Are you bored of your same old routine? Wake up-Eat-Work-Sleep-Wake up again. This monotonous drone of life may sometimes feel suffocating. If such thoughts are troubling you often, maybe it's time to start a new life! Before you panic, please note that you don't have to revamp your entire life to start afresh.
With patience and discipline, we can change our life successfully and completely renew them over time. Doing some simple small everyday changes will help you make some major changes over time live life anew! Some of those ways are,
1. Build some courage:
It's natural to have a little fear while thinking of changing your life, but it's better to think of the positivity it will bring in the future.
● Analyze what is troubling you and think over whether those fears are real. Most of our fears are only in mind, and overthinking about them only makes it worse.
● You can repeat positive mantras to help build confidence like "I deserve a good life. I am not afraid". This will also help you overcome your fears.
2. Learn new things:
You have achieved success in your career and are craving for something new. You can always join colleges or workshops to learn new skills.
● Join hobby clubs to learn new hobbies like gardening or cooking. This can bring a new variety to your everyday dull life.
● You can even join online classes or take a part-time online course from college so that your regular life is not interrupted while learning something new.
3. Create a list:
Think over your life and make a list of your likes and dislikes. Now try to reduce your dislikes while spending more time doing activities you love. However, also keep in mind realistic things like do you have the finances to afford the things you like. If not, make a well-thought-out plan to change the situation. Making a list also gives you a lot of clarity while deciding a final plan for your new future.
4. Decide what you want:
You may be starting a new life for many reasons; either you want to or maybe are forced to do so.
● It could be a personal tragedy or a move to a new place by choice. Whatever the case, make a clear goal in your mind about why you have decided to take this step.
● You will feel more positive about your future once you have decided your motive for starting over.
5. Own your life:
It's easy to allow others to handle the steering wheel of our life. It takes great courage to own and handle our own life.
● You can start with something small, like packing your breakfast before work instead of a takeaway from a cafe. Making your food gives you a sense of responsibility towards your well-being
● Being responsible for ourselves and our actions is incredibly freeing.
6. Find roadblocks:
On this new journey, you may find yourself facing many obstacles. If you meet these heads on, you may just get stuck. It is important to envision your path and make plans beforehand to tackle these roadblocks. e.g., make sure you have enough financial cushion before leaving your regular job to start a new business.
7. Revise your plan (if needed):
After creating the first set of plans, you may get some new ideas when you step away for a while. You will need to add or subtract your plans before you can finalize on a path.
● The important thing to remember is not to rush the process and properly analyze your options and ideas while changing your plans.
● It is also important to keep your likes and dislikes, wants, and needs while deciding on a concrete plan.
8. Challenge your comfort zones:
Starting a new life means accepting new challenges and changes. But, along with challenges come risks.
● You will need to get out of your comfort zone and face life and its risks if you want to make some change.
● Like, you can start by saying no to your boss for extra tasks even if you do not dare to switch companies right now.
9. Ask for help:
Making changes towards having a new life is a huge decision. Having the love and support of family and friends helps a lot while going through this change.
● You can seek advice from loved ones who have made a new start in their lives themselves. Ask about the challenges they faced and overcame.
● If you are starting anew after a tragedy, seek help from a mental health professional to help you heal and with any difficulty adjusting to the new changes.
10. Tap into creativity:
Constantly being online or on your devices gives rise to mental fatigue. The pre-frontal cortex of the brain can rest properly when relaxed in nature. So, it's important to detoxify from technology from time to time and unwind. This encourages creativity and also gives you new ideas and inspiration for starting afresh.
11. Be patient throughout:
It takes a long time and patience to create a new life. We will be able to control only certain parts of this process. You will adapt to your new life in time. You just have to relax, keep working and trust the process.
12. Meaningful social circle:
Another aspect of starting your life afresh can be seeking out the company of someone new. But, don't forget to maintain your close relationships from the past in the process.
● You can make a list of the qualities you like in the people of your present circle. Any characteristics that are common among them or anything endearing to you. Take this list to parties and events where you go to meet some new people and try to strike friendships.
● Look to get into groups or close to people who share the qualities in your list so that you know what to expect beforehand from them. It's also important to meet other people who don't share those qualities as they say, 'Variety is the spice of life.'
13. Create a support group:
Trying to start life again needs really strong emotional support for people. If it is done due to some traumatic events, then it can be pretty emotionally draining over the entire process. It is important to have your support system cheer you on during such times.
