On today’s walk with my dog Willow the Chicago Corgi it was quiet and peaceful. Thank God for 50-something-degree days in late December! There’s a pattern and a rhythm when Willow and I walk. Whichever direction she chooses, she and I have a standard route. While she sniffs as Sherlock Holmes would looking for the assailant of a crime, she typically maintains our route without exception.
But today, something odd happened. We got to a place in the route and noticed something was missing. It’s a planter that sits on the corner, in the form of a duck. Willow typically sees it from a distance and starts barking at it, and I’m always expecting her to do so. But today, no duck, and no barking.
We were both lost at the corner thinking, “which way do we go now?” See, the duck was a marker for Willow—a goalpost of sorts. Something she was always used to having there. Not having it there meant she didn’t see what would lead her toward her normal route.
So many of us have had this happen this year—something or someone you were used to having in your life that kept you grounded and on the right path is now no longer present. For some, maybe it’s a lost loved one. For others, maybe it’s the routine and familiarity of a job or role that you played at work that’s either changed significantly or no longer exists. When that goalpost is gone, what do you do? What happens when everything in your life becomes unfamiliar and unsettling?
If you’ve lost your way, there’s no need to worry. Just like Willow the Corgi, you can find your way back home. Willow is a great example of how to get back on track when life throws you for a loop because she kept going even when all seemed lost. Here’s what she did:
First, Willow paused. She recognized that something was different, and she took the necessary pause. She needed to stop to acknowledge “something is missing.” Maybe you need a pause in your life to help you sit in the reality that your goalpost is absent.
Second, Willow put her head up and considered her options. She pondered, “What do I do now?” She proceeded to permit herself to find a new way.
Finally, it wasn’t until Willow had walked this unchartered path that she saw it wasn’t right for her; then she put her head up again and found yet another route that did work for her—one that brought her back home again.
Have you lost your goalpost?
Are you seeking direction and clarity for where you’re going? Not sure how to get there, especially when it comes to your career or your personal goals and dreams? Maybe you need a partner on the journey. Someone to guide you, not to tell you where to go, but to create a safe space to figure out where you want to go and help you create a strategy to reach your goals.
This is what we do at PurposeFULL Seed through our purpose and career coaching model. Everyone can live the life they dream about if they first understand who they are and then align their BEING with their DOING. It’s okay if you’ve lost your way—it’s just part of the process! There is hope for getting back on track and finding clarity about where YOU want YOUR life to go next.
Let PurposeFULL Seed help you find your purposeful path. We’d be honored to walk with you.