Show notes
Finding Your Way: When You Feel Lost in Life Why you're not lost — just disconnected from your inner direction Feeling Lost? Or Just Disconnected? "I've lost my way…" Ever said that quietly to yourself? Not out loud… just in your own mind. That moment where things feel unclear. Where direction fades. Where who you were no longer fits… and who you're becoming hasn't quite arrived yet. It can feel like a void. A strange mix of uncertainty, frustration… even a little grief. But here's the thing… You're not lost. You've just lost connection with the part of you that already knows the way. The Truth About Feeling Lost This feeling often shows up when: You've made changes in your life Old patterns or roles no longer fit Your identity is shifting And in that space… You go looking "out there" for answers. But the harder you look… The further they seem to disappear. Because your direction isn't out there. It's inside you. Why This Feels So Uncomfortable When your identity changes, it creates a gap: You're no longer the "old you" But you're not fully the "new you" yet That space can feel like: Loss Confusion Uncertainty Almost like grief. But it's not the end of something… It's the beginning of something new. Your Inner Direction (Your "Future Self") Instead of asking: "What should I do?" Try this… "What would the version of me who is already living that life do next?" Because that version of you: Exists Has walked the path Knows the direction And here's the key… It doesn't give you the whole plan. It gives you the next step. This Episode Includes a Guided Process In this deeper dive, you'll be guided to: Connect with the feeling of your "best self" Tune into purpose, fulfilment, and alignment Ask for the next small step Begin trusting your internal guidance system This isn't about forcing answers. It's about feeling your way forward. From "Finding" to "Following" Your path isn't something you find. It's something you: Feel Step into Follow One step at a time. Not a fixed destination… A direction. Key Takeaways You're not lost — you're evolving The "void" is a transition, not a failure Your answers aren't out there — they're within You don't need the whole plan — just the next step Alignment comes from feeling, not forcing Ready to Reconnect? Take a moment after listening: Sit quietly Reflect on what came up for you Notice any small nudges or insights And most importantly… Trust them Share the Journey If this episode resonated: Share it with someone who might feel "lost" right now Help them reconnect with their own direction https://personaldevelopmentunplugged.com/481-finding-your-way-when-you-feel-lost-in-life Get In Touch Got thoughts, questions, or something that didn't quite click? Email: [email protected] Shine Brightly 🌟 Paul Hey there! I'd love to hear from you—questions, feedback, requests—all welcome. Drop me a line or leave a comment. If you've enjoyed this episode or any other, please share and subscribe! You can reach me at [email protected]. Subscribe to the Podcast Ready to subscribe? Click here to explore your options. Or, if you're on Apple Music or iTunes, you can go straight to subscribe or leave a review here. Special Programs for You For tools on developing Supreme Inner Confidence, finding Freedom from Anxiety, or specialized Hypnosis Tracks, visit PaulCloughOnline.com. Free Hypnosis Tracks Want access to my FREE hypnosis tracks? Head over to paulcloughonline.com/podcast. Connect with Me Follow me on Twitter: @pcloughie Remember: I'm a therapist, but I'm not your therapist. This podcast and any of my online resources are for educational purposes only. Never use the hypnosis tracks or exercises if you're operating machinery, driving, or if you have epilepsy or psychiatric conditions. Always consult a healthcare provider if you're unsure. Find Us on Other Platforms Catch the podcast on Spotify, Castbox, iHeart Radio, YouTube, or on our Libsyn page. Stay tuned, and keep shining brightly. ✨ Music Credits Music by Wataboi from Pixabay, Music by DreamHeaven from Pixabay, Music by ccjmusic from Pixabay, Music by freegroove from Pixabay, Music by prazkhanal from Pixabay. Music by prazkhanal from Pixabay. Music by will |Marshall from will marshall. And the transcript WARNING if you're a lover of the written word this may make you frustrated, or angry - you have been warned - is it an 'ism Welcome back to the personal development unplugged podcast with me Paul and subject today the deeper dive today is I've lost my way. What have I? You see just saying those words I've lost my way. Have you ever said that to yourself? I did not too long ago and it was really weird where do you know because you don't necessarily say it out loud but just quietly in your own mind yeah and it's like I don't know I just don't know where I'm going anymore and the thing here's the thing here's the thing it's not that you've lost your way because you haven't you haven't lost your way but I think sometimes it's like you've lost that connection with yourself with that part of you that already knows the way which is weird it's like you don't know that you know but you do know just that you don't know the word is yet and you see have you ever noticed have you ever noticed this when life changes because it does isn't it everything changes it evolves when things you used to do seem to fade away or you decide to change there's suddenly a space isn't there there's a space it's like a void a void of that needs to be filled it's a little bit like grief isn't it there's just that void there and it's I don't know it's a funny old thing that void because it's as if a part of you knows there's something new happening and that could be a little bit frightening can't it but the other part goes yeah okay but what is it what is it and you can look and I did I looked and I looked and the harder you look and the more you look nothing it seems you can't grasp it you can't get hold of it it just disappears as this is void and it's not void inside here is now void out there now I'm tempted to say does that make sense but apparently that's not the thing to say but it made sense to me because it actually happened to me you see it did feel like grief it felt I'd lost something not just what I did but who I was and that's the thing I'd made some changes just deliberate changes in my life let some things go decided I'm gonna change this is a time for a change big changes and the thing is it was if I was losing my identity and that's a shift you see when your identity shifts directions disappears it really does but here's the thing it disappears for a while that's all just for a while but it while you're waiting for that while it is quite unnerving you ever had that it really happened to me a few months ago and my life was changing