Have you ever got lost trying to get somewhere? I know I have! I recently noticed a pattern that whenever I realize I am lost, I started doing silly things like driving faster to make up time despite still not knowing where I was. In hindsight, usually I was driving faster and faster away from where I was supposed to be. The worst feeling is crossing the same intersection twice…or 3 times, because at that moment, I realize that it would have been easier for me to just stop and be still rather than backtracking.

Now when I’m lost, I remind myself that I always have choices:
1. Friend(s): I can call the person(s) at the intended destination,
2. Stranger: I can ask some one where I am, or
3. Map: I can pull out a map and try to find direction on my own.

As simple as these solutions sound now, I realized that instead of turning to these options first, I only used them as a last resort after my intended arrival time had passed. My own ego prevented me from humbling myself to ask for help; I didn’t want to appear like I didn’t know what I was doing or where I was going to anyone…even a stranger. As a result, I ended up in a deeper hole, wasting more gas and arriving later than I would have had I just stopped the moment I noticed I was lost. I think to myself, how easy would it have been to just call my friend at the destination…the number was right there in my cell phone and if anyone knows how to get there, it’s the person that’s already there!

I hate being lost, but I realized that in life we only feel lost if we think everyone else knows where they are going. If we transform our perception of ourselves on this journey called life from “someone who is lost” to “someone who is seeking”, the stigma disappears. One person can not walk every path, but our collective experiences map what has already been explored. We are all seeking something; therefore, no one is really lost. Feel free to ask me for help whenever; I won’t judge you ☺