“I am no longer accepting the things I cannot change. I am changing the things I cannot accept.” (Angela Davis)
Resigned: adjective. Having accepted something unpleasant that one cannot do anything about.
Most of us have points in our life where we face a fork in the road. Midlife and mid-career can be one of those points. We’re ready for something different. We’re tired of the same old thing day in and day out.
But how to figure out what’s next?
We struggle over making the right choice. We want an EASY button. We hate feeling stuck but expect instant solutions and “aha” moments.
Too often, we take the path of least resistance because we’re too tired, too overwhelmed, over-committed and over budget. We spend too much time on things and people that don’t satisfy.
We convince ourselves that big change is for other people. We forge ahead, hoping that maybe by some luck things will get better—without any real effort on our part. We reinforce bad habits that pull us further away from a life well-lived. We don’t ask the right questions.
We resign ourselves that THIS. IS. JUST. THE. WAY. IT. IS.
We ignore the fact that not choosing is a choice. We don’t realize the full impact of letting life happen to us. We think we have all the time in the world, as we let another few years or decades pass us by.
Aren’t you sick of resigning yourself to what is? Why not give yourself permission to make even the smallest of changes?
Rather than being resigned to a job that sucks the life out of you, challenge yourself to learn something new that inspires you. Take on a project outside of work that will broaden your contacts and perhaps give you a sense of meaning and satisfaction that your job doesn’t currently provide.
Rather than living with mountains of ever-increasing debt, challenge yourself to track your expenses and eliminate at least one item that doesn’t add value to your life.
Rather than resigning yourself to feeling constantly overwhelmed, make a list of all the big and little things that would give you some relief. Commit to eliminating (or completing) as many items you can in the shortest amount of time.
Rather than resigning yourself to not knowing what you want, give yourself permission to brainstorm 20 ideas worth considering.
Rather than resigning yourself to a life of less than, incorporate some simple pleasures. Focus more on being, and less on doing.
Rather than comparing yourself to others, take a break from the social media rat race and ask yourself what really matters to you. Be willing to forge your own path and not care what other people think.
Rather than blaming and making excuses about why you can’t do something, demand more from yourself. Strive for a Level 10 life–as you define it! Erase “I can’t” from your mental self-talk and shift it to “Why the hell not?”
THIS. IS. YOUR. LIFE. Stop frittering away your present and your future by burying your head in the sand and taking the easy way out. Do something, anthing, to shake things up.
Always remember that nothing changes if nothing changes. Yes, sometimes life forces change on you. But most of the time, you need to make the first move.
Figure out what you REALLY want
Try something new
Build positive habits that improve the quality of your life
Simplify
Lighten up
Ask more and better questions
Make BOLD choices
Do something outside your comfort zone
Own your choices
Don’t wait for permission. Don’t wait for the perfect time. NOW is the time.
This Week’s Call to Action:
Advocate on your own behalf. Take one positive action–no matter how small–to improve your current situation. In short, START CHANGING THE THINGS IN YOUR LIFE YOU CAN NO LONGER ACCEPT.
