I Don’t Know What to Do With My Life – Real Talk for When You Feel Lost

You know what’s crazy? Life is a trip.
And sometimes, you reach a point—maybe midlife, maybe any age—where you just stop and think, I don’t know what to do with my life.

You’re not alone in that.

We’re told to choose a path when we’re just teenagers—long before our brains are even fully developed. But what no one tells you is how common it is to reach midlife with more questions than answers. You look around and wonder, “Is this it?” or “What now?” or even, I don’t know what to do with my life anymore—and I’m supposed to have it figured out by now, right?

But what about when you’re 51?

What if you still don’t know?

What if you reach this age, with a fully developed brain, decades of experience, and still have no clue what you want to do with the rest of your life? What if the dreams feel foggy, your gifts feel tangled, and you’re stuck in the loop of second-guessing everything?

Life flies by.
You fall in love, raise babies, work jobs to make ends meet, and pour yourself out in a hundred directions.

Then one day, you look up and ask:
Where did I get off track?
Am I even off track?
Or is this moment exactly where I’m meant to be?

What I Mean When I Say “I Don’t Know What to Do With My Life

What if I wanted to set the world on fire with my strength and courage—but couldn’t find the strength to strike the match?
What if I had big dreams and let them slip by while I was too busy surviving?

One choice—one yes, one no—can change the entire course of a life.
And yet, what to do when you don’t know what to do with your life becomes the question that keeps circling. The quiet ache we don’t always admit.

Here’s what I do know:

Life is short.
I feel that now, more than ever.

I see my gifts more clearly as I age—but the question is, how do I use them while there’s still time?

I know I love people. I love making others laugh. I love making sure people feel seen and valued. That has always been true. And yet, I still don’t know where to start.

So here I am. Writing a blog that makes my heart whisper, “you’re on the right track.”
There’s no grand strategy behind it—just a deep desire to write, to be heard, to be real.

If someone else out there feels even an ounce of what I feel, then maybe we’re a little less alone.
Because the truth is… I don’t know what to do with my life, either.

Not fully. Not perfectly.
But maybe that’s okay.

I believe vulnerability is beautiful.
We don’t see it enough.

I hate small talk—give me soul talk.
Let’s skip the surface and get to the heart of it.
Let’s talk about this messy, meaningful ride called life.

So if you’re 51—or 31 or 71—and still don’t know what you want to be when you grow up, you’re in good company.
Maybe it’s not about money, houses, or cars.
Maybe it’s about the quiet peace of sitting with someone you love. Not saying a word. Just being there.

That’s what I know.
Love never fails.

And I think that might be the biggest gift God gave me—to love unconditionally, to offer empathy, and to be someone’s calm in the storm.

That makes me rich.

So if you’ve lost your way, that’s okay.
Just keep going.
One foot in front of the other.
You don’t have to have it all figured out.
Not even at 51.

💛

If you’re still in the thick of it and need a reminder that failure isn’t the end—it’s just part of the road—go read I Feel Like a Failure.
It’s raw, real, and proof that you’re not the only one still figuring out what to do when you don’t know what to do with your life.

💬 Note from Jen:

If this post hit something tender in you—even just a little—I’d love to hear your story. 💬
Whether you’re 51 or anywhere on the map of figuring-it-out, you’re not alone in this messy middle.

Drop a comment below and share where you’re at—starting over, feeling stuck, or simply searching for purpose.
This is a judgment-free, soul-honoring space.
So pull up a chair. I’m listening. And I’m cheering you on. 💛✨

Looking for some Encouragement and Hope? Check out these Ted Talks I listen to.