Well, like anything go to someone with experience, I say.
If you are looking for a great dentist (or mechanic or a Vet)...it's not so good to go to someone that a friend saw in an ad...or
someone they have never gone to, so has no real experience;
just that 'someone else' goes to him...who may know very little about dentists.
Ask someone who knows, I always say; otherwise you have helpful well-meaning people giving opinions, guesses, speculations and suppositions.
Now, maybe you don't know anyone that has connected with God, Himself.
What would you do then?
If it were me I would read what someone has said that you think has connected with God.
Let's see what some of them have said or maybe what God has said (supposedly) in various scriptures.
Be still
Be like a child
Ask, believe and receive -
Ask as if you already have the thing that you ask for.
Be confident when approaching God
Believe (I'll say again)
Never doubt
Don't be double minded (Sending the message you want something, while your core belief is: ''It'll never happen" or "I don't deserve it",
as examples of mixed messages - that can't be answered....there is a block.)
Begging or crying has not been part of the formula...Faith has been the thing that pleases God.
Have your cup empty - if it is filled with anxiety or impatience there is no room in your cup for anything else.
Does this all make sense?
If you invite a guest - you don't have your front door locked with the light out...you welcome your guest and prepare a place for him.
What does God love? What can He not refuse or ignore for long?
Silence and sincerity and trust in Him.
Maintain your patience, wait...show Him your sincerity ---not your anxiety or depression - put that all aside.
Btw, for a direct exp of God would you wait a decade? 2 decades? Or quite after 6-8 years? Ha...we all have choices! :)
From my exp.