Sometimes, our lives don’t go the way we thought they would.
As youngsters, we imagine THE life we’d like to have. We imagine being able to work remotely from anywhere in the world, enjoying our dream job, and building a family we’ve always wanted.
Then, we grow up and realize that adult life isn’t always as simple as it seems.
Sounds familiar, no?
Maybe your dream job turned out to be a nightmare, with long hours that eat into your work/life balance and demands that are causing stress at home.
Perhaps the person you thought would be “the one” turned out to be another hiccup on the path to happiness, and now you’re questioning your relationship.
What you need to do is start a new life.
Sometimes, a fresh start is just what you need to identify what doesn’t make you happy and take measures that lead to a better you.
Don’t wait for someone else to do it. Hire yourself and start calling the shots.
Get Started FreeCreating a New You Is a Wonderful Thing
Ever started a project and realized half-way through that you’ve done something wrong?
You can try and adapt to the error and keep building anyway, or you can take everything apart and start over.
The decision to start new life is all about going back to the drawing board with a positive mindset. You take what you’ve learned from the last few months and years and apply it to your new strategy for happiness.
Making the choice to build a new life means:
- You can learn from your previous mistakes and failures without letting them hold you back. Look for lessons in your errors, but don’t dwell on them.
- You get to be better by making the conscious choice to pursue what you want. You’re not just settling for what you have right now. You’re actively focusing on reaching your goals.
- You get to go on a journey of discovery, finding the things that really work for you and make you happier.
How to Start New Life In 12 Easy Steps
So, how do you begin to build a new life?
1. Make a list
Say you were planning on building a new business website, complete with a new SEO strategy.
You wouldn’t just ignore all the things you’ve learned about site-building up until now and start fresh. You’d look at the existing website, see what works and what doesn’t, then plan from there.
If you’re pursuing the beginning of a new life, start by looking at what you like and dislike about your existing one. Maybe a list of the things you currently enjoy, like your relationship or your home, and the things you’re not so fond of, like your stressful job and annoying boss.
While you’re making your list of things that you do and don’t want in your new life, try to ask yourself what’s actually realistic for you. For instance, you might not be thrilled with the fact that you don’t have a lot of cash in your savings right now.
Unfortunately, just changing up your current lifestyle and deciding to create a new life isn’t going just to improve your personal finances overnight. You’re going to have to work on changing things like this with a long-term plan, using better budgeting, and maybe seeking out an improved income.
2. Look for lessons to take with you
One of the biggest mistakes that people make when trying to start a new life is to forget all about their past or sweep negative experiences under the rug.
Sure, we’ve all had bad experiences that we’d rather leave behind us. However, it’s important to make sure you’re not missing out on an opportunity for growth.
The lessons you’ve learned in your old life could be brilliant for motivating you to reach your new goals.
Look back on your mistakes and ask yourself what went wrong.
And don’t fall into the trap of looking for ways to blame your issues on someone or something else. Rather, focus on the things you could have done differently and how you’re going to reach your goals.
3. Decide what to tackle first
Now that you’ve looked at your past, what you’ve done wrong, and what you actually want from your life, it’s time to take action.
Decide what you’re going to tackle first. If you’re unhappy with your relationship, your job, and your living situation, you might not be able to deal with all of those things in one go. Start with the one that’s having the most significant impact on your life right now.
For instance, maybe your relationship and living situation is suffering because of the extra stress you’re taking on at work? Research your current life to find out.
4. Build some courage
Once you’ve decided what you’re going to be working on first, it’s time to train your brain for success.
It’s ok to feel terrified about heading into uncharted territory. Don’t let the fear paralyze you though. Try:
- Deconstructing your fears: Ask yourself what you’re worried about, and whether those concerns are realistic. For instance, you might think if you quit this job you’ll never get a new one, but that’s highly unlikely.
- Visualizing your future: Use your ideal image of the perfect future to motivate you and start pushing you forward on the path to success.
- Creating a mantra: When you start to feel scared or nervous, repeat something in your mind that can help to build your confidence, such as: “I can overcome this. I deserve the life I want.”
5. Find the roadblocks
There are going to be some roadblocks on your path to success.
