That’s it. You’ve had it. Life is just not going as well as you’d like. It’s time for a change, a Fresh Start if you will. But how do you know where to even begin? Especially if you’re still neck-deep in a life you want to escape.
I have just recently begun my very own “Fresh Start”. Moved house (boxes still to be unpacked, rugs to be bought etc …) I’m excited but before I was ready to jump I went through this process I have laid out below.
Perhaps they can help if you are up for a Fresh Start. (my theme for this month)
It’s simple. You start by asking yourself these five questions:
What Are You Looking For?
Too often, what we’re thinking is a change in our life is nothing more than a dressed-up version of the old. To avoid falling into this trap, start looking for real and actual change. Start by asking the hard questions: What do you want out of life? How are you not getting this? What would you need to do to attain this? What’s one positive change which would place you closer to this dream?
For me I am always asking how my next steps align with my Purpose?
How Many Risks Are You Willing to Take?
Fresh starts will demand a certain commitment from you, which manifests in how much of yourself you’re willing to put into the project. If you’re not willing to risk a new way of life, or much in the way of change, you’re not going to have much success.
Of course for me there was fear around taking this new risk. But I knew I had to do it for myself first (then my kids). There were lots of thoughts going through my head, but in my heart I knew I was committed.
What is Different About the Life You’re Proposing
If you’re looking for a new beginning, there has to be something ‘new,’ or you’re not starting over at all. You are merely continuing what you’ve been doing all along. What is the thing you haven’t done before?
For me it is giving me the time and space to “FEEL” more into my own desires and wants. I remember when I got divorced many years ago, I just kept myself busy with all kinds of things, work, play, personal development courses, but I never just gave myself time to really process things as well as I could have. I never had much “down time” where my space was not filled to capacity. I know this is definitely what I want more of now.
What Are You Giving Up?
A new beginning means something else is ending. What are you leaving behind? Keep in mind this question doesn’t necessarily imply you need to abandon every aspect of your past. Sometimes we’re leaving behind only a small part of our life.
Yes New beginnings need space to grow into. I will share more of what I felt I had to give up later.
Are You Truly Ready to Let Go of the Past?
This last question can be hard because you might not know this answer until you’ve begun. Every fresh start is doomed to failure if you’re weighed down with a lot of baggage from the past. At the very least, though, it helps to have a positive attitude about letting go and are willing to do the work to make this happen.
As Anthony Robbins said “The past does not equal the future” so leave what no longer serves you behind – take the learning and actually Learn from it.
In the end, these questions will give you some idea of what to expect as you embark on this journey of letting go. After all, being prepared truly is half the battle.
