“Almost everything will work again if you unplug it for a few minutes, including you.”
Anne Lamott
We’re in a weird period right now – the pandemic has forced us to press pause on a lot of things in our lives. If this time of stillness is resulting in a reflection on your life and the recognition that you don’t like the path you’ve chosen, it could be a good opportunity to turn that energy into something positive. Hit a reset on your life if you aren’t in the place you want to be – whether it’s financially, emotionally, or physically.
What is a reset?
It’s exactly what it sounds like – hitting pause on your life and taking a redirection. It can be anything from focusing on specific areas of your life you’d like to improve, or a complete overhaul of everything. This is a challenging thing to do and is not easy or quick to accomplish.
How do I reset my life?
Resetting your life means making a number of weighty changes, which takes hard work and effort. Sometimes these changes include having heavy conversations with loved ones.
Start by asking yourself three questions:
- What do you want?
- What is stopping you?
- What do you need to do to get it? Now you can work to address the issue – but do so by starting small.
6 tips to help you address the issue and take steps to reset your life:
1. Consider your finances
Are you in debt? Are you comfortable with your relationship with money? Remember that “lifestyle creep” is very common and your living standards may have changed. Oftentimes a major life change can have an impact on your finances. Make sure you have enough saved for any changes you’re making.
2. What’s taking up most of your time?
Ask yourself if you’re happy with how you’re spending your time. Do you have enough time in your day to go after the longer-lasting pursuits you have? Do you have time to go after goals independent of your job? If you’re looking for more time to do what you love, it might be helpful to schedule that time in your day so you can hold yourself accountable.
3. Question your work
Work takes up over one-third of your waking hours (and for some of us, half). Is your work fulfilling? Are you satisfied with your day-to-day routine? Or do you need something else to keep you fulfilled?
4. Check what motivates you
Define your motivators. Some of us are motivated by money, some are motivated by other people’s perceptions. Figure out what you’re working towards and why you want to do it. That way, you can clearly identify what you need to continue working towards your goals.
5. Check in on the people around you
Reflect on your relationships – as the people around us can both benefit and hinder our progress and growth. It’s a good time to evaluate your relationships with the people closest to you and see if they’re still making a positive impact.
6. Start now
Too often we procrastinate major decisions because they’re daunting and intimidating. Break it up into small, manageable steps, and try to make some progress every week.
