There’s a point in almost everyone’s life that they wake up and realize they aren’t living the life that they want. That the results that they have aren’t their results. It’s the age-old question – how did I even end up here.
This can even feel like you are fraud in your own life. That you don’t truly don’t belong in it.
It also just feels like crap.
Living a life that doesn’t match with what you envisioned or want and not knowing how to get out of it is a deep pain.
Your life is everything you are surrounded by. If you don’t like that then what do you even have.
At this point you are at a fork in the road. You can go down one way where you change your life to be what you have always wanted and really create a life you love. Or the other path where you sink further into your misery and are just surviving in your life.
Some people try to take short cuts on creating the life they always wanted. But they’re never truly shortcuts. They’re really dead ends or trails that lead you back to the beginning.
To create real change, you have to go on the journey. Meet the obstacles, see the wonderous sights, and experience new things.
Let’s break down what this all actually means.
Becoming “New” You
I put new in quotations because I don’t believe you become a new person. You are going to have the same body with the same brain. But you may change in your essence.
This is important because trying to ditch yourself completely won’t do you any service on this journey. You are going to need yourself.
What the focus should be on is growth.
Growth is becoming closer the person you envisioned in your life. It’s not diminishing who you are right now but evolving and honoring where you have been.
Those parts of your life that you didn’t like even the hurtful parts played a part in who you are. I won’t tell you to be thankful for them but one fact that I know is that you can’t erase history. Releasing the tension with those parts will drop the dead weight you have from them.
The Essentials
Everyone who travels has a list of essential things they bring with them. This journey is no different. Instead of the perfect neck pillow, hand sanitizer, outlet converters, etc. you are going to need something a bit different.
The first thing is self-love.
The ability to love yourself no matter what has more power than anything.
You are going to make mistakes along the way. There will be failures. Obstacles are most certainly going to come up.
None of those things are going to be an issue with self-love. Knowing that you have your own back through this means you don’t have to be worried about taking the next step. You know you’ll be there to take care of whatever happens.
This is so different than using tough love which is actually just judgement and criticism. Show yourself love and compassion and see how much progress you make. You’ll be able to enjoy more of the journey and not want to escape away from yourself.
The next essential, and something that truly changed my life, is possibility.
Believing in the possibility that you can have what you want and that you can be the one to create it will help you in this journey. It’s like a compass that will show you which direction to head.
When things are possible you keep moving forward.
Truly believing in that possibility will give you true north every time.
One more essential thing that I believe should be on everyone’s list is the willingness to feel.
I mean to feel all of the emotions. Open your heart and your mind to any feeling that you have. Don’t try to hide behind a tree or speed up to get past them. Invite them on the journey with you.
This means all of the negative ones that will come up along the way.
The journey may become lonely. You may doubt that you will ever reach your destination. Second guessing if you did the right thing or ruined your life. Those are all human thoughts your brain will more than likely throw at you.
Instead of trying to avoid them and wasting your precious energy try to find peace with them. Find a place where they don’t stop you or slow you down. They just come along for the ride.
Final Notes –
Evolving and growing are amazing things in our lives. But they aren’t meant to be easy. If they were then everyone would achieve anything they wanted. Everyone has that ability and opportunity but not everyone will take it.
Starting on your journey today means you are one day closer to reaching that destination.
There may be hills to climb and stormy weather to endure but it won’t dull the feeling of growing and creating a life that you truly love.