At the back of our minds, we know there’s something more in this life. People succeed. Some are contented. Others seem they had life figured out.
But do you wonder why, sometimes, despite life’s vastness, mystery, and surprises, our long-desired dreams all seem unreachable? Despite the hopes and well-structured plans, why do we feel trapped in a tight corner?
If you relate to this, you’re not alone. I did experience the same rut, and for a long while, too.
For most of my life, I tread across soul-searching and being lost. But in recent years, my life changed in a snap, and there’s something in me that was switched on. Some realizations pushed me to say, “it’s time to change my life.”
8 Signs It’s Time to Change Your Life
It’s frustrating to be lost in the overwhelm. Pursuing a different course in life is easier said than done. Or is it also you withholding the change?
Do you feel the need to do further? A mission, a purpose? If you feel a nudge within you, then follow your intuition. But to help you realize them, I’ll give you 8 signs it’s time to change your life.
1. You’re stuck.
You’re in a room right now thinking how life sucks, how you’re in a rut, and why you can’t escape from all this drama. The fact that you want to “get out of it” is a clear sign you need to turn your life around.
Do you feel stuck right now? Dead end? Then, let me ask you these questions.
- When did you last read a book?
- When did you stop caring and pampering yourself?
- Did you just bury the creativity in you?
- Why aren’t you inviting your friends to catch up?
The moment you realize you’re stagnating is a sign you should make a move. People are bound to grow, learn, and expand. Stagnation breeds doubt, lifelessness, and loss of purpose.
What if, you’re stuck because you’re resisting movement in your life?
2. You’ve made too many excuses.
I got a talk with a friend who’s doom-laden for a few months.
I must say, her emotions are valid – sadness, emptiness, and frustrations. Everyone probably has experienced the same gravity of pointlessness in life.
But what I wanted to highlight was her responses as we deepened our conversation. I asked her what she wanted in life. We went on a memory lane to remind her what she’s good at and convinced her to leave the weight of people’s expectations behind.
But being a gloomy being for so long, her responses were in the spectrum of “I don’t know” and “I can’t”.
“I don’t know where I’m good at.”
“I don’t know how to do it.”
“With my situation now, it’s impossible.”
Unfortunately, with a pessimistic mind, everything goes downhill. Every solution dies and is replaced with doubts and fear. If you are currently experiencing it, it’s time to actively change the course of your life.
Sometimes, you need help from your friends, but for the most part, it’s mainly you who will save yourself.
It’s you who makes your body move. It’s your mind who thinks the thoughts.
3. You’ve become indifferent.
Does nothing excite you anymore? It’s a sign to change your life and wind up things for the better.
But the more specific question is, what made you feel so empty? Is it a job, purposelessness, or toxic relationship?
You might’ve been empty because you did nothing (and received nothing) that satisfied your real interests. Maybe you’ve done a lot for others but forgot to plenish yourself.
If you’re uninspired at your current state, put in the effort to rediscover yourself.
4. You’re losing yourself.
People can get lost in the sea of people’s expectations. Indeed, it’s draining. It’s soul-sucking.
People dictate your path and now you don’t know what you’re in doing in your life. Who are you? What’s the plan for yourself?
I was fortunate to have a strong sense of self even as a child. The more people tell me what to do, the more I strive to lead a different path. Yes, it was rough to go against people’s opinions.
But right now, my stubbornness definitely paid off because there’s nothing better than loving the place you’re in despite people’s unsolicited criticisms.
If one day, you find yourself losing who you truly are, look back to where you achieved the most things. See the world in your own filter, and not everyone else’s.
Be courageous enough to listen to what you want. Sometimes, reclaiming yourself requires steel courage, too.
5. Tears often fall secretly.
Deep breaths. Tears.
If you’re someone who secretly cries with either regrets or pressure, then it’s a clear sign you’re not enjoying a portion of your situation.
Crying from nostalgia may also mean you miss and focus on the past more than what’s ahead. However, nostalgia should make you smile, not heartbroken.
