I'm supposed to — trusting the process.

Lately, I've been feeling all over the place. Honestly, I've been feeling all over the place for a while — hence my feeling of crisis. I don't know what's next for me or what's the best direction to go in at this time.

Ironically, I used to be so sure of where I thought I was meant to go.

After graduating high school, college seemed like a no-brainer.

After I put myself in the hole for 60k and had very few employment opportunities when graduation came, I realized I maybe made a mistake.

Sure, it was the journey I chose to embark on, but now that I've experienced the consequences, I've learned to be more cautious about making impactful decisions.

This brings up another critical point. Analysis paralysis is also deadly. Being stuck or still for too long also has its own set of consequences.

The irony of all this is sitting in the unknown, waiting for answers or some guide or direction, is what helps develop patience.

This is the first time in my life that I've sat in an uncomfortable unknown place for so long.

There's some fear of what lies in the future, I'm human, but there's also this newfound calmness.

I'm getting comfortable being uncomfortable — a good sign, according to what successful people say.

This is a tough season for those of us who are Type A. But as I said, necessary to develop patience and be comfortable with situations where the outcome is unknown.

So the big question is, how do you keep moving forward?

I'm still figuring it out, but one thing that has helped me is to keep my focus on the things that I still can do and like to do.

For me, that's writing.

This is perhaps the one hobby, side hustle, activity, whatever you want to call it, that I've stuck with for a significant amount of time — about two years and counting.

Whenever I feel overwhelmed, writing is my outlet to organize my thoughts and, at the same time, offer others help or perspective who may be struggling with the same things I am.

Writing has helped me find part of my purpose.

I've always believed that whatever we dedicate ourselves to, part of it has to contribute to the betterment of others. Otherwise, what's the point?

These two key aspects will help keep you moving forward despite feeling at a loss or standstill with your life.

Find what you like and find a way to share it so it may benefit another person.

I've come across and studied tens if not hundreds of entrepreneurs at this point, and there's one thing I've learned about them — they do the two above.

They dedicate themselves to something they genuinely like and, at the same time, offer value to others through it.

I'm not saying you should strive to be an entrepreneur, but if you're looking for direction or guidance, don't depend on other people (your boss, family, or friends) or places (your job) to tell you where to go.

There's an abundance of freedom in choosing for yourself and moving forward in that direction.

Choosing for yourself also ignites your creativity, and I've felt the most alive and closest to my purpose when I let my creativity guide me.

If you're struggling to move forward, try these steps and see if they spark anything in you.

I'm excited about the future because not knowing exactly where I'm headed allows me to believe in a world of different possibilities.

Isn't a world of possibilities more exciting than a known destination?

I think so.