For Those Who Wander: Finding Hope in the In-Between By Tristen Vieaux, MA, NCC, LPC, ACS, RYT
Finding Permission to Wander When Life Changes
What if feeling lost isn’t always a sign that we’ve taken the wrong path?
Sometimes, wandering is simply what happens when life changes.
A career ends. A relationship shifts. A child grows up. Grief arrives unexpectedly. Anxiety makes the future feel uncertain. Or perhaps we simply reach a point where the life we once knew no longer feels like the life we’re meant to live.
In those moments, we often want answers.
We want a map.
We want to know exactly where we’re going and how long it will take to get there.
But as a licensed professional counselor, wellness practitioner, and author, I’ve learned that healing rarely follows a straight line.
There are detours. There are pauses. There are moments when moving forward means simply taking the next breath and choosing one small step.
Perhaps we don’t need the entire map.
Perhaps we need permission to wander.
That idea has shaped much of my writing.
My first book, Unearthing Inner Gold, explores the process of discovering the strength, wisdom, and resilience that can become buried beneath life’s experiences. Anxiety, grief, burnout, trauma, and expectations can sometimes disconnect us from the parts of ourselves that once felt most alive.
But buried does not mean gone.
Sometimes healing is about uncovering what was already there.
My newest book, Letters to Those Who Wander: A Poetic Travel Companion for the Anxious Soul, continues that journey.
Written for those navigating anxiety, uncertainty, faith, transition, and the questions that accompany change, the book combines poetry, reflection, prayer, journaling activities, and practical anxiety-regulation skills.
I wanted it to feel less like a book telling readers what they should do and more like a companion sitting beside them.
Something to reach for on a difficult morning.
Something to read while traveling.
Something to return to when the next step feels unclear.
Living in Colorado has also shaped the way I think about wandering. There is something about being surrounded by mountains and open space that reminds us that perspective can change when we change our vantage point.
Sometimes we need to stop climbing long enough to notice where we are.
Sometimes the trail becomes clearer only after we’ve taken the next step.
And sometimes the destination isn’t the most important part of the journey.
The transformation happening along the way is.
So, if you find yourself in an uncertain season, perhaps consider a different question.
Instead of asking, “How do I find my way?”
Ask:
“What is the next right step?”
It might be resting.
It might be asking for help.
It might be setting a boundary.
It might be reconnecting with your faith.
It might be stepping outside and taking a breath.
It might simply be giving yourself permission not to have all the answers today.
You may not be lost.
You may simply be between chapters.
And sometimes, the most meaningful chapters of our lives begin when we stop demanding that we know exactly where the road is taking us.
Take the next step.
Let the rest unfold.
About the Author
Tristen Vieaux, MA, NCC, LPC, ACS, RYT, is a licensed professional counselor, clinical supervisor, wellness practitioner, and author. She is the founder of Chara Yoga & Wellness Collaborative and the author of Unearthing Inner Gold and Letters to Those Who Wander: A Poetic Travel Companion for the Anxious Soul.
Learn more about Tristen and her work at www.charayogawellness.com.