but it felt that I was really losing who I was I was no longer the person I thought it was because I put my identity into these behaviors the things I did and now not doing them I felt I was no longer the real Paul anymore and because when my that direction disappears for a while it's as if you don't know who you'll be coming because you're not there yet but you know you're not that anymore how can you know though where you're going when you make those changes because the thing is you look out there that's the problem you look out there for the things to fill it I did I looked everywhere and the more I looked out there the less I found the more it seemed to fade away but the thing is what I learned was it isn't out there it was if I already do it was inside inside because if you've ever been like that I want to tell you it's in you it's already in you but you just haven't connected again because that evolution is moving forward now the thing is I got a little bit of insight as I called it my future self inside and I want you to play with me just play with me for a minute I love this bit where we just keep playing imagine this and yeah you can close your eyes or you don't because it's only I just want you to imagine something now like a daydream give yourself permission just to be free to daydream in imagination use your imagineering imagine there's a version of you not perfect because nobody's perfect but they are aligned they're living their purpose that you is living your purpose with purpose living a life with purpose feeling a wonderful sense of fulfilment I'll tell you that again living with purpose and feeling that sense of fulfillment yeah that's your best self isn't it think about it now wouldn't that be your best self when you could see yourself over there they're not perfect but aligned as a congruent living with purpose feeling that sense of fulfillment now the interesting thing about that and the thing I found is that version of you had to walk to get there it had to walk a path to get there it didn't just evolve but it did evolve but it wasn't just a poof magic just because we imagine it it's out there that future self is out there now and the things when you think about it well if they've walked that path now it's that future you over there they know the way so maybe maybe instead of asking like I did what should I do because that's what I did what should I do and I couldn't find it because I wanted something maybe I could have asked I did in the end what would that version of me over there living that life of fulfillment a path of passion what would that version of me do next the next foot the next step as it were now how you gonna find out I've already told you that future version of you is really inside but we just haven't connected yet notice the word yet so here's the thing I do say that a lot don't I here's the thing but I do and you know what I'm gonna say it even more because I'd like to say it here's the thing because I'm what I want you to do now is play even more I want to because I love doing these things create a purpose and a process a real process to help you because I think it just works so if it's okay because this is where I want you to find the answers because you don't have to be like me being totally lost just a little bit even even if you know where you're going you can check up with this future self of yours to find even more because a lot of yours is very conscious we want it unconscious aligned and the only way to do that I think is you have to feel it first you might think you're intelligent enough to imagine and think about it consciously what you want but you're not nor am I by the way nobody is but once you start giving information to your unconscious mind with emotion then your unconscious mind gets it and now we can go backwards and forwards with that future self so play play with me find a a wonderful place that you can just be undisturbed for a moment or two well maybe a little bit longer where you can just let yourself go into this little bit of hypnosis maybe there's a guided visualization maybe it's like a meditation whichever you want to call it that'll be what it is but find a place where you'll be undisturbed yeah because I want you to close your eyes to take away all the distractions and where you can truly focus inside that's where we said it was you don't have to look on the outside you're looking on the inside so if that's okay if it isn't by the way either just listen to this gently not too much to get an idea of the process but ideally just bookmark this point and then come back to it okay so you can really devote focused awareness on yourself give yourself permission to spend time on you because you're the only person who can give yourself that permission okay and when you do that finding that comfortable place where you'll be as I say undisturbed remember this is hypnosis I'm a therapist but not your therapist but we're only looking now to your future self and guidance so just take a wonderful deep breath hold it for a second or two and as you breathe out just allow your eyes to close yeah just allow your eyes to close there you go and breathe gently in making every in-breath more gentle than the one before and then with every out-breath allow yourself to be gently pulled inside to that wonderful place of comfort and as you do that that comfort can grow you could even wonder to yourself right now ask yourself the question what would it be like to be three times more comfortable than you are right now and feel that comfort now feel it going through every cell of your body as you breathe easily and effortlessly where you and your unconscious mind can get closer and closer now just let go let go of trying to figure out anything at the moment no thinking no thinking whatsoever just enjoy the just feeling that's right we're just gonna feel and imagine that you are already living your best life yeah if you take that future self back into you right now living your full wonderful best life not the details just feeling imagine how that would feel living your best life just get that quiet sense of it yeah just notice that allow it to maybe grow a little bit more intense so you could really feel it how does it feel in your body maybe just notice where do you feel it in your body it might be all over it might be in that special place where you just feel this living your best life maybe you could describe it to yourself how does it feel is it warm does it have a sense of ease maybe because you're living this fulfilled life there's a certainty now what does that feel like maybe there's a curiosity an excitement I get together don't they because this feeling is your direction and that's the thing that's the thing that I discovered we're not looking