A year from now you will wish you had started today. -Karen Lamb
As human beings, we’re creatures of habit. No wonder making a major life change is so hard! But it can be done. In this 2 part post are 10 steps that can get your change in motion, one easy step at a time:
1. Identify the price of maintaining the status quo
Not making the change you know you need to make is …As human beings, we’re creatures of habit. No wonder making a major life change is so hard! But it can be done. Follow these steps to get your change in motion, one easy step at a time.
2. Create a reserve of everything
We don’t always have to make a difficult change from where we are now. If we have issues with money, time, space, emotional support, skills, etc., make a plan now to get more than you need in these areas, creating a stronger foundation from which to launch in your new direction. Keep in mind that it’s better to be over prepared and arrive at your destination than to fail because you were just a hair short of having what you needed to get there.
3. Forgive self-judgments
Guilt is rampant in our culture. So is the vendetta against selfishness. Suffering is supported and nurtured by friends, family, religions, etc. So it’s not surprising that many of us, deep down, don’t feel we deserve to have what we want. For example, maybe you feel you’re not good enough or deserving of the life you really want. Or maybe you feel that the change you’re about to make will hurt someone close to you. Or you may feel that you’re not smart enough, resourceful enough, bold enough, or just plain “enough” to make this change. Acknowledge these judgments then forgive yourself for holding these false perceptions about who you really are. Because the truth is, they are only ideas, many of which are irrational, and you will create yourself each moment based on the new idea you hold about who you are.
4. Stop complaining
Are you complaining about being in the situation you’re in Are you blaming others? Or have you accepted full responsibility for your situation and just beat yourself up for not making the change? If any of the above are true, you are playing the victim and you’re forfeiting your power to make the change you say you want. Even if you’re blaming yourself for not being happy or for not having the courage to make the change, then part of you is beating up on another part of yourself, hence there’s a victim in there somewhere. To the degree you play the role of victim, you lose power you could be using to move forward. So get behind yourself completely and own your full power to create the life you desire, no matter what.
5. Give up analysis that breeds paralysis
We are so conditioned to figure things out before we leap, that sometimes we become paralyzed to take the actions our bodies are directed to take from the beginning. This is particularly true if you’re an engineer, scientist, or other type of technical person who experiences the world more through analysis than through feeling. If you’re stuck in a thinking pattern rehashing the same ideas over and over, trying to figure out what will happen if, then you’re stuck in a mind-loop. It’s time to quit thinking and start doing. Feel in your body what it wants to do, then just do it! The information you’re seeking may only be available after you take action anyway. Wisdom often comes from experience, not from analysis.
