What To Do When You Don’t Know What To Do
If you are finishing school or college this coming summer, you may want to prepare yourself for the fresh feeling of ‘what do I do now’?
That question can be as daunting as it is exciting; as I have come to realise, finishing school or college, though they were stressful, were nevertheless secure ways of life. This can leave you feeling a bit bewildered and lost when it comes to change.
So, here are some of the things I learned to do when I had no idea what to do…
1. Write It All Down
No matter how weird or wonderful any of your goals, dreams, ambitions or even just fleeting moments of, ‘Oh yeah that would be a cool thing to do’ were, write them ALL down.
Making a mind map of your thoughts of what you could want in the future is such a good place to start. It just means you can see them ALL, spread out in front of you, which you can then start to categorise, organise and visualise what to do.
2. Google Everything
Having a computer or laptop handy is your saving grace when you are unsure of what the next step is and googling the keywords of what you are searching for can really put you in a nice starting zone. Try searching any keywords that you are interested in for example, fashion, internships, Paris, paid, and you will be amazed at the result that comes up.
3. Visualise Your Thoughts
It may seem like a waste of time but printing, keeping, saving and making things you think would interest you in the future, whether it is a job, travel, a creative outlet or anything else, is a good idea. Making a vision board is hands down one of the easiest ways to see where you want to go with life. It also makes it all seem a little more exciting rather than daunting.
4. Do NOT Rush Decisions
No matter what kind of pressure you are under, no matter what kind of weird F.O.M.O you may have, there is no rush. I used to think if I wasn’t constantly doing something to better myself then that meant I was falling behind some sort of weird race everyone was in. But I can assure you, rushing decisions either to please yourself or anyone else only leads you to hop into something you might not necessarily want to do.
Take it slow. Life isn’t a race.
5. Don’t Let Comfort Take Over
The world is your absolute oyster and as dumb as that may sound, I mean it. You can do whatever you want. And sure, money is a thing, but most things can be done budget-friendly, again whether it is pursuing a career, college, a passion or travel. Just don’t allow yourself to think that you can’t do it because you never have before. Or feel scared into staying with what you know, because it’s easier or more comfortable. Everything is an experience, but you need to go and just do it.
6. Try Everything
This is the prime time in life to go down one path, realise it was a dead end and turn back and try again. You have endless chances to do so, so you may as well just try everything.
And if it isn’t for you, no loss no harm, you tried, so now you know, you can go back and try again. Trying something and not liking it, and going back to square 1 doesn’t equal failure. Not trying it at all is a failure.
Have you any tips for when it comes to making a big decision?