Have you ever been stuck in a rut? Unhappy with how you look or how you feel? Dream of a different career? Want to learn something new? If you could just reinvent yourself, right? But, where to start? What steps do you need to take? Where do you start?
It is said that the greatest artists and the best businesses reinvent themselves at least every five years to stay relevant. How long has it been since you made any changes in some part of your life? Even something small like changing your hairstyle or redecorating your living space? Or maybe something bigger, like a career change?
What’s holding you back?
Now, please excuse me for a moment while I play the martyr. Ever feel like there is always something else to do other than what you want to do? Family schedules, chores, errands. Yadda, yadda, yadda. Blah, blah, blah. Something always seems to get in the way and you get put on the back burner.
Sure, I try to do things for myself but they often get put aside due to mom-guilt (self-imposed or thrust upon), or work or family needs that pop up. Or, let’s be honest, maybe I’m just too damn tired and I want wine and Outlander. Which, by the way, I’ve been told technically counts as “me time”. But by that logic, so would my work commute and trips alone to the grocery store. So, I’m calling bullshit on that.
Well, in the current world situation, many are finding a bit of extra time on their hands. The kids are probably doing virtual learning and if they’re old enough, they can pretty much do that on their own. You may or may not be working from home or are not working at all, but all the extra running around has come to a halt and now you may be struggling with what to do with this gift of time.
You have been given a gift of time to do the things that you didn’t have (or make) time for. We are all social distancing, so there are no haircuts, manicures or new outfits. Now is the time to make some changes! I’m talking a full-on makeover in 2 months! And not just different hair, but a new and improved you! A you that is choosing to spend this gifted time chasing a dream that has been put on the back burner for awhile. Taking a class or tackling a project.
Here are 5 steps you need to take now to reinvent yourself.
- Clean Up The Clutter – I find that when my life feels out of control, it’s because my home is out of order. We collect things over the years and often times, there are things in our homes that are just taking up space. Many of these you may not even care for any longer. The cleaning and decluttering process allows you to clear out items that no longer serve you or do not bring you joy. As you begin clearing your space, you are making room physically and emotionally as part of your reinvention. If you haven’t read The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo, you must. It is an essential read when starting your decluttering process.
- Establish Better Habits – Creating better habits starts with a morning routine and a schedule throughout the day. If you are running around willy-nilly, your days will fly by and you will inevitably regret at least some of the decisions you made throughout the day and the time you most likely wasted. Decide what’s important. Set some measurable goals and create a schedule. But make sure to write it down! There is something concrete about a plan written in black and white. Check out Atomic Habits if you are looking for some direction on how to establish habits that stick. It’s ground-breaking!
- Evaluate Your Relationships – Not only is it important to clean out your physical space, but also to look at your current relationships and clean out those that are not serving you well, or that those that have run their course. Here’s a great article about “When Friendships Change“. This means virtual relationships as well. Yup, it may be time to “unfriend” some folks on Facebook and “unfollow” those flawless Instagrammers that make you feel inferior with their perfect little lives. Family relationships can be a bit more difficult to navigate. You can’t necessarily just cut them out of your life completely, but you can choose how much time you spend with them and on what terms. It is said you are the average of the five people you spend the most time with. Are these the people that lift you up? Do they inspire and encourage you? Do you see them remaining in your life and being there in the future?
- Change Your Look – Now is the time to make some physical changes. Starting with the hair is always a good idea when you’re in a rut. Have you been thinking about letting your grays grow? Well, now is the perfect opportunity. Remember corrective color is expensive and think long and hard before you decide to cut those bangs yourself. You know how you feel after leaving the salon after you get a trim or root touch up? You feel like a princess, right? Well, after deciding on making a drastic change, you walk out feeling like a new person. And it can be liberating! Coming from a former hairdresser who had a new hair color every week, don’t stress, it’s only hair. Just change it again if you want. Not ready to change your hair? Go for a fashion change. Buy a couple of items that you wouldn’t normally wear. Maybe patterns or more vibrant colors that you’ve always liked but always felt they looked better on someone else. If you really love those sneakers that all the kids are wearing but you think “you’re too old”, Rock em! Those little fashion changes can be the beginning to refreshing your style and stepping out of your comfort zone in many areas of your life, not just your closet. First it’s the sneakers, next it’s the new job. You never know!
- Do Something – I know, that sounds pretty vague. So let me clarify. Now is the time to find something that you are passionate about, that you enjoy doing and dive into it head first! If cooking has always been something you loved, then take a cooking class or get a part time job in a restaurant. Or maybe you’ve always loved photography or wanted to find out about your ancestry. Maybe it’s time to get that degree. You are never too old to learn. Whatever lights you up, go after it! JUST DO SOMETHING! No excuses. No fear. Just you do you.
This is not necessarily a reinvention as much as a jumpstart to becoming a greater version of your authentic self. You know, that person hiding under a pile of clutter in fear of stepping out of their comfort zone. Here’s your chance. Don’t waste any more time.
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Kristen says
Fabulous article. Funny, honest and enlightening.
I seriously am inspired to start writing again.
Lisa says
you better! You inspire me!