Top 4 Ways to Make a Fresh Start in Life
By: Lucy King
Tags: Inspiration, Mindfulness, Life Lessons, Psychology, Self Improvement

Top 4 Ways to Make a Fresh Start in Life

You owe it to your future self.

Photo by Kathy Servian on Unsplash

1. Admit when you’re stuck in a rut

Common signs you are stuck in a job, relationship or life are:

Operating on autopilot.

Struggling to come up with ideas.

Indulging in negative self-talk.

Negativity towards people who are doing well.

Wistful thinking but without taking action.

Boredom

Do you recognize yourself in any of the above?

Unfortunately the longer a lifestyle rut continues; the harder to break free. Even though you know you’d be happier if you made a change, it’s comforting to stay at the same level of unhappiness.

In which case…

2. Shake up your routine

Anyone can get into a pesky rut. What matters is how fast you recognize you’re in one and take action to get out of it.

Studies show taking a few moments to appreciate the magic of everyday things we take for granted can lift our mood and alleviate the stress we feel from all the stuff that weighs us down.

When you make small, incremental changes you achieve a compounding effect until one day you realize you are no longer in a rut!

As my profile states, I walk 10,000 steps every day. I’m an urban explorer. I make discoveries in my neighborhood that excite and intrigue me every day. Walking is a game changer because it injects spontaneity into my life.

3. Take better care of yourself

Just living is not enough. You deserve to have “sparkle” in your life.

Look after yourself with exercise. When you exercise, your body releases endorphins that make you feel good. And when you feel good anything is possible!

Spend time with uplifting people. Limit your exposure to needy types or emotional vampires who wear you down.

Monitor your negative self-talk. When we feed ourselves negative messages we get caught up in a self-sabotaging cycle that stops us from moving forward.

Get some Zzzz. Sleep is an easy thing to trade away to work, play and yes, even writing. You may think you have an endless well of energy to draw on — You don’t.

Taking care of yourself is not selfish, it ensures that you have the energy you need to stay focused and excited about your life.

Still feeling stuck?

In that case…

4. Diversify your interests

Hobbies are healthy. Ask anyone about his or her hobby. Watch their eyes light up and the enthusiasm that comes over them. Compare that reaction to someone who is inactive, overworked or engaged in passive media consumption.

No time for a hobby?

In our 24–7 culture, it is easy to charge along at full speed. Hyperactive from dawn to dusk, there are never enough hours available. Busy is an addictive state of mind, yet often it’s a rationalization — an excuse for stalling on something that can add real value to your life.

When I look back over my life, I could never predict where I am now. Six months from now I will likely be doing something I never imagined today. This motivates me to try new things.

There is no comparison — diversify.

To make a fresh start exactly where you are:

Eat, sleep and exercise right

Monitor negative self-talk.

Seek inspiration / exit comfort zones

Focus on parts of your life that are going well

Do something tangible every day that moves you toward your goals.

This is not brain science we are discussing — this is your life!

Thank you for reading!