When You Feel Lost: Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone

Lindsay TitusBlog, Self Care Better

TL;DR:

  • Even when we feel lost, we actually are just stepping outside of our comfort zone.
  • Recognize that moving forward may not always be in a linear form.
  • Review your values.
  • Do something unexpected and allow your body and mind to experience the adventure you’re ready for! 

Where to Begin?

Oh my goodness.  Where to even begin.  

Lately, I’ve felt more lost than found. While it’s been hard, I can honestly say that I’m proud of who I have been while I’ve been lost. I stayed true to myself even when I had lost all sense of direction. The reason for that is actually pretty simple.  We never lose all sense of direction.  It’s just not possible. 

Try something new! Make a new recipe, go to a new coffee shop, pick up a new hobby. Do something unexpected and allow your body and mind to experience the adventure you're ready for! Click To Tweet

If I’m Not Lost…Where am I?

Something I’ve learned over the past four years of my own growth journey is that any time we are stepping outside of our comfort zone, we feel like we are lost. It’s a guarantee because we are stepping into a level of ourselves that we have never experienced before.

For me personally, in the last 4 months, I’ve felt more lost than ever. Well, all it took was one in-depth reflection for me to realize that over the past four months, many things in my life have shifted. I started a new job as an assistant principal. I switched schools for a month in the midst of this new job change. Then, I returned to my original school. I received a new caseload for student management. And oh yeah, I’m pregnant too. So many changes. Of course, I felt lost. I’ve officially left my comfort zone and entered into a new one. 

Stepping Beyond Our Comfort Zone

So before I share my top three steps for thinking better when you’re feeling lost, please recognize this as essential: 

Being lost simply means you have stepped (or are about to step) outside of your comfort zone. You’ve done nothing wrong. Instead, this is your body and mind’s way of telling you to keep going. To keep living. And to keep listening within.  Because the answers you seek are always within YOU. Sometimes it just takes a moment for us to pause, listen, and feel the answers within us each and every moment. 

It’s no surprise that many educators right now are feeling lost. We’re knee-deep in daily changes while being surrounded by systemic changes that aren’t happening. So how do we keep moving forward when feeling lost?

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Try these steps out!

  1. Recognize that moving forward may not always be in a linear form. It’s time to redefine forward. Sometimes it takes reflecting on your past to bring you in touch with the present to guide your next step.  Within this, recognize that there is no set amount of movement that is deemed “forward.” That’s totally up to you! Sometimes it’s a step the size of a centimeter.  Other times it’s a full-on leap forward.  YOU get to decide what is best for YOU! 
  2. Review and renew your values.  Remember—who you are is not connected to what you do. It’s connected to who YOU are being in each moment. And who you are is connected to the values YOU live by.  When I start to feel lost, I review my values and identify if any need to change or be enhanced for this moment. 
  3. Do something unexpected! This may sound strange but stick with me for a moment.  Often when we are feeling lost it is because our focus or view becomes very narrow. We desire things a certain way or along a certain path. And this feeling of being lost is often the universe’s way of saying “there is something more for you.”  In order to hear and eventually see this, we have to be willing to take that step (again outside of our comfort zone).  So try something new! Make a new recipe, go to a new coffee shop, pick up a new hobby. Do something unexpected and allow your body and mind to experience the adventure you’re ready for! 

YOU are powerful, as YOU are.

Learning to think better during the uncertainties of life is one of those qualities we get to practice each day! It’s part of the process, and learning to trust in the process is a major step.  As you are trusting, make sure to trust in who YOU are. Because no matter what, that is the most important factor in all of this.  Yes, YOU! So as you continue to think better each day, remember this: YOU are worthy, YOU are loved, and YOU are 100% YOU each and every day! 

About Lindsay Titus

Lindsay Titus is a K-12 Behavior Specialist with a license in behavior analyst. As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst, Lindsay coaches and trains educators on the study of behavior and how to implement evidence-based behavior principles in simple and easy ways! With experience as a classroom special education teacher, and behavior specialist in public schools, residential placement, and private settings, Lindsay enjoys working with all educators looking to reignite their passion for education, connect with all students, and conquer challenging behavior in any classroom setting.