You don’t need to know the final picture.

It can be easy to feel like you have to have it all figured out, all the time. The rise of social media, whilst it does have its perks, also leads us into believing that people know exactly where they’re heading and what their next moves are. They make it look like they have their lives all figured out. This can cause you to feel a little lost and unsure of your direction in life. However, this just isn’t the case. In fact, 100% of us never know where we are headed, because no one knows what the future holds. Even if we could know what was ahead of us, we wouldn’t really want to. It can seem scary, but the unknown actually brings a lot of excitement with it and encourages us to live in the moment.

I for one am a bit of a control freak. I love to feel as though I have my whole life under control (I rarely ever do, but I convince myself I do). However, just as much as the next person, I don’t know what lies ahead.

I listened to a podcast the other day and it said, don’t worry about the past, because you’re not in it, and don’t worry about the future, because you’re not in it. The only place we are in is the now, therefore that’s the only thing we should be thinking about. This really resonated with me, because in the past I have spent a lot of time worrying about the future, and I still do, but I really am focusing more and more on being present in the moment.

How do I do this?

Focus on the current piece of my puzzle.

Life, just like a puzzle, needs to be taken one step at a time, piece by piece. We don’t know what piece will come next, and how long it will take to complete, but we are constantly searching for the next piece. You don’t need to know the finished picture, but I don’t think you’d want to know, because that’s where the excitement of life lies. As long as you have the strength to pick up the next piece of the puzzle, you’re doing great. Some days this will feel hard, but that’s ok, just ride the waves. 

If you feel yourself going through a difficult patch, or the road ahead seems even windier than normal, simply focus on the patch one step ahead of you. There is no need to look any further away, or scare yourself worrying about what might be, take one day at a time. 

Spend time outside. 

I spend a lot of time outdoors because of training, however, I rarely take in the nature around me because I’m so focused on the training session at hand. When I am able to, I love to take time to sit outside or go for a walk and really embrace my surroundings. I find this helps ground me and keep me feeling connected to the present. It reminds me how pure life really is, and how happiness comes from the most simplest things. When you look at nature, you realise how little they look for from life, yet how happy they seem. 
Take time away from my phone. 

My phone constantly takes me outside of where I am now. It takes me into other people’s lives and can cause me to feel quite anxious. When I start to feel more anxious, it regularly correlates with my phone usage increasing. However, the more time I consciously spend away from my phone, the more I feel content with where I’m at. I feel more focused on my own journey and less like I am not good enough. 

Journal it out. 
Writing can be so therapeutic, even if you don’t do anything with what you are writing. There is something so powerful about getting your thoughts, worries, positive words of affirmation, dreams, things you want to say, all out of your head and onto paper. You don’t need to read the words back, but it can allow you to think a little bit clearer and see the path ahead in a brighter light. 

These aren’t quick fixing actions, but when implemented consistently, they can help take your head into a clearer space over time.