you can't get lost
trust you'll always find your way
Two things before I share my thoughts today!
First, a thank you
Thank you for all your kind notes and curiosity about our month of play and work away experiment. You can catch up on part I - the decision, part II - what we learned and part III - coming home if you missed anything!
Second, 100 Curious Conversations is happening!
I had my first Curious Conversation last week, and I’ve got a few more booked! I’d love to have more Curious Conversations over the next six months purely for the joy of connecting with other humans. There’s no pressure, it’s simply a 20-minute chat about life, work, family, dreams and whatever else comes to mind.
Want to join me? I’d love to chat with you!
I regularly walk a network of trails not far from my home. As I descend the 250 meters to the forest floor, there’s a calm that immediately washes over me. In the span of just a few minutes, the trees wrap me up in a giant hug and the noise of the world quiets.
While everyone starts in the same place, once on the trail, there are many different routes you can take. There’s a short loop near the beginning. A meandering section connecting to another trail network. A balance-beam log-walk spanning a wee creek along a different path. And a muddy section that will eat your shoe if you aren’t paying attention.
Sometimes, the paths cross and you face a decision of which way to go.
When I first started walking these trails, I got lost pretty regularly. The changing seasons meant that at times leaves covered the well-worn path, and in other seasons, there was fresh snow. Even after a day of heavy rain, the route can look different.
It used to worry me. I used to feel stressed trying to “get it right”. Even though logically I knew I wasn’t far from civilization, it wouldn’t be unusual for me to anxiously look at AllTrails or Google Maps on my phone to try to find my way.
Over time, as my confidence grew and I learned to trust my instincts, I stopped worrying about getting lost. Making sure I knew the “right” direction to walk mattered less than being present in the hush of the calming forest. Somehow, surrounded by the trees, I started to believe it would all work out. I knew I’d eventually find my way back to my car.
As much as I love hiking on my own, I periodically share this walk with other humans in my life. You know, ‘cause connecting with people is a good thing! As we walk, I often hear the same questions I used to ask myself. “Which way now? Do we go right? Or, wait, maybe left? I think this is it. No, that’s wrong. Should we check the map? I give up, you show me the way!”
With each question, I repeat the message I’ve come to learn: “You can’t get lost. You might walk a little longer, but you’ll always find your way.”
Over time, I’ve learned to trust my intuition, be patient with the journey and not fear getting lost. There’s no “wrong”, there’s just different. Different than what I expected. Different than how I thought it should go. Different than what others were doing.
This now familiar path has taught me that when I let go of getting it “right”, there’s no such thing as the “wrong” way.
Whatever direction I take is exactly where I was meant to go.
Tell me, if the route you take is different from what you planned, how do you feel? I’d love to know.
With gratitude and wild curiosity always,
Sarah
PS - Don’t forget about my 100 Curious Conversations experiment. I’d love to chat!
Previously …
New Season, New Beginnings …
The start of a new season is a great time to get clear on what is and isn’t working for you. Walking Forward shares helpful reflection questions to help you navigate the chaos of life with intention. Do you have a copy?!
I like doing what I call a "ramble" which means I go somewhere I'm not familiar with and let my curiosity guide me. I love doing this because I never know what I'll discover. Often I've had encounters with animals which is super cool. They usually have some wisdom for me.
Love the metaphor.