5 Things to Ask When Looking for a Fresh Start

That's it. You've had it. Life is just not going as well as you'd like. It's time for a change, a Fresh Start if you will. But how do you know where to even begin? Especially if you're still neck-deep in a life you want to escape.

 

It’s simple. You start by asking yourself these five questions:

 

What Are You Looking For?

 

Too often, what we're thinking is a change in our life is nothing more than a dressed-up version of the old. To avoid falling into this trap, start looking for real and actual change. Start by asking the hard questions: What do you want out of life? How are you not getting this? What would you need to do to attain this? What's one positive change which would place you closer to this dream?

 

How Many Risks Are You Willing to Take?

 

Fresh starts will demand a certain commitment from you, which manifests in how much of yourself you’re willing to put into the project. If you’re not willing to risk a new way of life, or much in the way of change, you’re not going to have much success. 

 

What is Different About the Life You’re Proposing

 

If you're looking for a new beginning, there has to be something 'new,' or you're not starting over at all. You are merely continuing what you've been doing all along. What is the thing you haven't done before?

 

What Are You Giving Up?

 

A new beginning means something else is ending. What are you leaving behind? Keep in mind this question doesn't necessarily imply you need to abandon every aspect of your past. Sometimes we're leaving behind only a small part of our life.

 

Are You Truly Ready to Let Go of the Past?

 

This last question can be hard because you might not know this answer until you've begun. Every fresh start is doomed to failure if you're weighed down with a lot of baggage from the past. At the very least, though, it helps to have a positive attitude about letting go and are willing to do the work to make this happen.

 

In the end, these questions will give you some idea of what to expect as you embark on this journey of letting go. After all, being prepared truly is half the battle. 

3 Ways to Live More Strategically

When you live strategically, you make it easier for yourself to accomplish a goal and make decisions along the way. The problem is, it can be hard to know what you need to do to live a more strategic life. If you struggle with the idea, read below for three ways you can learn to live more strategically. 

 

Have a Strategic Plan for Your Life

 

It isn't enough to decide you want to live a more strategic life. You have to create a strategy to follow. It can be difficult to follow your thoughts and dreams when they are just in your head, so it's better to write this strategic plan down. This will help you to have a narrower focus and to plan out better how to deal with certain decisions when they arrive. 

 

For example, if you wish to hold a higher position at your job, write that down, then write what you can do to help you get there. 

 

Plan Ahead for Change

 

If you are following a strategic plan, it can be harrowing when something in your life changes and the plan doesn’t fit anymore. But this is okay. The only way to adequately deal with change is by embracing it so you can deal with it more quickly and get back on the path you were on before. 

 

It’s best if you prepare for possible changes in advance. While you can’t prepare for everything, this is a strategy that will help keep you on top of your goals even when the unexpected happens. 

 

Be More Confident In Yourself

When it comes to living a more strategic life, you will find that it is vitally important to be confident in yourself. It will take confidence and belief in yourself to stick to your strategy when people may disagree with you or you experience times of hardship. 

 

If self-confidence is something you struggle with, you should employ different tactics to help boost it. Some good ways to help your self-confidence are positive self-talk, practicing gratitude, and changing your posture when you sit and walk. 

 

If you have decided that you want to embrace a more strategic life, it's time to create a plan to prepare for change. It would be best if you also worked on your self-confidence, so you can stick to your strategic plan even when unforeseen circumstances come your way.