for a thing we're looking for a direction a direction that will lead us into a wonderful adventure of purpose a passion curiosity and excitement and that certainty and as you tune into that feeling just the feeling give it permission allow that feeling to grow just a little bit that's right just a little bit really allow your mind to get in tune your conscious mind and your unconscious mind to get in tune with this feeling and as it grows maybe you could just ask gently if this is who I am what's the next small step I would take right now and there's no need to force an answer just notice what comes up listen with all your senses because your answers come in many many ways they may be visual they may be a word it might be tiny or it might be so obvious to you it might even surprise you as I say it comes in many different ways so just listen and notice this is how the path begins not all at once it's all about one step just taking one small step one step from that feeling really allow that feeling to grow and get your unconscious mind I'll ask your unconscious mind to learn from this to allow you to give you the intuition of the next small step and the next small step after that to look for opportunities to create this wonderful filled life the direction and as you learn consciously and unconsciously because you could bring this awareness into your reality in a minute but not just yet because just maybe consider this you don't need to have the whole plan you don't need the five-year vision the ten-year vision or even the perfect map because your future self doesn't hand you the whole journey just nudges you just a little bit one step at a time remember this path is not a thing it's a direction and it's a direction to that's right it's an adventure and it's yours all from a feeling not a formula and as you think of that there's something I want you to consider one more time if you've ever been afraid of losing yourself as I did and unsure how to step into the new one maybe this is the bridge you don't have to jump and just allow that to resonate within you integrate within you and allow your unconscious mind to find the resources to feed you those steps along the way so you can enjoy every step and as you do that take a wonderful in breath and open your eyes and feel absolutely wonderful there you go that's how we do it I hope you enjoyed that because it is a direction and that's the bit that got me because as I say I was looking for things to replace the things I'd stopped doing and I thought my identity was about the doing but they're just behaviors it's the being and then finding that path allow that path to come to you as you just follow that direction and I'm gonna be doing deeper work on this because as I'm doing deeper work on myself on this because I think it's so important and it's so sometimes to me it's ambiguous it's vague and sometimes we want something that we really firmly hold on to but it's just not there to hold on to because it's not a thing but as you walk that path bit by bit step by step I believe it all unfolds the beauty of life unfolds for you because then you start to create it this creating your reality by having the feeling it's a bit like having the feeling of the wish fulfilled when you look at goals try them on feel it you get that direction to the feeling isn't it yeah so maybe if you just ask yourself the way I did have you really lost your way because I was thinking at the time I've lost my way I don't know but then I thought no I haven't I've just been looking in the wrong direction for the wrong things because I say because your path isn't something you find it's something you feel it's something you tread and then you follow it pace by pace step by step you might even say you might drive it driving that bus because ultimately you do drive the bus the metaphor keeps coming you drive the bus you're in charge you're responsible I'm here to give you a little guide and maybe I'll give you a little nudge down again you know searching because he for me it for the things I was giving away stop doing looking looking for things to do I suddenly found that actually I just need to reconnect with what I called my North Star I know other people call it North Stars as well I think everyone does do they I don't know but it's my North Star and I was searching for things to do and they're not there as I say it's a direction of being so you drive your bus I'll drive mine maybe we'll meet up on holiday if you could it would be wonderful I think as part of this path this direction you take to share this type of things with other people share your path verbally not all of it because it's a lot of it might be personal and you're working through but other people can help you as well but as you express it outside it allows you to be clearer or understand where you're not clear and you can do more personal work and if it's not clear you can always email me feedback at personal development unplug calm and we can work on this together just as I'm working with you sharing the things that I'm experiencing now and this is where I want to take the personal development unplug podcast to real to real stuff not just picking the clickbait stuff I know the title is a bit click baity but you have to have that I think but I just want you to yeah if you can share it subscribe and all that stuff but just live your path think about it take a few moments to sit quietly and you go what did I hear what did I learn you know we're not pushing stuff away we're just being open now so there you go I hope you enjoyed that please share as I say subscribe and all the stuff that everyone says you to tell to tell if you would it would be great but this is just me Paul your mate Cluffy to sharing some of my journey my adventure and trying to put it into processes the things that I learned and I know every episode is not going to be the one that this is it every time but I know there'll be some golden nuggets and hope just to give you that little nudge to think so if there's any subjects by the way anything that you would like me to explore I have to try them on first and see what we can find come up with processes or even the processes that I already know we can express them and do them together and we're going to keep changing we're going to become not only that future self quicker bigger better brighter but we're going to develop it even more so we can have more passion than we can stand more fun than we can stand and you know what we can also feel happy for no reason so on that note I'll see you next time I'll be in your ears have more fun than you can stand go fly personal development unplugged Transcribed by TurboScribe. Go Unlimited Personal development [self improvement] [self development] [NLP] [Hypnosis]