There are days when everything looks fine from the outside, but inside, something feels off.

You feel low, unmotivated, disconnected—but can’t quite explain why.

When this happens, pause.

You don’t need to rush to fix it.

But you can begin by checking in—gently, honestly—with different parts of your life.

You’re not starting from scratch.

You have frameworks. You’ve done hard things. You’ve built your life from nothing before.

This is just a reminder: you can start again today.

One piece at a time.

Step 1: Check in with your body and your basic needs

When your energy is low or your mood feels heavy, start here.

Ask:

• Have I eaten real food today? Three actual meals—not just snacks or coffee?
• Did I move my body?
• Did I take space in the morning to ground myself before diving into the world?
• Have I had even ten minutes of quiet, reflection, or stillness?
• Have I left the house?

Sometimes the heaviness isn’t existential—it’s physical.

Simple shifts that help:

• A morning routine with breath, food, and space
• Movement you enjoy: walking, swimming, biking, stretching
• Midweek rest days or creative breaks
• Leaving the house at least once—no matter how small the outing

Your body is not separate from your mind.

Start by taking care of it.

Step 2: Check in with joy and spontaneity

When was the last time you felt free?

Not productive. Not responsible.

Just free. Just alive. Just curious.

Joy doesn’t always arrive on its own. Sometimes you have to go out and find it.

Ask:

• Have I done anything playful or unplanned lately?
• Have I explored somewhere new—even just a few streets away?
• Am I allowing space for adventure, or just cycling through routine?

Ideas to try:

• Take a short drive or train ride with no destination
• Explore a new café or part of the city
• Plan a trip, even if it’s small—the act of planning can lift your energy
• Work from somewhere that inspires you—a library, a rooftop, a garden

Joy doesn’t need to be earned.

You’re allowed to create it, even now.

Step 3: Check in with the connection

Sometimes what you’re feeling isn’t sadness—it’s disconnection.

Humans need to be witnessed.

Not in big ways. Just enough to feel seen, remembered, included.

Ask:

• Have I reached out to anyone lately, or replied to the people I love?
• Am I isolating more than I realize?
• Have I had a conversation that wasn’t about work or logistics?

You don’t have to be wildly social.

But you do need to feel like you belong—to something, to someone, even in a small way.

What helps:

• Reach out to one person today—just to check in
• Invite someone for coffee, a walk, or something low-key
• Attend an event or gathering aligned with your interests (spiritual, creative, outdoors, intellectual)
• Offer something to others: organize a dinner, a hike, a creative circle

You don’t have to wait to be invited.

You get to create the kinds of connections you want to be part of.

Step 4: Check in with your sense of purpose

When you feel directionless, it’s easy to spiral into the story that you’re not doing enough.

But purpose doesn’t always come through output.

It often comes through presence and momentum.

Ask:

• Have I done anything recently that made me feel proud or engaged?
• Am I taking steps—however small—toward what I care about?
• Am I letting perfectionism stop me from starting?

Start where you are.

At work:

• Do your best work without overextending
• Make space to reflect on what kind of environment actually supports you
• Practice small acts of leadership and visibility: share your work, mentor someone, ask better questions
• Build relationships across roles—not just for career growth, but because collaboration gets easier when people trust you

Outside of work:

• Spend 15 minutes moving a personal project forward
• Reconnect with your bigger goals and revisit why they matter
• Reach out to someone in your field to learn how they navigated similar transitions
• Let exploration be part of your growth process—not every move needs a defined outcome

You are not behind.

You’re just in a season that requires patience, intention, and trust.

Bonus: Use both logic and intuition

When something feels off, use both sides of yourself to check in.

Logic:

• What’s missing from my routine right now?
• Which values feel unmet?
• What habits or patterns do I already know that help me feel better?

Intuition:

• Say words out loud like home, freedom, belonging, joy.
• Notice what comes up.
• What do you long for? What do you resist?
• Where does your body contract—and where does it feel spacious?

You already know the answers.

You just have to slow down long enough to hear them.

Final note

If you’re feeling off right now, that’s okay.

You’re allowed to pause. You’re allowed to feel.

But don’t forget: you have tools.

You’ve lived through a transition. You’ve rebuilt before.

You don’t have to figure everything out today.

Just check in.

Be gentle.

Choose one next step.

And start again.