The Art Of Being Lost

"The art of living lies in a fine mingling of letting go and holding on."

I was able to convince myself for some time that I was the type of person who was always in control of her emotions, her destiny, her everything. Then...I met this year. Everything is upside down and inside out, and I've come to realize that I seriously have no idea what I am doing. With anything. Ever. Does anyone, really?

For someone who finds stability in being in constant control, I've been left feeling like I just drank three long islands and proceeded to go on a tilt-a-whirl. Bad life decisions, I tell you...but that's a whole other entry in itself. How do you fix this? You don't. You drank the long islands, you went on that stupid ride, and now you're stumbling around like a fool. The only solution, besides more cowbell, is to stumble in style:

1. Own it. As Abe Lincoln once said, "Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak out and remove all doubt" (which is a rip-off of Proverbs 17:28, by the way). Personally, I prefer to speak out and remove all doubt that I'm not a fool. What of it?

2. Stay optimistic. What's so bad about not having all of the answers? Nothing is as black and white as we would like it to be sometimes, and that's the beauty in the process. Think of it as a challenge rather than a stumbling block.

3. Play fair. Relationships and friendships can be tumultuous and confusing. They can be the reason you were compelled to down those long islands in the first place. It's important to be be fair to yourself and be honest with what you need, but it's equally as paramount to bestow that same honesty and respect onto all of the involved parties. I've been struggling to learn the difference between pleasing people vs. respecting people.

4. Hold your head high and treat yourself as if you are the coolest person you have ever met. Nobody else will be able to tell that you feel otherwise.

Some friends and I were leaving a restaurant today, and I marched off towards the car, leading the way. I was on a mission. "Tiffany, where are you GOING?" I heard my friends laughing as I turned around to see that I had not only passed our car, but I was walking in the entirely wrong direction.

"See, guys, this is why I said to NEVER follow Tiffany."

Okay, so I'm always lost. Maybe you shouldn't follow me. Maybe I'm on the wrong mission. As long as I'm headed somewhere, I'm fine with that. We all get lost, but it's all about wandering aimlessly in style until you eventually find your way back.