Moving on with Life

Whether you’re stuck in a rut, lost your job, your heart’s been broken or, you just need a change, sometimes it’s difficult to take that first step. Moving on with life is never easy but with faith in yourself and perseverance you can make it happen. We’ve all been there at some point and we’ve all experienced hardships. It’s what you do about it that makes the difference.

“Life is 10% what happens to you and 90% how you react to it” – Charles Swindoll

Breathe

Take a deep breath and just breathe. After the dust settles give yourself some time to digest what has happened and how it will, and has affected you. Will you need a new job? Will you have to move? How will you get over the loss of your loved one? Often times we get busy helping others work through their feelings or issues that we don’t take the time to recognize our own. They won’t go away just because we haven’t dealt with them. Don’t ignore your feelings but don’t dwell on them either. You will need to find a happy medium in there somewhere.

Release your anger, frustration, and/or pain

Once you’ve acknowledged your feelings, you need to deal with them in a constructive manner. It’s very easy to let anxiety, helplessness, and hopelessness in but it’s not so easy to get them back out. Don’t let them take residence in your mind. There are things you can do to ease your tension. Barely functioning isn’t one of them.

You could begin an exercise regimen. Or, if exercise isn’t your thing perhaps pampering yourself a little will help. Maybe just talking to someone who isn’t connected to the situation is the answer. Whatever the solution, don’t just ignore your feelings. Take it from me, dealing with them asap is best.

Make a plan

Now that you’ve recognized and dealt with your feelings, it’s time to make a plan on how you’re going to get back on track. The best way to do that is to set goals for yourself. In order to set goals you need to know what you want, what you need, and how to reach your goal.

Know your why

What the heck do I mean by “know your why?” Your “why” is what motivates you. Maybe it’s making a better life for your family. Or maybe you want to save up for a special vacation, maybe you want to lose weight or be your own boss. Whatever your “why” is, just go for it. Don’t let anyone (including yourself) stop you or make you feel silly. You have a reason for what you are striving for and that’s all that matters.

Mapping your journey

Okay, now you’ve got your goals and you know your “why”, how are you going to make it happen? The first thing you should do is make a list of what you need to do to reach your goal. This may require a lot of research on your part.

Let’s say for instance, you want to publish a book. I think it’s safe to assume that it’s not only about writing the book. You’ll need to find an editor, printer, publisher and more in order to get your work published.

Now you can start your map. This map may be in the form of a vision board with pictures of what steps you need to take to accomplish your goal. Vision boards can help you see where you are and where you’re going. Your map should include milestones along the way. Each milestone should include steps. By breaking things down into steps and milestones rather than just Point A to Point B, you will keep from getting discouraged easily because you will be able to see the progress you’ve made.

Set a time frame

Again, this is where research can be helpful to you. Once you know the steps you need to follow you can set up a time frame for completing each step. Remember to account for setbacks. You can’t control everything so be willing to give yourself some leeway. If something you thought would take 1 month to complete ends up taking 2 months, that’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up, you might be able to make the time up in another step. Just don’t give up.

Reward yourself

Remember to reward yourself when you reach your milestones. You’ve worked hard and you deserve it. Of course, reaching your goal is your ultimate reward but it doesn’t hurt to pat yourself on the back along the way once in awhile either.

Let others help

A strong support system is a good thing to have. They can offer encouragement when you get discouraged, do some research for you, perhaps maybe even do some errands for you while you’re hard at work on your project. People like to know that they’ve offered a contribution to your well-being so if they offer their assistance, don’t be afraid to accept it.

Very important step

Don’t forget to relax. Sure you have a goal, and yes, if you’re going to achieve it you’ll need to put in a lot of time, energy and hard work. But, you also have a life. One that existed before this. If you have a family, they still need to be an important part of your life too. If you had prior obligations that aren’t going away as a result of the changes your are making keep them. Just because you are moving on with life doesn’t mean you have to change everything. If you give up everything you’ve loved in order to meet your goal then will you truly be happy? Probably not.

Conclusion

When life deals you a shocking blow, it’s okay to wallow in self-pity and despair for awhile. After all, it was a part of who you were. They keyword is “were”. Now you are striving for something new, maybe bigger and possibly better. Being resilient and moving on with life is the best thing you can do. Show the world you’re a force to be reckoned with and that life can’t bring you down. Above all remember, you are responsible for your happiness so go on out there, take a chance, and make it happen!

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**The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition.

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