Do you ever feel stuck in your life? Whether it’s stuck in a bad relationship, a dead-end job, or struggling with your self-image, everyone has felt stuck. When we get stuck in life it can feel as though we are walking around trapped in our own mental prison. 

Whatever your prison looks like, one point remains unanimously true: we all want freedom. The wonderful difference between your personal prison and an actual prison is you hold the key to your freedom. The key is change.

Changing aspects of your life can seem daunting and overwhelming. However, there are simple and easy steps to mastering the art of change. Making successful changes in your life requires three things: a healthy mindset, planned action, and gracious reflection. Always remembering to be grateful for what you have right now.

Having A Healthy Mindset

The first step to mastering the art of change is having a healthy mindset. A healthy mindset will help you pursue change for the right reasons. 

Understanding where you currently are in life is very important. Take time being honest with yourself about your current situation. Admit to yourself what is causing you to be stuck. Don’t be afraid to dig deep into this. If it’s a person who is holding you back, a job that is draining you, or a habit that is hurting you, be honest about it. Honesty with self is challenging; it does not affect your self-esteem as we often think it does. It holds us to a high standard and sets us free. As the old cliche goes, “The truth will set you free.”

Once you have evaluated where you are, a healthy mindset requires you to dream about your ideal life. If you are making a change in your life you should be motivated by the outcome you desire. Whether it’s healthier friendships, a more fulfilling job, or a stronger self-image, picture it. Sit. Imagine your life with your ideal outcome.

Knowing where you are and where you want to be will help you understand the importance of change and motivate you to make change happen. The final piece of having a healthy mindset about change is understanding you have everything you need right inside you. In no way are you trying to change who you are. You are wonderful and your ideal self is right inside you. Changing your environment and lifestyle will only help to bring out your ideal self and let your inner strength shine. I challenge you to be daring and give it a try.

Change Through Planned Action

Now that you have created a healthy mindset for yourself it’s time to take action. The action is a key part in the art of change.

All successful action, and therefore change, requires a plan. Setting a strong plan takes time and detail. Set aside time for planning. Begin planning by writing out your goal. Maybe it is something like living a happier life, adding more value to the world, or being a healthier person. 

Next, list the major change you need to make in your life. For instance, moving away from a toxic relationship, finding a career that better fits who you are, or beginning a workout regimen. 

From this goal, work backward, breaking it down into steps you need to take. Some examples of steps to take might be: making new friends, researching career opportunities, or getting a gym membership. 

One of the most important steps you must include in your plan is setting aside time in your life to work towards your goals. Life can be busy and your goals can get set aside if you are not careful in setting aside time to prioritize making change happen. As you continue to add to your plan, know that it will never be the perfect plan and you will be adding to it as you come across new challenges.

Now that you have a plan laid out, begin to take action. Start small, taking some of the easier first steps. An easier first step might be engaging in small talk with someone you enjoy talking with, evaluating your job strengths, or going for a walk. Starting with the smaller steps allows you to practice change without pushing yourself too hard. From these small first steps, you can build confidence and continue moving forward until you reach your ultimate goal.

At times, your confidence may falter. When this happens, stick to your plan and keep moving forward. When you come across a roadblock, keep moving forward. Know that it is okay to have small failures as you move towards change. Mastering the art of change doesn’t require perfection, only persistence. So, even when you hit a bump or face a challenge keep pushing forward. 

Try not to be sidetracked by negative thinking about the issues you are facing now; they are only temporary. Continue to keep a positive outlook in the face of difficulties and believe me “this too will soon pass.” Keep in mind that this is only temporary. Next, begin to replace negative thoughts with the dreams and goals that you have envisioned for yourself. Through time and persistence, you will transform your goals into reality.

Gracious Time to Reflect

You’ve mastered maintaining a healthy mindset, you’ve mastered taking action, and now you must take time to reflect. 

Once you’ve spent time taking action, pause and reflect on the results. It is important to have time planned for reflection. Your time in reflection will allow you to look back and see your progress. This time helps you evaluate if what you are doing is truly bringing about the change you desire.

A good practice to help you reflect is journaling. Journaling is a great way to articulate what can sometimes be jumbled thoughts. Begin your journaling time writing about the change you desire. Then talk about the steps you have taken towards this change. Lastly, spend time writing about how far you’ve come. You will be surprised at what you have already accomplished; seeing it on paper makes it even more real.

As you write about how far you’ve come, celebrate! Making changes is sometimes difficult but it is incredibly exciting too. When you look back and see how far you’ve come, take time to celebrate your accomplishments. You are a great person who has put in some hard work to help your beautiful self thrive. 

I am here to be of service to you in helping you accomplish your goals. Please take time to drop me an email to let me know if the topic was helpful to you. Until then Peace, Happiness and Love.