14. Analyze the consequences:
When you decide to take certain decisions to make changes in your life to start again, it is important to consider the results of your actions.
● Like, breaking off relations with family members or friends can be very hard to mend. You must consider how hard it would be if you decide you want those people back in your life.
● These changes can be hard to undo and must be done after careful consideration.
15. Become part of a cause:
As social creatures, we have a constant need for interaction with others. Finding a charity or foundation that works for a meaningful cause can be a great way to restart your life. It could be an environmental cause or a social justice movement. Whichever, be the case, it would be a great start to your new life.
16. Practice daily mindfulness/awareness:
This is a really good way to flip your dull life around. The practice of mindfulness or meditation will calm your mind and increase your focus. This also has many health benefits.
● Every day starting with five minutes, find a quiet room and do yoga or just meditate silently while fusing your thoughts in the present. You can also listen to positive reaffirmations while meditating to start your day on a great note!
● Studies have proved that mindfulness lowers blood pressure and aids in regaining mental clarity over time. This practice has also been stressed upon time and again by the great mystic Deepak Chopra.
17. Assess your finances:
Money is the elixir for all our needs. So the less our needs, the less is we work for money.
● To be able to start your new life, you must calculate your budget according to your desired lifestyle and needs.
● Check your financial boundaries and come up with a plan and budget so that you can save and manifest your desired lifestyle.
18. Manifest goodness:
When you are considering a new life, you also need a vision of what it looks like. You can manifest this goodness by creating a vision board for your new life and goals.
● Also, invite your friends and family while creating it as their reaction to pursuing new things can be a mirror for our expectations.
● Associate yourself with new words and browse through magazines and newspapers to find new places, people, and items that you can relate to for your future dreams.
19. What are you leaving behind:
Okay, so you have decided to start a new life. Before going ahead, it's good to think at least once about all the things and people or relationships you will be leaving behind. You should ask yourself if you want to give that up and go ahead with a new start. After all, it's like they say, you don't realize the value of a thing till it's gone.
20. A backup plan:
Suppose after a few months or weeks, it all goes to waste. You may start getting nostalgic and want things back the way they were. What would you do in that case? You will need a backup plan after that.
● You may start getting homesick about your previous place and want to move back. But you can't because you have sold it.
● It's better to try out the new things or places before deciding to permanently take the jump as you may want to reverse your decision later on. Doing a trial run will give you an idea if you want to pursue this path or not. If you can't do a trial run, at least keep a go-to plan if things fail.
21. Quit unpleasant habits:
Another meaning of beginning a new life could be giving up old nasty habits like drinking, smoking, or even drugs. This is important for advancement in your personal life. You owe yourself a chance at a good life, and if you can't kick these old habits, none of the new habits will fall into place.
22. Adapting to new cultures and people:
In a new place, the way of living might be very different from what you are used to. Before moving to a new place, ask yourself if you are ready to change and adapt to new ways of living?
● New places often bring new kinds of people. You must be ready to accommodate and adjust to making new friends.
● Open yourself to new experiences and proactively go to meetings and clubs to make new friends.
23. Unrealistic expectations:
Oftentimes, we look at a fresh start through rose-tinted glasses and have high expectations of what it's going to be like. But, the reality is that life be it new or old, is full of hard and happy moments. So, it's good to be prepared mentally for rough times as well in your new journey.
24. Believe in yourself:
Most of the time, we think a lot about what people think of us. When people say we are stupid or that we have no talent or are worthless, we tend to believe them easily. Having self-belief during such times seems hard.
● But what other people say about us is less important than what we think of ourselves. It may seem impossible right now, but you can restart, and you can keep going.
● You have to start believing in yourself and all the things that make you awesome!
25. Use your voice more:
As mentioned before, a new start may mean trying new things or even getting a new habit. Starting to voice your opinion about things and standing up for yourself is something everyone must start doing as a new change. Life is about you and your wants, not anyone else's. So find your voice and start standing up to those bullies.
Conclusion:
When we think of restarting life, we always think of turning it upside down and doing it overnight, like in the movies. But this is far from reality. Starting a new life requires a lot of planning and patience. It is a slow process that happens bit by bit and day by day. Once you start a habit, make sure to stick to it even if you can't see the results in the short term. These changes are only reflected over the years.
We can start with small changes like cooking healthy food at home or walking a short distance to work or school to improve our health. Eventually, these small changes make a big impact in turning our lives completely around. When we look at our lives, we realize that we are constantly changing and renewing our lives every few years by constantly changing our habits.