As I ponder over my lunch break what I am doing at 26, a quote that I keep on my wall catches my eye and makes me chuckle. “Hakuna Matata.” Perhaps The Lion King and memories of my three-year-old self can still teach me things.

A very self-aware over-thinker, repeatedly, I fall into my habit of dwelling too long on the things I do not know or the things I cannot change. In fact, I find uncertainty very scary, but I know I am not alone in thinking this.

However, what I’m gathering is that a lot to most of your 20s are like this: chaotic and ever-changing. I’m sorry if this is news to some, but I hope that by warning you now, it won’t be as abrupt when you first experience it. Perhaps I’ve just been naïve the past five years, but seriously, there is so much change and questioning going on ALL OF THE TIME. For instance, on a given day I could ponder: What am I doing with my life? What is the next step of my career? What do I really enjoy doing? Who am I? How do others see me? What should I write about that would be helpful in this blog? and so on…

While spending some time on these questions can definitely be helpful and overall a positive thing, trying to have an ultimate plan for your life, from what I have found, is just not possible. While that might be tricky to accept, the most important lesson I’m ascertaining is that it is OK not to have a master plan.

If you are one who isn’t relying on a master plan, good for you! On the other hand, if you consider yourself a planner and even have a vision for your future, don’t be totally caught off guard if life doesn’t go the way you plan. Heck, at 21 I thought I had it all planned out: career path, top companies for which to work, ideal locations to live. And after gaining some experience other than internships on what I thought was my dream, I found out that it was not my dream (didn’t see that coming, did you?)! So cue the soul searching/mind wandering/life pondering, and after all of the ambiguity, I ended up in a really great place that has been a wonderful fit for me. So imagine that: things happen for a reason and stuff works out. Despite this critical lesson I went through early on, I still struggle with this concept. I repeat, I still struggle with not knowing the exact next step when God has literally shown me that He has my back. Yes, the struggle is real…

So at this point, I harken back to “Hakuna Matata” and the irony blows me away. I have loved The Lion King for almost my entire life, and I have missed the main message of: it means “No Worries”. Therefore, in an effort to let go, I will continue to try out the list below, and I hope these suggestions offer help to others as well. In the meantime, I will leave you with another quote:

“Life begins at the end of your comfort zone.”

- Neale Donald Walsch -

Techniques to Embrace the Unknown:

• Live “Hakuna Matata” – Attempt to channel your Disney childhood and remember to not take things so seriously.
• Don’t Think – Well obviously you need to think, but this is more of an overthinking reminder. Try to enjoy the moment!
• Practice Mindfulness – Research has found that mindfulness training can alter the brain for good! Informative article here.
• Meditate – While your mind may still be actively racing, this is a short amount of time where you allow yourself to slow down. Take advantage!
• Do Yoga – A good exercise to get out of your own mind and focus on your body.