Moving from confusion to clarity when at a crossroads in life

I recently stumbled across the five paths by Richard Long, a piece of artwork representing five granite paths. It inspired me to reflect on those crossroads we often arrive at in life, where we are presented with a number of different options and yet feel confused as to which path to take.

It may feel like we’re being pulled in different directions, our head may be telling us to steer away from the path our heart is most drawn to and yet our gut instinct may be telling us something different altogether, leaving us in a state of confusion and uncertainty. 

Making choices in life that will inevitably affect the trajectory of our long term path can be daunting and overwhelming. 

• What if I make the 'wrong' choice?
• What if I miss out on a different opportunity?
• What if this path leads to unhappiness?

Questions like the above may be all-consuming, leaving little space to consider other possibilities, for example, what if this path leads to happiness and fulfilment?  

These fears are understandable yet can limit our thinking and drive us towards choices that may also inhibit our growth and development in life.

We don't want to grieve a life unlived in future years as a result of our fears and insecurities and yet we also want to make an informed choice that has the promise of creating positive change, and that’s aligned to our true selves. 

It’s easy to live, relate and act according to our narratives in life, the stories we tell ourselves based on our past may be limiting our true potential in the here and now.  We may believe our sense of worth is tied up in 'achieving' in a work context, making choices reflecting this that may go against our true path and core values in life, or we may have a deep fear of being abandoned and make decisions so as to avoid true intimacy.  

There are a myriad of stories that can block our paths to true fulfilment and happiness in life, and that can lead us down paths that may be limiting and misaligned to our truth. 

Our bodily responses can provide us with vital information about the choices we make in life. Yet we may disconnect from this embodied process and become stuck in our heads and our narrativees, feeling as though we’re going around in circles and overwhelmed by the options and the paths in front of us.  

Taking a moment to connect to our body and energy centres can open doors to different experiences, new perspectives and an inner knowing that brings us greater clarity as to which path to pursue. What is your heart telling you about this choice in front of you? What do you notice in your gut as you consider each path you’re considering? Put your hand on your heart and gut and notice how the energy feels. What sensations do you feel? If it was a colour what would it be? What might the texture be? Are there any images or sounds you associate with this feeling?

By exploring these untapped sources of energy and knowing we can feel more connected to our truth, we are able to move forward with clarity and confidence on the paths we choose in life.