Living Forward: A Proven Plan to Stop Drifting and Get the Life You Want

Let me take you on a gentle journey, one that begins not with a thunderclap but with a whisper—a subtle shift in the wind, a quiet current beneath the surface. Imagine you’re in a small boat, adrift on a calm sea. The sky is soft, the waves gentle, and there’s a sense of peace, but also a quiet unease. You’re not quite sure how you got here, or even where here is. This is the experience of drifting, and it’s far more common than you might think.

Drifting isn’t about laziness or lack of ambition. It’s what happens when we let life happen to us, instead of steering with intention. Sometimes, it’s because we’re simply unaware—no one ever taught us to plan for our lives, so we follow the currents of expectation and habit. Other times, it’s distraction: the endless notifications, the ever-growing to-do list, the demands of others that keep us from focusing on what matters most. Overwhelm is another culprit. Life piles on, and we promise ourselves we’ll focus on our health, our marriage, our dreams—just as soon as things slow down. But they never do. And then there’s deception: those quiet, insidious beliefs that whisper, ‘It’s too late to change,’ or ‘You don’t have what it takes.’

The consequences of drifting are as gentle as the drift itself—at first. Confusion sets in, as you lose sight of your purpose. You spend time and energy on things that don’t matter, missing opportunities that could have changed your course. Pain follows, often quietly: a strained relationship, a missed moment with a child, a health scare that could have been prevented. And finally, regret. The ‘if onlys’ pile up, and you wonder how things might have been different if you’d only paid attention to the direction you were going.

But here’s the truth: drifting is universal, but it is not inevitable. Everyone, at some point, wakes up to find themselves off course. The stories in this book are filled with people who seemed to have it all together, only to realize they were miles from where they wanted to be. The good news is, recognizing the drift is the first step to changing your story.

So as we set sail on this journey together, I invite you to pause and look around. Where are you drifting? What currents are carrying you away from your dreams? Awareness is the beginning of transformation. And as we move forward, you’ll discover how to pick up the oars, set your course, and steer with intention. The next section will show you that you’re not alone in this, and that there’s a way back to purpose, clarity, and hope.