Anna Hall

Returning Home: My Journey Back to Soulfully Living

I’ve begun to notice something that’s both subtle and unsettling: most people aren’t truly happy. Yes, we smile, we laugh, we chase experiences — but underneath it all, many are quietly suffering. There’s a hollowness I see in the eyes of strangers and friends alike, a kind of emotional tiredness that no amount of entertainment, shopping, or scrolling can seem to soothe. People aren’t soulfully living.

The quieter I become, the more I notice.

In conversations, in the pauses between words, I can hear what’s not being said. I’ve come to recognise the masks we wear — the coping strategies born from unhealed trauma. Some cover their discomfort with constant busyness. Others fill the silence with distractions: holidays, purchases, blame, and curated social media lives. But very few seem to be at home within themselves.

In the UK, there’s a six-month waiting list just to access therapy through the NHS. That alone is a sign of how collectively unwell we are — and how deeply we’re all craving support, healing, and connection.

But if we don’t numb, distract, or externalise — then what?
How do we face what’s inside us?
What even makes us truly happy?

Waking Up to What Matters

Over the past few years, I’ve been on a transformational journey, slowly shedding the layers of who I thought I had to be. It hasn’t always been graceful. There have been long periods of isolation, raw realisations, and moments where I barely recognised myself. But in the stillness, I started to hear the whisper of my soul again.

And in the most ordinary places, I began to see where I had drifted from myself.

While redecorating my bedroom, I found myself scrolling endlessly for new furniture — shiny, throwaway trends — when suddenly I paused. What was I doing?

I already had good-quality pieces, full of character and story. Why was I trying to replace them? Why was I trading connection for convenience? I realised I could strip and repurpose what I had, breathe new life into old wood, and enjoy the beauty of creating rather than consuming. I could hunt for vintage treasures in charity shops — soulful golden finds, not soulless clicks.

That moment became a mirror.

When did the look of something start to outweigh my soul’s yearning to connect more deeply with nature, sustainability, and creativity?

When did a punishing gym session start to feel more important than movement that helps my energy flow and emotions release?

When did the voices of well-meaning friends — stuck in society’s rules and limitations, become louder than my own intuition?

When did I decide that a chemical-filled toothpaste, sold by influencers, was somehow better than the natural, nourishing alternatives I once trusted?

When did the need to fit in begin to outweigh the call to be authentically me? When did I stop soulfully living?

What Does It Mean to Be Authentic?

Now, I’m not saying you need to repurpose old furniture or shop exclusively at charity stores. That’s just my way of reconnecting with creativity and soul. But the deeper question is this:

Are you living in a way that feels aligned with your truth — or are you guided by what makes you feel accepted and validated by others?

It’s a big question. A confronting one, even.

Happiness that depends on the approval of others is never sustainable. It’s fragile. Conditional. Always needing to be fed by likes, compliments, or someone else’s permission.

I see this dynamic everywhere, especially online. Facebook often feels like a public journal, but behind many of these posts is a hunger. A quiet desperation. A need to be seen, understood, and affirmed. Not because people are fake — but because they’re so tangled in external expectations, they don’t even realise their words and beliefs are being shaped by old wounds, misunderstandings, and fear.

It’s not that people are pretending. It’s that they’ve forgotten how to listen to themselves.

Alone, But Not Lonely

There’s something else happening too — something I don’t think we talk about honestly enough.

It’s what some call a “single epidemic”: more and more people choosing solitude. Living alone. Spending nights with books instead of bars, cats instead of cliques. Social media often tells us this is sad, even wrong — but I don’t see it that way.

I see people coming back to themselves.

Stepping away from performance. Learning their boundaries. Choosing to no longer waste energy on anything that doesn’t touch the soul or bring true nourishment.

That’s not failure — it’s healing.

But — and this is key — we are not meant to live in separation.
We are relational beings. We’re meant to share life, to grow alongside one another. To be mirrors. To challenge and comfort, inspire and remind.

A friend once said to me, “I just avoid people now. I don’t have time for their dramas.” I understood the sentiment, but I also recognised it as a trauma response. When we’ve been hurt, it can feel safer to hide. But healing doesn’t mean building thicker walls — it means learning how to stand firmly with boundaries, and with an open heart.

We are not separate.
We are one.

Soulfully living includes both solitude and connection.

A Soulful Life Is a Brave Life

To live soulfully in today’s world is an act of quiet rebellion.

It means slowing down when everything tells you to rush.
It means listening inwardly when the outside noise is loud.
It means choosing alignment over approval, truth over trends, and depth over distraction.

A soulful life doesn’t look one specific way. It’s not about crystals or cottagecore unless that’s what your spirit truly loves. It’s about making choices guided by honesty, clarity, and care.

It’s the way you decorate your home.
The way you move your body.
The way you speak to yourself.
The way you honour your energy, your truth, your time.

To return to soulful living is to remember that you already have what you’ve been seeking.
It’s not out there. It’s in here — waiting for you to listen.

This is my journey home. Not to a place, but to a feeling.
A way of living that is honest, simple, joyful, intuitive, connected, and real.
I’m not perfect at it — but I’m practising.

And if your soul has been whispering to you, too, maybe you’re already on the path.

And as I move through this journey, I’d like to share it with you.
Not as an expert, but as a companion.
Not to tell you how to live, but to remind you that it’s okay to question, to unravel, to rebuild.
To soften. To reconnect. To choose soul over should.

If you’re feeling the same quiet nudge…
You’re not alone.
Maybe you’re already on the path, too.

Let’s walk it together.

Disclaimer: This blog is a personal reflection and is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It does not constitute medical or therapeutic advice. Please consult a healthcare professional for guidance specific to your situation.