How do you deal with the feeling of knowing you should be doing something, but not knowing what it is?

Arises is a feeling ‘of knowing’ (I would question the knowing aspect of this) you should be doing something.

That is part one. I mean for me it would be as suggested “arises is a feeling I should be doing something” (there is a felt Knowing but that is of Reality and not what one should or should not do. Though it influences doing and not doing)

Part 1 is the arising of the feeling.

part 2 is: it is not known what it is i am to do according to the feeling that I should.

This is the experience then. Whatr is the “how to deal with it” part?

Again notice: there is a feeling which says do something. It is for you called a knowing. Okay.

There is also not knowing what it is. Okay.

Again this is the experience. First what gives the impression that there is anything to deal with here? Then let me ask you to consider how you already “deal” with it? There is some motivation that this experience of feeling to do and no knowledge of what to do needs to be dealt with. I suspect the feeling of ‘I should do’ is is the fuel to do and not knowing what to use that fuel for or in what way brings parts…

Part 3: I need to find/figure/discover/inquire as to what i am to do.

Part 4: lots of effort. My guess is mental effort. Analyzing. Figuring out as if you are taking an advanced mathematics test and you know you need to apply a formula but you don’t know which formula.

Part 5: asking on quora and the question you ask here.

How is this working for you? Again go back to the direct and immediate experience. Feeling i should do. Don’t know what I should do. Here are possible ways to go about it…

1: Nothing. go about your day and next day and next day… The experience you describe is the experience. It is not the sole or only experience. It may feel more pressuring. Why? Because the feeling that arises is met with it’s oppositional force of no solution. No knowledge of what to do which the feeling is interpreted to need. This is a build up of pressure. It may continue to build up. That building up of pressure is then the experience. What is needed to be done with experience as is, comfortable or uncomfortable? I must deal with it is also the experience.

2: sit with the feeling of “I should do something.” lean into the feeling I should do something. Add to this “I don’t know what I should do.” when both of these are combined i will use the word “conflict.” If there is another word that seems better for you then consider what that is. Here lets say conflict. “I should…” “I don’t know what I should”. Sit in this seemingly opposing energy (conflict). Sit in conflict. Do not leave this convict experience. Not for the time you are setting aside for this. 5 minutes, 20 minutes or longer (probably not longer unless you are have a regular meditation practice of some kind.) Maybe just a couple minutes, depending on your temperament. Trust the length of time that seems right for you if you do this.

3: Question the feeling of knowing that there is something you should do something. Meaning, is it arising as a feeling from a deep place in you? Is it a feeling or a product of conditioning. Is this stemming from a way of orienting yourself according to your conditioning? This is not to say throw it out if you see that it is. Is it originating more as a feeling first or thoughts (possibly a thought cycle which rises in consciousness at times and fades from conscious recognition of it only to return). Thought/belief could be generating the feeling. Especially if it is an unconscious belief. Unconscious beliefs can rise in consciousness as feeling first, thought first or both simultaneously. Here I am emphasizing beliefs are not in thought alone. Thought narrative and the correlative feelings can both be products of belief. Again I am not telling you to discard it if it is… just see for now in anyway you can or be aware of it. Whatever this means to you, the seeing or being aware of.

4: What answer is yours when it is asked to you: Is this feeling of knowing that you should do something attached to some kind of general “what you should do”? Is it attached to seeking knowledge; improving your life; helping/contributing to world/people/beings; living/family life/social relations/career income; following passion or dream; peace/joy. Is there some vague category at all, which you find this “should do” within, no matter how vague? If this is the case feel into that theme/category.

5: when you consider the feeling of knowing, minus or before any notion of the what it is or how you do not know what it is, what word/words/labels/feeling quality and even symbols/images that can be placed on the feeling itself. Not on the “what it is you should do” which is more of #4?

6: Have you been denying or surprising an innate joy/calling/desire of expressing or doing or being in the world? Have you conformed to other people’s expectations of what you should be doing or seeking to achieve in your life. Let me express it this way: Is there a song in you that is seeking to be let out? How have you listened or not listened to releasing your inner song or (changing here}…. have you not been as true to yourself as you would like? If so, do you know in what way you have not been true to yourself enough? Is there an aspect of yourself you continually put off for the future? An aspect/deep desire of you that you put off for when the condition are more right?

7: Going along with the above questioning: is there some type of inability, disability, lack of capability, whether true or believed/identified with? These questions are not to be thought of as tied to the “something you should do” not here not now. Just consider these questions if you choose to.

The options here could go on and on. Consider helplessness. The feeling of helplessness. What is that like for you? Needing to do something but unable to do something. As example: If a loved one is in pain of any kind and you really want to help them deal or overcome the pain/issue but you do not know how to help or have an inability to help or act on that help…. what arises with this feeling of helplessness? I usually do not say what I am about to but… In your past, what was a major experience, if any, of helplessness?

The thing at hand is not to immediately jump to “how do I figure out what to do”. As you phrase the question “how to deal with”… that is far better than how figure out what to do. You are seeking not simply some: I need to apply an action i am to do immediately. This entire experience may actually be opening you up, or posing the opportunity to open you up to self-discovery. It may be revealing something about you to take a look at. This experience may not be looking for you to solve anything but to say here you are… you a piece of you which is to be looked at. Maybe it is related to past experiences which you are carrying with you as baggage, It is not unneeded baggage for you here. For if this is the case it is the baggage which may be asking to be looked at before it can be healed/released or let go of. Understand to let go or release a thing is not to simply get rid of that thing. It is a transformative experience to one degree or another.

I will leave you with this. What I am suggesting here is to not skip over the deeper aspect of this to just go figure out what you are to do and find a way to do it. I am suggesting that this whole experience is a way of saying: know yourself or be yourself or recognize a thing(s) about yourself. Your life is not needing you to hurry up and do. If it was Life would let you know the doing. It may not if a person is not open to that. But you are open to that. Otherwise you would not be entertaining this whole thing at all. So if there is a thing life really needs you to do, you will do it. How is this known? because this wouldn’t arise for you in any real conscious way if you were not open to being moved by the doing of whatever it may be.

Last thing which may not apply for you at all and that is fine! Just an option: If you are of a religious or spiritual tradition of any kind and to any degree consider what is there that is offered. Possibly something within that tradition which is on a more “deeper level” of that tradition. Meditation is found in all traditions one way or another that I am aware of. Each with a very different approach. It doesn’t need to be meditation at all. But is there a deepening or other ritual that is beyond the surface level of that tradition? Consider any options in this if you want or desire. “Yoga Nidra” was coming to mind as I was writing much of this. This may not at all be for you. It again is according to your temperament.

No, no. Now the last thing: Free writing. Look this up for a better idea of options even if you may be familiar with it. one way to do this is to write a question like one I asked above or your own But a short question. Then simply write without editing whatever you write. It can go way off topic. You can also write at the top of the paper one word or phrase as a prompt and then start writing. Again no need to stay on topic or edit/filter anything. Maybe use a blank no lined paper so that you can also drawl any images or whatever comes to mind.

I appreciate your question and thank you for sending it my way.