I used to think being lost was the worst thing—stumbling around with no real sense of direction, forcing one foot in front of another without a clear destination in sight. We strive for a sense of belonging, a place that’s inclusive to only us. What’s important to realize isn’t the act of being lost, it’s what we learn in the process of finding ourselves.
Losing yourself shifts your perspective.
Imagine the hardest time of your life; now amplify that by 10. When we’re at a crossroad with who we are and who we want to be but don’t know how to intermix the two, we’re forced to change our perspective. It allows for us to see ourselves in our real and raw state, unphased by holding anything back. If we can dig deeper into who we are and what we want, then we’re able to see the light in a different perspective.
Losing yourself allows you to grow.
It happens slowly, then suddenly it happens all at once. Growing happens through experience, and experience happens over time. You never imagine how an experience will change you until you’re on the other side looking in. The hardest times bring out the strongest people, and that can only be acknowledged after growth takes place.
Losing yourself makes you appreciative.
When you’re at the absolute lowest point, the only place you can go is up. The moment when you feel like you can’t get any lower, is the point that you know it can only get better from here on out. If we didn’t have the bad times, we couldn’t appreciate the good times. Losing yourself allows for you to appreciate all that you have, everywhere you’ve been, and everywhere you’re going. You walk out on the other side appreciating life just a little bit more than you ever realized you could.
Losing yourself saves others.
It’s easy to get caught up in yourself when you feel like you’re drowning. Flailing your arms, gasping for air, begging to be saved. It would be easiest to submerge yourself in your own feelings, welcoming self-pity. But what’s most important is helping others. Saving other people that are experiencing the same feelings you are, knowing that they aren’t alone in their fight to be found.
Losing yourself helps you find yourself.
Everybody craves to feel a sense of belonging. A place where they can feel loved, and that they matter. If we never lose ourselves, we may never understand how gratifying it is to find ourselves. It allows for us to dig deeper than we ever have before, revealing the truth about who we are and what we want. Experiences change us. They mold us, they shape us, and they prepare us. They prepare us for the present and the future, allowing us to help others. Being lost doesn’t mean that you’ll be lost forever. After all, we’re all just walking each other home.