When you think about how hard it is to make changes in life, you’re tempted to give up before you even start. It’s easier to coast through a good enough life. Everywhere you look, another life circumstance is trying to convince you a mediocre life is perfectly fine.
Marianne Williamson is famous for saying, “Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, Who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented, fabulous?”
Society has conditioned us against stepping out and claiming the kind of life we want to live. Life is short and time can never be recovered. Each moment is precious and should be lived to the fullest. Here’s how to create lasting change that leads to an amazing life and more personal growth.
Do the inner work.
Real change starts within inside every person. There are struggles and self-limiting beliefs that you have to battle before you can move forward. Take some time for a self-examination of where you are, and where you want to be. Address that little voice in your head that gets uncomfortable at the thought of stepping outside of your comfort zone.
Be authentic.
For the inner work to manifest, it starts with honesty and authenticity. It’s too easy to lie — especially to ourselves. Real change starts with getting honest about the things that have held you back in the past.
Be real about what scares you about the future. Change lasts when you get honest and stay true to your vision. You will have setbacks and the honesty helps you keep from covering up how you truly feel. You have to feel it to heal it. Growth happens through healing.
Focus on one step at a time.
When you look at the big picture, it’s easy to get discouraged at everything that needs to happen to create change. If you want to lose 30 pounds, it can feel overwhelming when you think about it.
If you want to leave a job you hate, you have thoughts about all that needs to happen. The best approach to lasting change is to focus on your next steps. Don’t look at the big picture. Instead, break this down into bite size goals that you work on every day.
Form healthy habits.
Lasting change is most successful when you focus on creating healthy habits. Habits are making lifestyle shifts versus focusing on quick wins. You build a life in which you incorporate the changes you want to make into your daily routine. You focus on changing how you think about the things you want to change, which affects the actions you take. It all starts in your mind.
Stay accountable no matter what.
Having support in your life can be the difference between success and failure. As much as we want to try this alone, having someone to get honest with you and hold your hand is crucial. It can be family, friends, or a support group, but stay accountable to avoid giving into all your life excuses.
I realize this is all easier said than done but I hope you realize how important this is. I don’t know what your dream life looks like. I only know you can and should do something about it.
You can make your dream a reality and it starts with creating lasting change in your life. Claim the life you truly deserve!
Photo Credit: @chrislawton on Unsplash