Life Change - 5 Ways to Get Unstuck and Started

Many of us have come to that moment in our lives when we realize we have been presented with an unprecedented gift; quality time. We women of a certain age today will live healthier and longer than any time in history.

Interestingly just as we are armed with a collection of more or less half a lifetime of experiences, failures, successes and the kind of knowledge and wisdom one acquires only through ‘living’ we find ourselves with an indescribable yearning for something more.

Recently during one of our Adventure Fest Mastermind discussions we found ourselves trying to define this yearning and we ultimately described it as a desire to recover and reactivate those parts of ourselves from the past that we have let lapse during all this living. We recalled what it felt like to be filled with imagination, creativity and a natural intuition for our personal rhythm. That longing for the long lost time when we instinctively took care of our needs and wants and made room for the personal exploration that kept us whole, fulfilled and growing.

Yes, these are exciting times for us and with our cache of life lessons, wisdom and passion we have the opportunity to live the second half of our lives very differently than our mothers and grandmothers if we choose to. But for some of us, with all this experience and living we have been doing, our lives can feel like a giant house filled with cluttered rooms. There is so much accumulated stuff in these rooms it can be overwhelming to decide where to start. Often we spend so much time thinking about how we might change our lives we become overwhelmed and do nothing at all.

"It is not because things are difficult that we do not dare, it is because we do not dare that they are difficult."
~ Seneca

The important thing is to take that first step and begin. Here are 5 tips to help start the process:

1.Start Small – but START! Begin by spending a designated amount of time each day thinking and writing about how satisfied you are with your life now. Define which parts of your life you like and those parts you would like to change. But remember, indecision is a time thief! Try setting a limit for the amount of time you will spend deciding where to start. During that time write down all the possibilities you want to explore and decide on one or two areas of your life you want to improve. Once you’re deadline arrives – commit to starting. (As in put it on your calendar and do it)

2.Make a Plan – Next decide on two or three action steps that you can take to start your progress. Keep a daily list of actions needed and completed. Commit to doing at least one thing, no matter how small, on the list each day. It’s helpful to realize from the beginning that your plan will not be perfect and its okay to change it if you find it isn’t working. Make an agreement with yourself to be flexible.

3.Follow Through – Moving through change can be uncomfortable and feel awkward but it is the only way to move forward. Recognize that we each have our own style of dealing with change. Understanding this will take the pressure off and allow you to undertake this change at your own pace. This is an important tip and will greatly increase the likelihood of sticking to your plan!

4.Get Support – Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Having a safe and non-judgmental place to go for ideas, encouragement and accountability will play a big part in your eventual success. Enlist the help of a good friend or find a group who share your goals.

5.Make it FUN – This isn’t supposed to be drudgery. Find ways to unlock your creativity and make it fun. This is about getting back in touch with ‘you’; don’t compare yourself or your progress with anyone else. Try new things and bring back your forgotten pleasures!

Keep your results handy and visit them often for contemplation. Hopefully it gives you a peek at what might be and inspires you to get Unstuck and Started!