Change Your Life
Change. It’s something we often long for yet avoid as much as possible. We like our day-to-day routines to be consistent. But, when we’re stuck, miserable, and dissatisfied—change can be like a renewing drink of water to the wanderer journeying through the desert.
Omozua, I’m feeling so stuck and dissatisfied with my life right now.
Is that you? Are you stuck and unhappy? Let’s change that. Where should you start?
Start with small changes. Start with the things you can change right now. One ripple of change can have such a big effect throughout your life.
Change Your Outlook
You can immediately change your outlook. Wipe away the negativity. Make a conscious effort to give others the benefit of the doubt. Make a conscious effort to allow all the negatives in life to wash over and off you.
Do not invite the negativity in to live in your heart or head. It’s like a moldy piece of fruit. It must be eliminated or else the rest of the fruit will become moldy.
Face It Head-on
Face the emotions, the tasks, the challenges head-on. Charge at them. Don’t avoid them.
Whatever you’re feeling, allow yourself to feel it. Explore those emotions and take stock of the message these emotions bring. Whatever you’re facing—face it. Come at it. Fling the covers back and let it be seen in the full light of day. Examine the issue or challenge. Try to look at it from every angle.
And when you feel like you’ve exhausted all of your knowledge and expertise, take a step back. Look at the big picture. It doesn’t matter if you are dealing with emotional overload or a big task at work—gaining perspective from the right vantage point can make all the difference.
Develop the habit of digging in deep to whatever you’re facing and then taking the big-picture view when you’ve done all the work you can.
Create Boundaries
Boundaries are vital! I can’t possibly stress this enough. Boundaries are what keep you whole. Creating healthy boundaries with those in our lives is necessary. You can’t be all things to every person at every moment of every day. Not only is that exhausting, but it’s just plain unrealistic.
You must create boundaries in your life and then fiercely protect those boundaries.
Start right now. Think about your work load. Think about how often you check work emails after you’ve left the office for the day. Set a new boundary: choose to be present in the moment after work instead of checking emails.
If that doesn’t apply to you, choose something else. Start making boundaries and then sticking to them. As time goes on, you’ll begin to automatically create those boundaries and then have less trouble sticking to them.
Small Gestures
Listen to the people you interact with on a daily basis. I mean really listen to them. You’ll discover that Donna from accounting is feeling stuck in life, too. You’ll hear that Tim is battling a chronic illness and that’s why he’s been absent so often lately.
There may not be a Donna or Tim in your life, but the point is to listen and pay attention to those around you. Sometimes, the simplest thing can make such a big difference in someone’s life. A simple thank you note for a job well-done, or a hug to someone who really needs, not only impacts that person but it will also impact you positively.
Listening to those around you is an important skill to develop. There is a world of possibilities in connecting with others. It starts with listening.
Condense
Eliminate the things you don’t need. Don’t hang on to the clutter if it’s something that’s no longer serving you. The same can be said for relationships. Weed out the relationships in your life that are no longer about give and take.
Start to develop the habit right now by looking around for one thing you no longer need in your life. Put it in the trash, recycling, or donate pile. Do this every day at least once per day.
Donate
Find causes that speak to you. Learn about them. Understand them. Support them.
Look for the causes that you can support and then get behind them. You need something to fight for. Whether you’re supporting them with the click of a mouse, a financial contribution, or volunteering your time, the act of focusing on something bigger than yourself has a grounding effect. It reminds you of your values, of who you are, and the core of your self-identity.
Ask for Help
Learn how to ask for help. Make it a habit to evaluate a situation to see if you can continue on your own and achieve your goal in a reasonable amount of time or if you need to ask for help. Recognize when you’re out of your depth.
There is nothing to be ashamed of in asking for help. However, if you don’t ask for help but instead continue on struggling with a problem without asking for the help you need, then you’re allowing your pride to take over.
Change is a Process
It’s not an event. You do not change overnight. You cannot form habits that will help you lead a healthier and happier life overnight.
There is no magic formula, fix, remedy or solution.
It’s about working everyday toward living the life you want to live. So, work on it. Be mindful of what you’re doing and thinking.
To get yourself on the right path, sign up for your free Discovery Session with me.
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