My husband’s grandmother, Mama, as she was called by all, had an amazing expression that summed up what so many of us feel today. When she was feeling “off” – lonely, bored or grumpy – she would say, “I just can’t find a place for myself.”
It was so simple yet so powerful, from “where do I fit in at this party” to “why can’t I seem to settle” to “who is looking out for me now,” it had multiple meanings. Many of us today when we experience the feeling of “I just can’t find a place for myselves” pick up our phones. We search for something that will make us feel connected or make us “feel” anything. We have all gotten far away from the ability to remain “in the feeling.”
“I just can’t find a place for myself” is a hard and uncomfortable feeling and takes bravery to ask why. The road to finding a place for ourselves starts with that simple statement and acknowledgement – I am uncomfortable now. Pausing to reflect on the moment gives you the ability to try to “name” the feeling, the first step in addressing it.