KNOW WHEN IT’S TIME TO CHANGE YOUR LIFE

It’s easy to get into routines, situations, or habits that aren’t necessarily good for you.

We often go about life without consciously taking stock of whether something is really serving us well.  Months or years can go by tolerating things that we just accept as normal, and at worst, not changeable.

Then one day we wake up and sense that maybe it’s time to re-examine things.

But as you start to look at your life, it can be hard to determine whether what you are doing and experiencing is significant enough to warrant making some changes.     You may have mixed feelings and not really know if you should be motivated to take action.

Here are 8 signs it’s time to make a change in your life:

1)   Your level of frustration or dissatisfaction dominates your thinking

It’s normal to have some things in life that you wish were different.  Most people do, but their thoughts about it don’t make up the majority of their waking hours.  If a large portion of your days are spent feeling discontented, angry, or disillusioned with yourself or your life, you are robbing yourself of a chance for more joy if you don’t consider making some changes.

2)   Your family and friends see a difference in you that is not positive

Sometimes the people who are close to you may see changes in you before you do.   It’s often hard to be objective about your own behavior or circumstances.   When you get this type of feedback from family and friends, keep in mind that it usually comes from a place of caring and concern.   Avoid getting defensive or discounting their input, and pay close attention.

3)  Your physical energy, health, and productivity are negatively impacted

Often one of the first signs of a need for change is what your body tells you.   Frequent fatigue, lower energy, mood shifts, increased medical issues, and lower productivity at work and home are often strong signals of the need for change.

4)  Things that used to give you pleasure no longer do so

Reduced interest in healthy pastimes, hobbies, sports, etc. that you used to enjoy can be an indication that you are becoming numb or less sensitive to joy, fun, love, or happiness.   While sometimes it just may be that you’ve outgrown a certain recreational activity, it is worth examining what is really going on.

5)  You actively fantasize about escaping to a different life

Having occasional thoughts about an amazing vacation you’d like to take or aspiring to improve your current life conditions is normal and no cause for alarm.  But if you fantasize about leaving all your friends, family, and existing circumstances permanently behind and heading off to parts unknown on your own, it is important to ask the question, “Why?”  What about your life requires you to escape it?

 6)  Your self-esteem and self-confidence are being impacted

If you find that your actions, habits, or current life situation is depleting your sense of esteem and confidence, it’s probably time to take a harder look at what’s going on.   If you are doing things that don’t fit with your values or make you feel bad about yourself, it’s time to make a change.

7)  Your patience is low and you are complaining more frequently

A frequent indicator of a need to make a change is when your threshold to tolerate mistakes and people’s imperfections is near zero.   When everybody around you seems to irritate you somehow, this is a pretty big warning sign.

8)  You are asking yourself, “Why aren’t I happier?”

This is perhaps the most critical sign of all.   If you aren’t happy, and you’ve recognized your unhappiness by asking this essential question, it’s time to make some changes.  Have the courage to step up and make the decision to take action. 

DIVE DEEPER:  Gain more perspective, clarity, and control during this time in your life here so you can feel better and move forward.