We grow up being told that clarity is the goal. That success looks like knowing exactly where you’re going – a perfectly mapped-out career path, a five-year plan, a timeline that neatly includes love, a home, purpose, and passion. But what if not knowing is where the real growth begins?

What if the space between “where I am” and “where I thought I’d be” is where we meet ourselves most honestly?

We’ve Been Conditioned to Chase Certainty

From a young age, I was the girl who had it all planned. Colour-coded revision timetables, A*s on my report card, extracurriculars that padded my CV before I even knew what a CV was. I thrived off of certainty: the gold star, the sense of being on track.

But what they don’t tell you is that perfectionism isn’t peace. That overachievement can be armour. And that life, real, unpredictable life, doesn’t always work to a timeline.

When I was forced to pause (and I mean really pause), the very idea of not knowing felt like failure. Like I had lost control.

But over time, I’ve come to realise something else: maybe letting go isn’t losing. Maybe it’s the beginning of something softer, truer, and far more human.

The Messy Middle Is a Season Too

It’s easy to romanticise clarity. But the truth is, the most transformative parts of life often happen when nothing makes sense.

The in-between is uncomfortable, I won’t lie (I’m there right now). It can feel like floating without an anchor. You start questioning your choices, your direction, your worth. But it’s also where you get to ask: What do I actually want? Who am I without the noise?

There is beauty in giving yourself permission to pivot. To change your mind. To rest. To not know.

Life is not a race to figure it all out. And even if you did, you’d still change. We are meant to change.

Trusting Yourself More Than the Plan

There’s power in learning to trust yourself, and not just the version of you who’s got it all together, but the one who’s unsure, tired, questioning everything.

She’s just as worthy. Just as capable.

Some days, you might feel like you’re treading water while everyone else is building castles. But what you don’t see is that you’re building too – just in a different way. You’re building trust. Resilience. Depth.

And in the end, those are the foundations that last.

So What If You Don’t Know?

Let this be your permission slip: you don’t have to have it all figured out. You’re not behind. You’re not failing. You’re simply enough.

There’s beauty in starting over. In exploring. In pausing long enough to hear your own voice again. There’s freedom in asking questions you don’t yet have the answers to.

And most importantly, there’s strength in choosing yourself, even when the path isn’t clear. Always put you and your mental health first. Above everything. Ditch the hustle culture and just be.

A Few Gentle Reminders to Take With You:

• You are allowed to take your time
• You are allowed to not have a plan
• You are allowed to be proud of how far you’ve come, even if you’re not sure where you’re going next
• You are not broken for being in the middle
• You don’t have to know in order to be enough

Wherever you are right now, you’re not alone in the uncertainty. And maybe, just maybe, you’re exactly where you need to be.