Big Girl Panties Diaries – Entry #89 Lost? Rerouting (Spoiler: Your True North Isn’t on Google Maps.)
I’ve been spinning a lot of compasses lately. Honestly, some days it feels like my life is one long GPS meltdown: “Lost satellite connection… rerouting… please make a U-turn when possible.”
We talk about true north like it’s obvious—like there’s a glowing arrow pointing straight to clarity, purpose, calling. But in real life? The needle wobbles. Sometimes it points to ambition. Sometimes to comfort. Sometimes it just spins in circles until I’m dizzy enough to pull over and question everything.
The Anchor Story
I once thought my north star was career achievement—titles, offices, paychecks. I followed that arrow with everything I had… and when I arrived, I still felt lost. It was like driving with the GPS volume off: technically I got where I was going, but I couldn’t tell you if it was where I belonged.
Magnetic vs. True North
Here’s the thing: magnetic north pulls you toward what’s shiny—approval, achievement, stability. But magnetic north shifts depending on the terrain. True north doesn’t. It’s steady, stubborn, and simple: your values, your character, your unshakable core. The real work is noticing when you’re being pulled by one and not the other.
The Messy Middle of Navigation
Finding true north isn’t a one-time revelation—it’s constant recalibration. Like when Siri says, “Proceed to the route.” Um, thanks, but I’m already in the Starbuck’s drive-thru. Life is the same: we wander, we recalculate, we course-correct. The messy middle isn’t failure—it’s the map updating in real time. (see: Messy Middle, Part 1)
A Leadership Tie-In
This applies at work, too. I’ve seen leaders chase magnetic north—quarterly wins, flashy announcements, “optics.” But the best leaders? They steer by true north—values, trust, consistency. Even when the road is bumpy, their people know where they’re headed. (see: Decision Fatigue)
What I’m Learning
🧭 When I stop chasing approval, my compass steadies. 🧭 When I put down the mask, the arrow clears. (see: Catfish Chic) 🧭 When I let go of what’s “expected,” I get closer to what’s true. (see: Freedom Looks Good on Me)
True north isn’t found in the stars—it’s found in the stillness between your heartbeats. (see: Cosmic Banana Peels)
Big Girl Panties Diaries: You already know the way. The hard part isn’t finding your true north. It’s trusting yourself enough to follow it.