I often receive emails that go something like this:
“Henri, I’m confused about my direction in life. I don’t know where to start, or what my passion is.”
If there’s anything I’ve noticed in my life, it’s that confusion is a given.
Even though I’m doing what I love, I experience confusion. And sometimes I feel lost.
The good news is that the confusion is normal.
The bad news is that our mind’s want to get rid of the confusion, which only makes it worse.
There’s nothing you have to do about being confused. Simply let it be, and let it unravel itself.
The video
As always, below is a short video that complements this article.
If you want to dive deeper into this topic, watch the video before you read the rest of this article.
If you want more videos like this, subscribe to my YouTube channel.
You don’t have to be clear to live your life
I don’t need to be free of confusion to follow my inner GPS.
Confusion comes from the mind, but the mind is not in charge of making the decisions in my life.
The mind is a beautiful tool for exploration and communication. But when you try to use it to make decisions, you end up confused.
I use my mind to explore life, to learn, to share what I know, but once I have enough data, I relax.
My inner GPS will bring me clarity when the time is right.
But this is where you need to experiment with your inner GPS. Your mind will tell you that you need to make a decision right now. It feels urgent, but it’s not.
The way I learned to trust my heart, my inner GPS, is to challenge these thoughts. If my mind says that I have to act, I see what happens if I don’t.
And you know what I’ve discovered?
The mind doesn’t know what it’s talking about. Most of the time, the mind creates the problem it’s trying to get rid of.
It’s natural to feel confused from time to time. Confusion precedes insight and clarity.
When I’m learning something new, confusion is present. Living life through my heart means that I surrender to the uncertainty of life.
For many, this will seem completely backwards. That’s why you need to conduct your own experiments, and uncover your own answers.
My mind wants to figure things out, but I’ve learned to trust my vehicle, my heart, my inner GPS.
If something needs to be figured out, it will be.
I’m not saying to stop thinking
I’m saying to stop obsessing.
My mind is a tool to be used for exploration, research, and communication. It’s what I use right now to write this article.
I love it.
But on the darkest of days, when I feel confused and full of fear, my mind will want to fix things. Yet there’s nothing to fix.
I live life one moment at a time. Clarity comes when it comes.
I feel confused like anyone else. The difference is that I know that it’s a part of life.
I don’t have to fight my way out of the fog. The fog disappears on its own. I do my best, but once frustration knocks on the door, I stop, and let go.
But don’t just believe me.
Experiment, and discover how this works for you.
All the coolest,
Henri
P.S. My book, Follow Your Heart: 21 Days to a Happier, More Fulfilling Life, is a great way to dive deeper into how your inner GPS works, and how to live life on your terms.
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I love what you said here. This part especially resonated with me: “There’s nothing you have to do about being confused. Simply let it be, and let it unravel itself.” I have struggled with the urge to have all the answers but have done well by reminding myself to “Be Here Now,” in this very moment. Because this moment is all that I truly have, and I trust that everything I need (all power, strength, and ability) exists within me. I can handle whatever I face today, and when tomorrow comes, I’ll have new wisdom and strength for the day. Thanks for all you do to encourage others, Henri!
Yes indeed. Explore all you want, but do it out of joy, and because you want to. Don’t do it out of obligation, in order to fix something. Sounds like you’re well on your way though, Rica. Thanks for the comment!
Good morning, Henri,
Your video talk and your writing re: THE INNER GPS resonates with me. I am an avid internet researcher and I can get ‘hung up’ on making decisions. I need your reminder, so simply and wisely stated, on THE INNER GPS. Thank you.
I am old enough to be your mother, so, please take this comment with tolerance. I notice in this video that you have had a very close haircut. I hope that you are well, and if you are still living in Finland, I hope you have a snug hat. You know what they say about having a cold head. I always want you and your loved ones to be well and happy, and though you are much more advanced in your psyche than Samson, you still need your hair for warmth in a northern country. I hope it is growing out and that you will tolerate this friendly advice.
Thanks again.
Cornelia
Glad to hear it resonated, Cornelia.
Oh, and don’t you worry. We have plenty of clothes and snug hats here 😉
Hi Henri,
I’m so glad I stumbled on your website. Your blogs are ALWAYS inspiring and just what I need in the moment. Thanks for sharing your heart truth with us o that we can discover our truth. Be blessed.
Awesome! Thanks Elize.
I really like how you have depicted the conflict between the head and the heart. Being a person that feels most comfortable when going Mach 5, my brain can go into overtime to “create the [sic] confusion” when not much is going on or when the paths aren’t opening for the next thing to go do. But what I have noticed is that the more I live by the heart, the more my inner GPS is antiquated. Wonder if there was an GPS 2.0 upgrade that I missed or something :-). Tack/Kiitos.
Great article, Henri!
My mind is confused as hell and I keep getting multiple thoughts all at the same time. This prevents me from doing the work at hand and I regret it later. I have been working on calming down my mind because I know that all the thoughts I get are important and I just have to prioritize them to sort things out.
As you said in the article, follow the inner GPS and that’s what I am going to do! 🙂
Hey Henri
Thank you so Much again for an awesome post. I have been a constant visitor of your blog from a year now and you have inspired me to start my own blog.
You have inspired and cleared my doubts in a single post many times.
Thank You again for such an wonderful post!!!!
Lovely post. The mind rides like a wave – sometimes it goes up, sometimes down – and there isn’t any point in fighting it. So it’s best to just enjoy the good times and allow the confusion/sadness to come and go as it must. Whenever I think of this I’m reminded of the quote “This too shall pass” – it’s both a freeing and frightening thought. 🙂
Hey Henri,
Thanks for another stellar article!
I’ve noticed a common thread that runs through the fabric of many of your articles, the idea of following your inner GPS.
I started doing that some years ago after reading a magnificent book that expounds on that very idea. It literally changed my life.
Your advice, “There’s nothing you have to do about being confused. Simply let it be, and let it unravel itself.”
A mentor once told me, “Don’t sweat the small stuff, the details will untangle themselves if you don’t fret over them.”
I’ve practiced this advice and have found that being confused simply means that I haven’t made up my mind yet. I just relax and allow the solution to unfold naturally without my complicating things beyond repair.
Thank you for you candor and your simplicity in your writing!
Stop obsessing- I needed to hear this! I get so caught up in figuring everything out. Letting it be might be the hardest thing for me.
Sometimes, i get confused about everything in life, but there is something i’ve come to understand; the more i think about it, the more weak and pissed off i become.
I just have to let things be and let it go. That makes me cool and lively all time.
Thanks henri, am grateful for this article.
As always Henri….i Love your articles,as I sit here and read this on my rainy porch I IOWA, USA. Your the best my friend. My ex already loves your stuff also. THANK-YOU YOU.
Hi Henri,
I am 19 years old and a sophomore in college, I want to thank you for this article because I’m experiencing so much confusion right now of what is life supposed to be like what I SHOULD be doing. So reading “I’m not saying to stop thinking but to stop obsessing” that in itself was very comforting.
THANK YOU