How to Lose One's Faith Without Losing One's Mind

Losing faith in anything causes a great disconnect in life as you pass from one phase to another. But you can navigate the loss of your religious faith without losing your mind as well. Getting and maintaining clarity, standing firm in your convictions and setting new routines will put you on course as you transition into your new life.

Difficulty: Moderately Challenging

Instructions

1. Get clear, very clear about why you've lost faith in the beliefs you once held true. Write out what you believed, why it changed and what you now believe. This self-work will give you perspective and help set a trajectory that can keep you sane.

2. Research and document your feelings, findings and process. Keeping a journal of your progress helps both now and in the future to help show you your own patterns, your track record and the pitfalls that trap you.

3. Find a way to clearly express why you've lost faith that you can communicate with others. Do so at the appropriate time to the appropriate people. Not everyone needs to know of your decisions or the reason for them. Be clear in your presentation. Expect questions, dismay and bargaining and people being upset with you if they still share the faith you've lost.

4. Set a new routine for your life. This may include getting new friends if the friends you had can't accept the changes you've made in your faith. Review what you now believe and find ways to further develop that and give it life.

5. Follow your gut. Sometimes loss of faith is a temporary thing and, as hard as it is to continue to believe, in the end you may have to admit that you're still choosing to have faith. After all, faith is belief in things unseen.