If you do feel heartbreaks from remembering the past, then start creating more memories that will be at par or even better than the yesteryears. Why? The good old days may seem nostalgic, but living in it corrupts your present and future. That said, transform your life proactively.
6. You realize there’s something bigger in life.
You know there’s more to life than the four walls around you. There’s more to life than just your office cubicle.
It’s the urge to see new, bigger, wider perceptions. Travel and see the world.
Save up. Invest in your wellness. Connect with nature.
We may be a dot in this world, but you’re here to make the place better, not to be hard on yourself.
7. You’re dreaming of something else.
You know it’s time to change your life when a dream just keeps knocking at your door like a nudging kid.
You may think you’ve buried those dreams, goals, or hobbies. But if these ideas often come back, then it’s a prompt and you need to make a move on it.
I believe in first prompting. Your intuition is such a gift and you must follow your first-hand prompts if you know it will work for the better.
8. “No” has become your default response.
When a friend, family, or relative invites or asks you a favor, is it your default response to make excuses? Do you decline events, projects, and interviews without having a second thought?
To be fair, responding with a “no” sets boundaries that can protect your mental health. But remember, too much of it can be addicting. Dismissing opportunities unconsciously becomes a habit.
For almost 8 years, the empathetic leader in me got so isolated and avoidant of responsibilities. It was pretty unhealthy and my confidence took a turn for worse. Wouldn’t advise it.
But now, it’s time to reclaim ourselves. Accept invitations once in a while. Be open to new opportunities in life.
Why is it hard to change your life?
Short answer: poor mindset and excuses. Unfortunately, coming up with a tirade of excuses puts you in still waters where there are no waves to push you through the life you wanted. It’s hard to change your life when it’s you who restrain yourself.
The sad reality is, with a weak mind setting, excuses will never run out. They multiply, become cleverer, and more believable over time.
Maybe, you lacked the money, received no support from people you expect the most, or fell short of a skill.
You’ve come up with so many excuses, that you will start to acknowledge it. Worse, live it.
On the contrary, while your excuses never run out, opportunities and solutions don’t, too. It’s time to reinspect your perspectives in life and lean on what will help you progress.
Whether it’s excuses or solutions – what you seek is what you get.
Why is it important to change your life?
You may have heard it gazillion times – change is a constant thing. Our belief system, priorities, behaviors, and mindset shift through time. Don’t fear to be told, “you’re not the same person anymore”. Of course, we’re not. If we don’t change, that would mean we didn’t learn our lessons at all.
People who don’t change are stagnating, and it is an invisible enemy. That said, even when you stumble through obstacles, the best response is to keep moving and growing.
I know someone who struggles with physical incapacitation but is strong-willed enough to keep his mental state working by gathering new knowledge through books, news, documentaries, and passes the time with quantum physics!
After understanding concepts, he shares them with his kids. Yup, it’s my father. Had a lot to learn from an admirable man.
Flow and still grow.
And if you ask me, we have 3 purposes in this world:
- To be a good person – someone who appreciates and glorifies in gratitude.
- To grow your talent and skill and not tuck them away.
- To use the good and growing person in you and be a blessing to others.
I can’t think of a situation that can overtake these three.
As to number 1, if you can’t be thankful enough, you will never be content in your life. Number 2, stagnating is the root of many frustrations. People aren’t meant to be stuck, but to flow in life. Number 3, we could have the talents and riches in the world, but there’s no fulfillment if you don’t use it to help and serve other people.
How to Change your life for the better?
- Don’t fear change. Try new things.
- Be more appreciative in life.
- Recalibrate your focus. Set a good balance between seeing the world and your introspection.
- Whether it’s excuses or solutions – what you seek is what you get.
These are the signs you need to change your life. And you can do it at this very hour. Looking forward to it!
Thanks for reading!
-M.Mathias
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- How to Develop a Healthy Mindset and Live a Happy Life
- 7 Advice on How to have a Life Well-lived
- Should You Enjoy Life or Work Hard in Your 20s?
