How To Reinvent Yourself & Signs It’s Time To Start

Are you feeling stagnant or bored? There are a million reasons to keep on doing what you are doing, some real, some not so much. Maybe you are thinking this is not the best time for a career change, you can’t afford it, or it will involve too much hard work. Reinventing yourself and making major changes can be powerful and well worth every scary step you take.

How do I know if the time is right?

There will never be a better time. There will always be an excuse that makes sense to you if this is what you are looking for. Everything in your personal life may point to it not being a great time for significant changes.

Consider new ideas anyway. I have done this a few times! I get bored easily and there are many things I want to try. I held on to my last career path too long due to my financial insecurities.

Concerns for finances are very real. Bills need to be paid. I am solely responsible for my upkeep and that of my beautiful and beloved puppies. Safe to say the fear of not being able to pay one’s bills is a common reason some people stay mired in misery.

Change is so risky!

So is staying stuck! I was brought up to play it safe. I did not realize how stifling this was until I broke out of some of my safe ways. I would always say ‘one day when my house is paid for’ blah, blah blah…I will do a, b and c.

If you are waiting for a perfect time, it is never going to come. N-E-V-E-R. There will always be a great excuse at the ready.

Ask questions

I decided it was dumb to waste my precious days living in misery and came up with a better idea and plan. My thought process was – if I lost my income today what would I do to replace it? This was a key moment! I decided while I still had an income I would put my plan into action and see what would happen.

This was a great plan and it worked! This felt powerful to me and I was not going to stop there. I was just cracking the surface!

What if…

How do you know if your need for reinvention is real? I personally think if you are having these thoughts it is a great time to explore other options. To do otherwise suggests you are calling your own thoughts less than real and I find this to be disrespectful.

Clear vision

Maybe you have a clear vision? Maybe you are one of the lucky people that have known forever what you want to do and have been led astray by life and various circumstances.

Find some role models already living your dream. Watch these people and immerse yourself in this new role you are thinking about. This is a great way to study the different ways and new habits you will want to practice on a daily basis. Doing this is a great start to guide you on your path to your ultimate destination.

Vision board

For those of you feeling restless and not knowing what you want to do or be next I have to mention the vision board. Have you ever made a Vision board? So fun! Grab a bunch of images or stickers anywhere you can find.

We used to cut out pics from magazines. Do people even read hard copy magazines these days? Grab some colorful markers or pencils too and drawer out your dream. Don’t get hung up on thoughts that tell you you can’t draw. These are just thoughts. We won’t be grading these visual maps!

I have been living my dream from my first vision board for many many years now!

Live your fullest life

I know when I am not doing my best and I suspect others do as well. My experience was I just felt done. I knew I was not being my best version of myself. This was when I was melting glass out of my at home hot shop and art studio full time! I can’t even imagine if I had had for instance an office job that I disliked, how miserable that would have been.

I felt deep down my artwork and by extension I were not living up to my potential. My artwork was more or less my sole support. I knew what stuff I made that sold well, and this was safe, so I stayed with this for a very long time. Probably too long

What are you passionate about?

I always wanted to be able to make art with all the other various mediums too – not to sell, just for play. So I started to do this in addition to my running my business. This proved to be so much fun that what I decided I wanted to do was to find a way to pay the bills and make art for the fun of it. I am doing this today and loving every minute of it!

If nothing changes nothing changes

I could have stayed with my tired excuses – I live alone and have to pay my bills, so I can’t stop doing what I am doing because I need to earn money. Or another good excuse was – I worked so hard to build up my business, why would I stop now that money is flowing in regularly?

I have always been curious if I could hook rugs. I can!

If you are feeling unfulfilled in any area of your life it may be time to change that area. Knowing when it’s time to reinvent oneself can be a deeply personal and introspective process.

Do any of the following feelings resonate with you?

Feeling Stagnant

You may feel stuck in a rut or a sense of monotony in your life. The routine and predictability may no longer bring you joy or fulfillment.

Loss of Passion

Your once-strong enthusiasm and passion for your current path or pursuits may have dwindled. You may find yourself questioning your purpose and feeling disconnected from your work or personal endeavors.

Longing for Change

A persistent feeling of longing for something more or a desire to explore new possibilities may arise. You may have a deep sense that there is untapped potential within you waiting to be unleashed.

Lack of Fulfillment

Despite external success or achievements, you may feel a void or emptiness inside. Material possessions or external validation no longer bring you lasting satisfaction.

Seeking Growth and Challenge

You may crave personal growth, new challenges, and a sense of stretching beyond your comfort zone. The current status quo may no longer offer the growth opportunities you desire.

But how do I really know?

When it’s time to reinvent oneself, it often looks and feels like a call for growth, expansion, and a desire to live a more authentic and fulfilling life. You may feel a mix of emotions, such as excitement, uncertainty, and a willingness to embrace the unknown.

Shift in Values and Priorities

Sometimes we put too much importance and emphasis on the opinions of what others think we will be best at! How many people have told you ‘Oh! You would be so great at that!’.

I love to teach and am good at it. That said, putting me in a school classroom full time would be hell for me and, I suspect, the kids.

