North Star

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I am sure this is not a new concept and lots of people have come across it in a shape or another. We either encounter it formally through various personal improvement courses, or we read about it or we just use it naturally in our day to day lives, without thinking too much of theories or even knowing what is called. We also call it differently and use it based on our needs at certain points in our life.

It is worth acknowledging that we either apply this naturally without previous knowledge or we have been trained to use it and reap the benefits.

And then there is the case when we do not use it at all and its absence is a force that we do not fell and miss acutely. We lose our compass, we feel like we are drifting aimlessly and go through existential crisis. Most of the time we do not understand why this uncertain state is happening, as we are neither aware nor trained to recognise the signals. We might not even know that we are missing something and unable to figure out what to do about it.

But what is a North Star? For me, it is a guiding principle that I use to help me make decisions. It is not a goal in itself, although it could be interpreted as such. It is more of a compass that tells me if I am getting closer or farther away from what I am trying to achieve. It is not a framework to say yes or no or an easy way to get out of making decisions. For we are free to make whatever choice we feel is right for us and live with the consequences of that choice. And remember that life is not about black and white, right and wrong.

When do we use it? It can be as simple as use it when facing into a decision by understand if that gets you closer to your North Star or not. If it doesn’t, you have the choice of saying no and walk away.

But you can also see that the choice might take you in the same direction of travel, but with a slight detour and not via a direct path. And it is in your power to continue, knowing that at some point you will need to adjust direction.

Our North Stars can be big or small, life changing goals or less important but relevant to the stage of our life that we at. It can be a life principle or a goal we want to attain. It can be anything that we want or need. And it can change over time, just as we are changing and our priorities shift.

But by all means have on. By having it, gives meaning to your life and helps you to move in a purposeful direction as opposed to wandering.

Find your North Star today. It can be easy as you might already unconsciously know what it is. Or it might take a bit of soul searching and really thinking about what you want from life and yourself. Do not despair if you cannot find it. Sometimes the clouds might cover the stars. But remember that clouds are not permanent and all we need to do is be patient and give orselves time.

Once you find your North Star and put it up in the sky it will be a guiding light that will help you stay the course. You will continue to use its light to guide your path and understand your choices better.