If you start rushing forward blindly and hit an obstacle, then you’re more likely to end up getting stuck – feeling like you can’t move forward.
However, if you can identify the obstacles that are most likely to hold you back, you can find a plan to overcome them.
For instance, if you fear not being able to leave the rat race, find the funding to start your own business. Then go and do your research on what’s available before you give up your day job.
6. Stop being afraid of setbacks
Ever heard that the only thing to fear is fear itself?
Usually, that’s the case when you’re pursuing a fresh start in life.
You have no idea what lays ahead, and you’re probably pretty convinced that you’re going to make mistakes again. The best way to get over that fear is to accept that you might be right.
Figuring out how to create a new life for yourself is tough. You’re going to make mistakes. The important thing is how you choose to move on from those errors.
How are you going to respond if you do have a misstep? Are you going to let it stop you from reaching your goals or learn from them?
7. Start challenging your comfort zones
One of the most common reasons people end up living a life they’re unhappy with is that they’re not sure how to step out of their comfort zones.
Here’s a kicker: You can’t say “I want to start a new life” but be totally unwilling to change anything about where you are today.
If you’re afraid to take risks, you live your life based on fear rather than what you want. Taking the right risks can actually transform your life.
Failing to take risks basically means that you’re guaranteeing nothing can change – either for the better or worse. Challenging your comfort zones with little, manageable risks will get you on the right track.
For instance, you might not feel comfortable changing jobs right now, but maybe you can practice saying “no” to your boss when he offers extra work.
8. Build a support group
If you want to start a new life, you need the right support.
Although your own motivation and drive will get you most of the way towards your goals, you can only do so much on your own.
Figuring out how to start fresh in life is a tricky process, and it’s not something that most people will be able to accomplish without a little emotional support.
Look at the people who are already around you and figure out which ones positively impact your life.
Family members and friends that are always there for you will help you start a new life in the way that you choose. Toxic people who try to hold you back need leaving behind – just like the things you hated about your old life.
9. Get your emotions in check
If you want to learn how to start fresh in life, you’re going to need a way to handle the overwhelming emotions that can really stress you out.
For instance, maybe you can try a little morning meditation at the start of each day to give you the laser focus you need to reach your goals.
If you’ve been through some seriously difficult stuff, maybe it’ll help to talk to a therapist and work with a professional to get some strategies for emotional management in place.
Or maybe you can just go for a run when you’re feeling overwhelmed and work off some adrenaline.
What makes you feel good?
10. Take control
This might sound odd, but many of us go through lives almost like a passive character in our own story. However, you’re the protagonist of your world – and it’s up to you to take control and ownership over your life.
Figure out what you can and can’t control in your world.
For instance, you can’t control the way other people feel about you as a friend or coworker. However, you can pay attention to the kind of things that your colleagues say seem a little “standoffish” about you.
Look for the things you can take ownership of as you start a new life and begin creating a new you. This is your journey, after all.
11. Pay attention to your dreams
If you ever feel unfulfilled in life, but you don’t know where you’re going wrong, it might be time to jump into your subconscious and take a closer look at what’s going on.
For example, you could try keeping a dream journal to go through your thoughts first thing each morning.
If you have recurring dreams, this could be a sign that your brain is trying to send you a message about what you actually need.
It’s also worth looking at your dreams from a less tangible perspective. For instance, what kind of future do you think would make you happy, and which of your goals are actually attainable? Are there some dreams that you need to let go of?
12. Be more mindful
Finally, people underestimate the power of mindfulness. However, if you want to start a new life, it all begins by paying more attention.
Be aware of how you feel in any given moment and the things in your life that you should be grateful for.
You can even add a little meditation to your routine so you can focus more directly on the parts of your body that are holding onto the most stress.
Mindfulness will help you dictate which issues in your life are having the biggest impact on your happiness, so you can make an active decision to move in the right direction.
Take Back Your Life
Deciding to start new life is challenging, but it’s also something that can be incredible for your future if you do it correctly.
As far as we know, you’ll only have one chance to live your life according to your rules. So do it your way.
Although it’s hard to take that initial leap into the unknown, learning how to start a fresh life could mean that you finally get the happiness you deserve.
