Feeling lost, stuck, or unfulfilled it’s an inevitable part of life’s journey. Although it may feel incredibly uncomfortable and frustrating at the time, the plot twist is: it’s actually a good thing. This discomfort is like a wake-up call telling you that something in your life—perhaps it’s a relationship, a job, or something else—is not right. Soul searching is the prescribed solution in this situation.
Most people engage in soul searching (or should) when life seems out of sync, or when they’re in a rut, experiencing negative feelings towards their careers or relationships. But if you don’t know where to start—or exactly what to do—try following these recommended tips that helped me to nourish your soul and find that deeper meaning in your everyday existence. Soul searching—or the idea of nourishing your soul—is an important exercise every person can and should partake in. Simply put, it’s the desire to look more deeply for meaning in your life.
“All soul searching begins with a deep desire for something more, almost like a craving or curiosity to know more, feel more, experience more, and have a deeper meaning in your life,” says life coach and manifestation teacher Laina Caltagirone. “Soul searching is the journey of learning what that ‘something more is.”
Thankfully, there are actionable things you can do to shift you back into a place of alignment and onto a life path that feels authentic and exciting. Keep reading to learn how your soul becomes “lost,” signs that you need soul searching, and tools and practices you can implement to help you gain clarity around what you truly desire.
SOUL SEARCHING: What it means to “lose your soul” and why it happens
Before we dive into how to soul search, let’s back up a second and discuss what it means to “lose your soul” and why it happens in the first place. To lose your soul means to experience disconnection with who you truly are, what you are here to do, the power available to you, and the path the universe has for you. Many things can trigger you to feel disconnected from your soul’s purpose. Some of these reasons include settling, not going after new goals, ignoring your intuition, living your life for others, or making decisions based on what you feel you should do.
Before you go looking for a sign, you should keep in mind that everyone’s journey is different. But one big sign that you need some soul searching is that you’re constantly questioning your path and dreaming about alternative ones, consistently.
Feelings of being stuck are also a sign. You may feel like you’re not growing or moving forward. Lack of joy, passion, excitement, or fulfillment is another sign. Or, it could just be that something in your life feels off. You feel like there is something more for you, but you’re not sure what that is yet. For me, I felt there was something more for me. It is at this point, my emotional wellness journey sprang from.
I went back to my faith as a Christain and started questioning God about the numerous WHYs in my life.
Before, I finally got answers to my WHYs, here are some practical tips I took to get to my current destination. These tips have proven to be very practical and helpful and I am certain they will be of value to you just as they were of value to me.
EMBARKING IN SOUL SEARCHING
1. Ask for guidance
“Whether you believe in God, universe, source, whatever—there’s a higher power out there that is available and willing to help you. For me as a christain, I believe that higher power is God. So, I went back to Gog asking hime for guidance and direction.I put in the request, and ask God to “Show me what I need to know and do to get back in touch with my soul and my highest path.” Then I paid close attention to what nuggets of wisdom came through.
If you have been able to read part of the scripture, you will notice that we are always reminded of God’s direction over our lives. He is our good Shepherd who leads us and He desires that we follow the path that leads to joy and contentment. So I noticed that whenever I pray for God’s guidance and for discernment through the Holy Spirit, there is a certain peace of calm and reassurance that I feel knowing that God will provide wisdom!
James 1:5 – “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.”
2. Make time for reflection
Spending time in solitude when soul searching is essential. In today’s constantly connected world, finding solitude has become a lost art. We tend to equate a desire for solitude with people who are lonely, sad, or have antisocial tendencies. But seeking solitude can actually be quite healthy. In fact, there are many physical and psychological benefits of spending time alone.
It creates the time and space needed to ask yourself the deep questions and allow insight to emerge. Practices helpful for self-reflection include prioritizing silence, meditation to clear the mental clutter; prayer for asking for clarity, wisdom, or action steps; and journaling. Some journal prompts worth digging into include: What do I truly desire? What am I afraid of? How do I want to feel? If anything were possible, what would I do?
3. Limiting phone use
Sometimes we need to go through a soul searching process in solitude to really find ourselves. In order to be truly happy and content with life, it is important to have time for introspection. That means quiet time; away from the hustle and bustle of the world where all we see is glowing screens of phones, laptops and tablets. For me, I did this on my journey and I am still doing it. That is limiting my phone use as I take time out to reflect on my life and figure out what my next steps are.
When we replace downtime with scrolling on our phone, we lose the capacity for self-awareness and reflection. This lack of awareness can cause us to identify ourselves through the comparison of others. Although, people’s use of their phone is not the same, there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to reducing our screen time. It’s like losing weight, it requires us to recognize our own behaviors and adjust accordingly. This self-monitoring can reduce our screen time, giving you the willpower to be in control of what you give your attention to.
4. Tap into your intuition
Some of us have been living out of alignment, and the chances are we’ve lost touch with flexing our intuition muscle that can be described as “that deep inner knowing and wisdom that we all inherently have.” Reconnecting with your intuition is what ultimately will help you uncover what you truly want in life and lead you down the right path. Take this opportunity to learn how your intuition speaks to you and practice actually listening to the nudges.
Intuition plays an important role in our lives. It may initially seem unnecessary, but it can act as a guiding force and is key to having healthy relationships, successful career and spiritual pursuits.
Finally, in my experience we all have a gold mine hidden deep within us. Tap into that gold mine and you will discover all the treasures your heart seeks.
If you still feel overwhelmed and stress, read here on how to deal with stress
