This is What Happened When I Stopped Trying to "Figure It Out"

You Don't Need More Answers, You Just Need Trust

Isn’t trying to figure it out exhausting?

The endless questions, the repeating thoughts, the constant search for answers— it’s enough to drive anyone mad.

When I was trying to “figure out” my money situation and consolidate my debt, I spent hours, days, weeks obsessing over the number in my bank account.

Was it enough to cover groceries, gas, and rent? Could I afford a drink out with my friends or should I spent another night home alone? What was the best way to pay back my debt without sacrificing everything I loved?

I was sure that if I just thought about it for long enough, the answer would somehow come to me. The perfect job, the right payment plan, the solution to all my problems.

But no matter how much I planned, organized, and questioned, I never did get the answers I was looking for. And for that, I am eternally grateful.

Because all that time looking for answers taught me a valuable lesson: I didn’t need another answer, I needed to let go of the need for one.

Getting Away from Information Overload

This time last year, I was consuming A LOT of information.

I probably spent an average of 4 hours every day listening to business podcasts, reading self help books, and watching YouTube tutorials. I was sure that the next podcast, chapter, or video would hold the answers to all of my problems.

I allowed myself to live in a state of information overload for months, consuming other people’s thoughts and ideas with a sort of wild abandon. And while there’s nothing wrong with gathering information, there is such a thing as too much of a good thing.

The trouble was, all of the advice, thoughts, and opinions I was consuming drowned out my own thoughts. The voice inside my head couldn’t compete.

I’ve always found comfort in the gathering of information. It makes me feel safe—like the more I know, the more protected I am from the unknown.

But life is the unknown.

And as much as I may have wanted to, I couldn’t think my way out of my old way of living.

See, our minds only know what we’ve experienced. And when we had them the reins and ask them to figure it out, we end up going round and round in circles.

When I finally broke myself out of consumption mode, I saw clearly that I didn’t really need more information to feel safe. I had to learn to trust myself to see the answers when they were right in front of me.

Two Pieces of Advice That Changed Everything

In the aftermath of information overload, I was exhausted. I felt like an overwatered plant, bogged down by an excess of ideas. It took some time to sift through it all, and some clear boundaries around how much information I could consume.

There were two pieces of advice that really helped me let go of overconsumption and rediscover my own voice:

1. Create before you consume.

Instead of starting my day consuming more information, I began to prioritize creation. Every morning, I would write, meditate, make videos, and create something new.

Creating before you consume allows you to hear your own voice before you get swept up in others'. It helps you stay true to yourself and ensures the information you consume enhances what’s already inside, rather than drowning it out.

2. Share Why It Matters to You

Consuming other people’s ideas can be powerful—but do it too often, and you start to shape your thoughts around theirs. Their opinions begin to feel like your own, and before long, you forget what any of it truly means to you.

So, instead of sharing facts or information you learned from others, focus on why it matters to you. How did this information change you? What role did it play in your story?

When you share from a more personal place, your personality and voice can shine through more clearly than ever, and that’s when your message will really start to resonate.

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Those two rules helped me climb out of the fog and find my own voice again. And when I did, things started to shift in the most unexpected, beautiful ways.

The Results

Here’s what changed when I gave up figuring it all out.

I stopped asking ‘How? When? Why? What?’ and started trusting that I’d recognize the right path when it showed up—like when I said yes to a new opportunity that scared me and felt like, “this is right.”

When we rely on others to give us the information we think we need, we forget that the answers we need were inside us all along. We think we need more information, but what we really want is the knowledge that everything is going to be okay.

If you practice trusting yourself to recognize the right path, you may be surprised at how easily you see what is meant for you and what isn’t. I know I was.

I unfollowed, unsubscribed, and just generally cleaned house when it comes to the information I take in— which helped restore confidence in my own voice.

The silence in the wake of information overload was deafening at first. But slowly and surely, the silence gave way to the sound of my own voice.

My voice didn’t appear all at once. First, came the subtle messages from my body, next the whispers from my heart, and finally the gentle nudges from my intuition. As I listened to the voice inside, my communication outside also improved.

I discovered what I actually think about posting on social media, hustle culture, and sharing your story online.

Turns out, I don’t believe you have to post constantly to make an impact. I believe you can go slow and still make meaningful content. And I no longer worry about what other people are doing, but focus on what lights me up instead.

I was able to be more present with what I have rather than constantly thinking about what I don’t, like how lovely it is to sit in my pink chair, journaling and snuggling with my cat.

Constantly searching for answers comes from a place of lack. And in all that searching, you miss what’s right in front of you. When you stop looking, you realize just how much you’ve been missing.

I manifested a living situation that was better than I could’ve imagined with a view, great lighting, and a porch where I can drink my morning coffee.

In my wildest dreams, I never could have imagined ending up where I am right now. I thought I was going to be stuck forever trying to figure it out—obsessing over what comes next with every ounce of brainpower I could spare. But once I opened myself up to what was right for me, the right things just flooded in. And I didn’t have to do anything to make it happen.

The Quiet Power of Trusting the Unknown

So, next time you find yourself exhausted from trying to figure it all out— I urge you to pause and take a deep belly breath.

Ask yourself: Do I really want an answer? Or am I looking for safety in the face of the unknown?

Breathe deeply, allow the uncertainty and doubt and fear to move through you. And in their wake, allow your own inner voice to speak to you— soft as breath, quiet as morning light, certain as the seasons.

Clarity doesn’t come from more information, it comes from trust. And trust starts with feeling at home in your body.

Your assignment this week is to practice not knowing. To let life sort itself out for once. To let go of overthinking and overanalyzing. To stop trying to figure it out.

You don’t have to think your way into the next chapter.

You can feel your way forward.

You can let it unfold.

Because when you stop forcing answers and start listening inward, life has a way of surprising you—in all the best ways.

With love and light,

This Week’s Journaling Prompt:

What are you trying to figure out? What’s the worst that could happen if you let go of the need for answers and allowed life to surprise you instead? Journal about both the best and worst case scenarios, and then let that shit go.

And don’t forget to share this newsletter with someone who loves to consume, consume, consume.

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