Sometimes we reach a point in life where we feel like we’ve lost our way. We don’t know where we are anymore, we don’t know what to do next, and everything just feels… off.

And when that happens, we usually go one of two ways:

We panic. We get anxious. Our body floods with cortisol and we start doing too many things — trying to outrun the discomfort — which only creates more overwhelm and more anxiety. Then we feel even worse about ourselves.

Or we shut down. We can’t make ourselves do anything. We want to hide away from the world. Even getting out of bed or seeing anyone feels impossible, and we spiral downwards.

For quite a few years, I thought I knew exactly what I wanted. I wasn’t exploring, I wasn’t questioning anything — I was just pushing forward month after month, year after year. Nothing was changing. I honestly believed that the harder I worked and the more I did, the better things would get… but the opposite happened. Everything started to feel like it was going backwards.

I was completely out of flow, but I couldn’t see it, because I never paused long enough to check in with myself. I was scared to feel the feelings I’d been pushing down. I was frustrated, fed up, and convinced I was useless.

This is why it’s so important to stop and breathe.

It’s in those tiny moments of stillness that we can finally hear what actually lights us up — the things that make life feel a little lighter and brighter. It’s where we rediscover the things we love, or discover new things as the person we are now.

For me, it started with reading again. Listening to audiobooks. Talking to people about the things that genuinely interested me. And paying attention to how my body reacted. Our bodies give us so many clues about what’s right for us. If you talk or think about something and feel light, excited, energised — keep that path open. Follow it. Read about it, talk about it, take a course on it… don’t let it fizzle out, because that feeling is a sign.

And if something makes you feel heavy, sleepy, drained, or bored? That’s a sign too. Awareness is the key. Courage is the key. Listening to your inner voice, feeling the feelings you’d rather avoid, and following the golden path that’s trying to light the way ahead for you.

For me, that golden path was nervous system regulation. I honestly can’t remember where I first came across it, but I found myself reading everything I could online, and then I bought a book by Jessica Maguire. It was like finding a missing puzzle piece. I felt exhilarated reading it — still do, every time I think about it. And now I’m about to start a new qualification in Nervous System Regulation.

If I hadn’t allowed myself to stop and breathe, I’m not sure I ever would have found it.

If you’re trying to find your golden path, here’s where to start:

1. Allow yourself to stop and breathe.

Even for a minute. It matters.

2. Try new things.

Read something different. Explore a new hobby. Create something. Learn something. Follow the tiny sparks.

3. Journal your journey.

It can be bullet points every few days — anything is better than nothing. It helps you notice the things that spark your interest, especially when life is busy.

4. Talk to people you trust.

Share the things that light you up. Say them out loud. Be brave. Your golden path becomes clearer when you’re honest about what excites you.

5. Don’t ignore the things that intrigue you.

Those nudges are clues. They’re often the first signs of what you truly want.

Because underneath all the noise, the rushing, the self-doubt and the overwhelm, there’s a part of you that already knows the way. And when you give yourself the space to listen, your golden path always reveals itself.

Much love,

Jo x