Do you know what it feels like to start your life over…..completely?

I do.

I used to spend my days working as a receptionist. My nights and weekends were spent as a babysitter and waitress.

I knew that I wanted to take my life in a different direction.

This new direction would earn enough money so that I wouldn’t have to work three jobs. I would be paid enough that I could enjoy my weekends, spend some time with my family, and have some time to myself.

I would have time for hobbies. I could sing to my heart’s content.

That sounds great, right?

My life wasn’t that great. So why was it such a struggle to change?

Well, I couldn’t stop making money because I had a daughter to feed, bills to pay, and an apartment to pay for every single month.

But I knew that if I didn’t make a change, I’d be on that hamster wheel forever.

I was tired of that damn hamster wheel.

That’s why I decided that I’d do whatever it took to make the change. (Here’s where the story gets interesting.)

I got rid of everything I owned.

I moved out of my apartment, and in with my parents.

I did a voluntary repossession on my car. 😲

I sold everything I owned. Anything that people were willing to buy.

I had my cell phone shut off.

I reduced my bills to as close to zero as possible so I could focus on building my dreams for one year.

By the end of that year, I had brought that vision to life. I had one job that earned $65K/year. I had weekends off, an amazing boss, and unlimited vacation. #goalcrushing

This week, I’m sharing the reality of starting over, and why it’s not as scary as you think.

A few things to know about starting over

There’s no shame in starting over. In fact, it can be fun and enlightening. It may feel scary at first, or it may feel refreshing.

It may seem overwhelming or it may bring you a sense of clarity.

You’ll never know how great it can be until you…. do it.

Related Content: Why You Must Start Living Your Dream

Understand that you’re exactly where you should be right now in your journey

It’s natural to feel regret and anxiety, but they serve NO purpose.

Regret doesn’t put energy toward your goals. It keeps you dwelling on the past.

Anxiety just makes your journey harder and full of fear. It robs you of moving forward.

Instead of staying in that mindset, it’s much more productive to give yourself #GRACE.

It’s important to understand that where you are on this journey, is happening for a reason; to provide you with new opportunities for growth - not make your life miserable.

You should start over - and then start over again

Are you the same person at 40 as you were at 20?

I hope not!

When your desires and dreams change, it shows that you’re growing as a person, and THAT is a good thing.

Even if that growth leads you out of your comfort zone. That discomfort is a huge part of growth and success - and part of starting over.

It’s also normal (and good) to start over multiple times throughout your life.

When you grow, you learn. You get better. You become a better version of yourself.

Every time you start over, you get to the next level of YOU.

You’re not really starting over

Even if life puts you in a situation that’s less than desirable and you dread starting over, it’s important to realize that you’re really not starting from ground zero.

As you move into a new phase of your life, you’re building on lessons you’ve learned, equipped with the skills you’ve acquired over time and the support of relationships you’ve already built.

The wisdom you’ve gained will serve you well.

This kind of change requires a mindset shift: you’re not starting over. You’re repurposing your skills and knowledge to use it in a way that fits who you are today.

You’re getting ready for new skills, new knowledge, new relationships, new capabilities, and new sources of joy.

All of these new life experiences are perfect for your situation.

How to Prepare to Start Over

Making the decision to start over is a great first step.

Next up is making a plan that gives you concrete steps to follow.

Make time to work on your goals

When you focus on your goals and start making new choices every day, you’ll see progress.

Plan to block out some time on your calendar each week to put energy and focus on your goals.

It may seem slow and hard to see at times, but you’ll see progress over the long term.

Start small with simple steps

You won’t make massive changes overnight.

Choose the direction you think that you want and start walking on that path - one step at a time.

You will learn more about your goal as you go. You’ll discover different ways to get there and you’ll gain clarity on what you really enjoy as you begin to actively pursue your new dreams.

Decide right from the beginning to be flexible with your strategy, but NOT your end goal.

Set some non-negotiables

Decide that you’re committed to each step of the journey, no matter what it looks like.

Set rules and boundaries that will lead you to the life you’re determined to create. Whether it’s time commitment or saying no to certain activities or trying new things - decide what the ground rules are.

Each step will teach you something.

You’ll encounter difficulties and you’ll have setbacks. But, you shouldn’t throw in the towel.

You’re a strong woman!

Setbacks and difficulties don’t have to stop you.

Create a support system and start your journey today!

Share your goal with a friend or family member. When you say your goal out loud, it becomes real.
Create a vision board to visualize your goals.
Make a commitment to work on your goals. Put it on your calendar and do the work.

Know that you’re exactly where you are meant to be. We are here to learn from our experiences and then use it for a greater purpose and calling. Embrace the journey and enjoy it!

We’d love to know what goal you’d pursue as part of starting over. Drop it in the comments below!

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!

How To Start Over At Any Age (And Enjoy It)