By Destiny Eve Pifer
There comes a time in one’s life when they must decide what they really want to do for the rest of their life. Do you want to continue working at a dead-end job that makes you miserable? Do you want to be stuck in the same old rut? Do you want to continue to have no direction in your life? If you are like me the answer to those questions is no. My journey to reinventing my life came the moment I turned forty. I was sitting at the little birthday party my family had thrown for me and while they happily talked about the past I was thinking about the future. At the time I was working two jobs. One at a doctor’s office and the other taking care of my mother. I had no free time and barely any time to spend with my thirteen-year-old son. Our relationship was becoming strained and my family who was caring for him while I was at work were just flat out exhausted. My mother has Parkinson’s which makes it hard for her to do much. My brother is her main caregiver and takes care of her during the week. My dad who lives on his own was tired of coming down every day to take him to school. So I found myself feeling like something had to change. My desire to work two jobs was causing misery to everyone including myself. I hated going to work each day because it was stressful and chaotic. So I decided to make a change. I decided to reinvent my life. When it comes to reinventing one’s life it really isn’t that hard. What it takes most of all is a leap of faith. You have to step into the unknown and that can be a scary thing. Now I had been saving up for months because I knew a change would have to be made and I wanted to be ready. So after quitting my job at the doctor’s office I began looking at what needed to be improved. What I learned is the following:
- Analyze Your Life- Figure out where you are in your life and what adjustments need to be made.
- Have a Plan- If you plan on quitting your job do you have enough money saved up to survive on? Do you have another job lined up? Do you want to take the time to perhaps further your education? Perhaps start up your own business?
- Be Smart Financially- Live within your means. Start budgeting.
- Take Care of Yourself- The most important thing when it comes to reinventing your life is taking care of yourself. Take care of yourself not only physically but also mentally. Make sure you are getting enough sleep and eating a well-balanced diet. Work on stress management and learn how to manage stress in a positive way.
- Take the Time to Learn Something New - When you are no longer working it can be a challenge to figure out what to do with yourself. So take the time to do something you have never done. Perhaps you can learn a new language or maybe you have dreamed of taking up painting. Perhaps you want to create a zen garden or maybe you want to learn how to do some home improvement projects. Whatever it is go for it!
- Become more Social- Too often we find ourselves consumed with our jobs. We are often too busy to socialize with anyone at work. Sometimes even when we do we are met with hostility and so we shy away from attempting to socialize. However, once you leave your job and start on the path to reinventing your life it’s a new beginning. It’s a clean slate. Try to get out to social events and mingle with others. Try to join public or church groups. Put yourself out there.
- Lastly, get rid of Clutter- Just like when you move from one place to another there is always clutter. Stuff you don’t need but have kept a hold of. It’s time to get rid of that clutter in your life. Get rid of the past mistakes you have made or the relationships that didn’t work out. Leave all of that in the past. You need to focus on clearing space and getting rid of all that clutter in order to truly move on.
When it comes to starting a new life it’s best to get rid of the negative energy around yourself. Instead, surround yourself with positive energy. Learn to meditate and study the art of relaxation. Even if it’s just for a few minutes each day you will begin to feel refreshed. Learn to get overcome any low self-esteem you may have. It’s easy in today’s world to battle low esteem but when your begin to change your point of view and outlook on life you can do it. Change often requires us to make sacrifices and those sacrifices can be scary. You may feel trapped and unable to leave a certain job or situation. However, there is always a way. If you want to truly change your life it is a chance you have to take and in the end, you may come up feeling a lot better.
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