Do you ever wake up in the morning and ask yourself what you are doing with your life? You start to over-analyze everything and then realize that you are not truly happy, or that you should be doing something different. After you make this realization, you may find yourself not taking any actionable steps to change. Instead of thinking about how you can change your reality, you grab your phone and scroll through every social media platform. Hours pass by, and no progress has been made. You look at the time and you feel guilty that you just wasted hours of your day, worrying about the lives of others, without worrying about your own.
The reality is, it is common for people to not know what they are doing with their lives. I have been there. We all have. I would always end up in the same situation of feeling stuck in life and not knowing what was going to come next.
From the moment we are born, our lives seem to be planned out for us. We learn the basics of being a human, such as, how to communicate, morals, walking, etc. Once we graduate from either High School or University, we start to feel like we are truly on our end and have to make decisions for ourselves. We look to our role models to get a better idea of what we should be doing. Whether that be someone present in your life, or someone we may have never even met. We think to ourselves that someone must have the answer to what we should be doing with our lives. For all we know, we think it would be easier if someone just told us what to do without having to figure it out on our own.
1. Think About What You Want To Change In Your Life
This is probably the most important step in the process. You must decide and figure out for yourself what it is exactly that you want to change. Maybe you do not like your current job, or find that you are spending too much time worrying about things that don’t matter. Whatever this is for you, grab a piece of paper and write it all down. I like to this of this as a “brain dump.” You are essentially writing down everything that comes to mind that you feel no longer serves you.
2. Decide What You Want To Add To Your Routine
Think about what good habits you want to incorporate into your life. I find that it works best if you start small. Do not overwhelm yourself and try to add over 15 things to your routine. Take just a few things that you want to add to your routine and work on them with your full attention. Maybe you want to meditate every morning and practice gratitude. Or, you want to wake up earlier and take a walk. Regardless of the habits that you want to add to your routine, make sure you also write them down on the same piece of paper that you used for the things that you want to change.
3. Get Motivated From Outside Resources
Listening to inspiring podcasts, YouTube videos, or even reading books can help motivate you. Sometimes all we need is that extra boost of confidence and inspiration to guide us. Some of my favorite podcasts include:
4. Find A New Hobby
Pick something random. Maybe it is something you never would have considered before. It could be a new workout class, art activities, or volunteering in your community. This new hobby will be new, fun, and exciting to you. You will not be surprised that you find a lot of joy in getting out of your comfort zone and trying something new. Once you have completed this new hobby of yours for the first time, be sure to reward yourself. Give yourself credit for trying something new, whether you really enjoy it and continue to stick with it or not. There is a hobby for everyone, you just have to find it!
5. Spend Time Outside
Studies have shown that being outside in nature can have a positive impact on your mental health overall. In addition, researchers have acknowledged it can lower your stress levels, blood pressure, and heart rate. It is no surprise that spending even just 10 minutes outside can boost your mood. Go on a walk and enjoy the fresh air. Embrace all that is around you and try to focus on the present moment.
6. Clear Out Your Home
To give you a sense of a “fresh start,” I encourage you to clean your home. I find it helpful if you start with decluttering your space. Get rid of the things in your space that you no longer have the need for. Once everything is cleared out that you do not use, do a deep clean of your area. I know this may take some time, but I promise it will be worth it. With that being said, you will also want to declutter your life. Get rid of things that are no longer serving a purpose to you.
7. Figure Out What Your Priorities Are
Your priorities are what matters most to you in life. That can be your family, mental health, your health in general, etc. Whatever your priorities are, make a mental note of them. Make sure that you have a clear understanding of what you are choosing to prioritize in your life.
Final Thoughts
As I mentioned, we all go through these periods of time where we feel stuck in life. It can seem like you are doing the same things every single day, yet are making no progress. There comes a point where the things that take up the majority of your time no longer hold as much value in your life. You may not know where to start, and the easier route is just to stay in your “comfortable state.” The list that I have created above is a great way to figure out what you need to change in your life, how you can switch up your routine, and most importantly how to get un-stuck!
