I feel lost. I feel lonely. What do I want to do with my life? Where am I supposed to be? Where is God leading me?
These statements accurately represent my current state of mind. After graduating from college and my first year of adulthood, I expected life to be a little more of a breeze. Boy, was I wrong.
During my first year of adulthood, I conquered many obstacles: securing a job, gaining financial independence, moving into an apartment with friends, fostering friendships, and finding church community. I thought I had it all figured out. However, in this new season, I’m faced with plenty more obstacles than I ever imagined.
After watching multiple TED Talks, it occurred to me, I’m having a quarter-life crisis. The Muse describes the quarter-life crisis as, “a period of intense soul searching and stress occurring in your mid 20s to early 30s”. It typically has to deal with the direction of a career, personal relationships, and the overall purpose of life. Just simple little things, right?
I have been blessed with amazing friends and family who support me through my seasons of joy and seasons of melt-downs and crises, which I’m extra thankful for today. I am also thankful for my job, but realize it’s a temporary stepping stone to a future career. But what is that future career? Where do I see myself in five years? To be honest, I don’t completely know. I have hopes to work in a field where I will serve as a light to make a positive impact through my work and interactions with those around me. I don’t know the specific job title, company, or location, but that’s ok.
Maybe you too are lost in the direction of your career, or lack fulfillment in your day to day routine, or seek deeper personal relationships. The bottom line is, you are not alone in this lonely journey of soul searching. Together, we need to learn to let go of the need to figure everything out and have all of the answers, so we can find peace in a season of uncertainty.
God created this life to be a little mysterious; we can’t make sense of everything and aren’t meant to always have the answers, that’s God’s job. The more we stress about what dream we want to pursue and how to pursue it, the more we lose ourselves as those ideas begin to overwhelm us. Don’t get me wrong, I believe you should dream and dream big, but don’t let those thoughts consume you. I’m learning in this season, the important part isn’t knowing exactly where I’m going or what step to take, but having faith and taking a step anyway. If you make a wrong turn, God will guide you back to your path, or maybe that step will open doors to a life you could never imagine. No matter what you do, do everything in love and always pursue your passion.
Every great dream begins with a dreamer. Always remember, you have within you the strength, the patience, and the passion to reach for the stars and change the world.
Harriet Tubman