Sometimes life feels less like a clear path and more like...well, being lost in a metaphorical forest with no map.

We get bogged down by worries, overwhelmed by choices, or so sidetracked that we forget why we set off on this journey in the first place. Sound familiar?

Trust me, I am no stranger to existential or real forests.

In fact, I once got very, very lost in a forest while mountain biking with some college friends in the dense redwoods near my Northern California coastal university.

Since I was very out of shape back then my friends had peddled on without me. I had no compass, no map, and not even a granola bar for sustenance. (And if you’re thinking, “What a dope for leaving his phone behind!” It was 1990. Phones were still stuck to walls back then.)

All I could do was rely on some seriously stripped-down basics: the sun's position and my vague sense that the ocean was in a westerly direction.

Life, much like the forests of Northern California, sometimes puts us on confusing and overgrown trails.

Here's the thing: even when it feels like you have nothing to go on, you actually do.

Let's explore how to find your bearings in times of uncertainty:

1. Vince Lombardi Yourself: You gotta start with what you know. "Gentlemen, This is a football," as Coach Lombardi famously said to his Green Bay Packers while holding up the ball that was causing so much agony for the team. Return to your core truths. Who are you really? What drives you? It might feel silly to define the basics, but when you're lost, a return to the fundamentals can be a lifesaver.

2. Find Your West: Don't have a grand plan? Don't sweat it. Pick a general direction based on the little information you do have. West led me toward the ocean (and thankfully out of the forest). For you, that might mean choosing action over inaction, focusing on one tiny goal, or just deciding to make a small decision.

3. The Magic of Movement: Once you start moving along the trail, you start getting feedback. That fallen tree is familiar...that bird call isn't. You can course-correct as you go. The key is to escape that initial paralysis by taking action.

I eventually emerged from those woods. And you will get out of your forest, too.

Uncertainty isn't forever, and even when it feels overwhelming, you have the tools within you to navigate it.

Trust yourself and take the next step. 🙂