Listen to the signs

Your priorities may have been pushed aside for many reasons, including a lack of self confidence. The bottom line is your values and priorities have evolved over time and may not be in line with where you find yourself today. Maybe you are just realizing your core values and priorities now. This in itself is cause for celebration!

Intuition and Inner Knowing

Deep down, you may have a strong intuitive sense that it’s time for a change. You may feel an inner restlessness or a quiet voice nudging you towards a different direction. Please heed the call of that little voice. It knows best!

Be patient, be good to yourself and be persistent. With your determination, and willingness to embrace discomfort, you will expand your comfort zone and unlock new levels of personal growth and joy.

The decision is yours and yours alone

Ultimately, the decision to reinvent oneself is a personal choice that requires self-reflection, honesty, and a willingness to explore new possibilities. The most important thing is to trust your instincts, listen to your inner voice, and be open to change because these are essential components of the reinvention process.

Someone once told me ‘If you have a good excuse, don’t use it.’

Comfort zones aren’t all they are cracked up to be

Breaking out of comfort zones can be challenging, but with the right strategies and mindset, it is possible. Here are some effective strategies that people use to break out and expand their horizons.

Set Clear Goals

Clearly define what you want to achieve outside of your comfort zone. Remember the acronym SMART. This stands for setting specific, measurable, attainable, relevant, and time-bound (SMART) goals and can provide focus and motivation.

Baby steps

If change is big and scary to you like so many of us taking baby steps is key. Baby steps will get you to the place you want to go. You may find starting with baby steps gets you so inspired you just want to jump in. This always happens to me!

Take action!

Write out a plan with a time line, in its entirety, as best you can. Be as specific as your knowledge thus far allows. Example: By this date I commit to having this action complete.

Undoubtedly as you get into taking action steps you will learn more. When you learn more you will want to incorporate more into your plan. You may also want to delete parts of your plan. Be flexible and ready to pivot when you need to.

Taking consistent and intentional actions towards reinvention will most assuredly give you a big lift! Be sure to take the time to Celebrate accomplishments, milestones and achievements along the way!

Embrace Fear and Uncertainty

Fear and uncertainty are givens. Do not let fear stop you. Pretend you are brave and walk right into the fear. Each time you get to the other side of fear this process will get easier.

You are expanding your comfort zone. The very definition of this is to feel discomfort. Ah! Then once on the other side of this you will feel powerful and each time after that more powerful.

Setbacks

Setbacks are almost certainly another given. Work with it! Get back up, brush yourself off and continue.

Challenge Negative Self-Talk

Do not waste a moment on self deprecating talk. Change the negative words to positive! Post affirmations everywhere you can see them. Pull out all those empowering beliefs you have read. Surround yourself with positive, like minded folks, cheer leaders and people that inspire you!

Cultivate a Growth Mindset

Write a mission statement. Keep it close by to read often. Decide now to see challenges as opportunities to learn and grow. Remind yourself of all you can accomplish with effort and practice. Whether a phase of your plan brings you closer to your goal or a step back you have still learned something. All is not lost because knowledge is valuable. Keep your mind open! These are new skills that will help you along your journey.

Visualize Success

I am a big fan of visualizing and I intend to receive what I want. Use visualization techniques to imagine yourself successfully navigating toward your future self. With realistic goals you will be this person you are visualizing. Visualize the positive outcomes and the sense of accomplishment that comes with pushing past your limitations. Visualizing and Intentions are powerful tools. Act as if!

Practice Mindfulness and Self-Reflection

Cultivate self-awareness through practices such as meditation, journaling, or deep introspection. Pay attention to your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations as you navigate new experiences. This self-reflection can help you understand your comfort zone patterns and provide insights for growth. Positive change is awesome!

Learn from Failure

There is no such thing as failure, only delayed successes. Embrace failure as a natural part of the learning process. Shift your perspective to view failures as valuable lessons and growth. How long did it take Ben Franklin and Tommy Edison to get to where they planned to go?

Do not worry about making mistakes! Just learn as much as you can from these mistakes. In fact many of the things you learn will stem from your missteps.

Celebrate Progress

Know you are on the right track.
Acknowledge and celebrate each step taken outside of your comfort zone.
Recognize your courage and resilience, even in small achievements.
Celebrating progress reinforces positive behavior and boosts confidence for future challenges.
Embrace the process of self-discovery and growth.
Be flexible and open to new opportunities.
Don’t overthink everything! 

I remembered one day that the opposite of growing is dying. I personally need to grow regularly or I am bored to tears. If you are feeling like a change please know I am not brave. Making significant changes can be scary! I came to find the best way to get over these fears is to walk straight into them whether I want to or not.

My history, time and again, has shown me this always works! I may choose a wrong path here and there. This is okay! I tried it! I probably learned some things. Life for me has never been about finding myself, it has always been about creating myself.

Marj Bates is a life long ridiculously organized declutterer and artist. Less is more are words Marj lives by in everything she does except collecting dogs. “Dogs are like potato chips! Can’t have just one.” says Marj. Marj wonders if growing up with a fanatically clean Jewish mom means her decluttering and organizational skills are in her blood.

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