What do you want? (It might not be what you think.)

There have been times in my life when I felt utterly bored with my inner turmoil. I knew I was uncomfortable. I knew I was unhappy. But I felt stuck.

I would turn to others for comfort. I would feel temporarily better. But soon enough I would find myself sliding back into the mud.

Does this sound familiar?

I think it’s probably part of the human experience.

But knowing that doesn’t make it any less miserable.

When you find yourself so lost in the weeds you can’t find the way out, here’s a thought.

Ask someone you trust to sit down with you and ask you one question, “What do you want?”

When you start naming what comes to the surface, “more money, a better relationship, a house of my own, a steady income….” ask them to watch your face for clues and to keep asking, “No, what do you really want…”

Eventually, all those things you think you want will begin to fall away. You will realize there was always something behind what you want.

Is it a relationship, a steady paycheck, more money, or a house of your own? Or is it a general feeling of safety and security?

When you understand the feeling you’re chasing, behind the thing you want, you can follow the feeling.

Seven years ago, I sat down with a trusted guide and walked through this exercise until I arrived at what I was actually looking for.

And that truth blossomed into one of the grandest, most beautiful adventures of my life.

Take a nature walk with me and I’ll tell you more about it.