What if feeling lost isn’t a setback, but the very thing that sets us free?

Your early twenties feel like the first day of high school all over again—awkward, unsure, exciting, and desperate for direction. This chapter is filled with some of the greatest, yet most confusing times of your life. At 22, I’m learning that feeling lost might actually be proof that I’m doing this “life” thing right.

Graduating college is wonderful, but also incredibly grueling. You’re faced with the idea that now is the time to decide who you want to be and what you want to do for the rest of your life. While that can sound exciting, it can also feel overwhelming. We put pressure on ourselves to navigate it all in the most perfect, effective way, when in reality, there’s no playbook on how to live your life. It’s almost like you’re setting the standard for everything that comes next—and yes, that sounds intimidating. But what if it didn’t have to be?

We tend to feel lost at certain points in life—our early twenties, during a midlife crisis, or whenever we’re starting a new chapter with few answers to guide us. For people like me who love a plan and a well-thought-out itinerary, not knowing what comes next can be terrifying. But it doesn’t have to be. You’re allowed to change your mind and reroute your life in an instant. Let’s normalize free will again. Are you unhappy in a situation? Leave. Do you want to learn a new skill? Try it.

Think of it this way: no one can be found if they’ve never been lost in the first place. Feeling lost usually means you’re yearning for more—it means you’re not complacent. That desire for more will take you further than you realize. In seasons of stillness, there’s an opportunity to embrace uncertainty and turn it into your own version of freedom. You don’t need to have the answers mapped out perfectly, because this is your life, and no one says you have to. Expect nothing, and be grateful for everything.

Instead of looking at this time as being “lost,” imagine it as a longer walk to your arrival gate. On that walk, you’re slowing down, taking in the scenery, and discovering things you would’ve missed if you’d taken the shortcut. So maybe feeling lost isn’t meant to feel so grueling—maybe it’s meant to remind us that, at any time and anywhere, we can find ourselves again.