Want to change your life but don’t know where to start? Today I’m sharing ten simple things you can do today to start making a change for the better right away. And they’re easier than you might think. Let’s dive in!
Ten ways to change your life today…
#1. Figure out who you want to be, then plan the steps you need to get there.
Who do you want to be and what do you want to do? Do you want to have your own business, go travelling, be a partner in a top law firm or be a volunteer of the year at your kid’s school?
Every path requires different skills and a different knowledge base. So, what do you need to be the person you desire? Identifying this doesn’t need to take long but give yourself time to dream. Grab a notebook and pen and jot down whatever comes to mind. Develop a clear vision THEN map out the steps and goals you need to set to make it a reality.
#2. Identify as the person you want to be.
Next on my list of ways to change your life is to identify as the person you want to be. Act as if you are already that person and you’ll find it much easier to make the transition.
Use adjectives to describe the type of person you’re striving to become. For instance, are you “someone who doesn’t eat junk food” or are you “someone who’s constantly tempted by snacks”? Are you “trying to quit smoking” or do you identify as a “non-smoker”?
The same is true in business. If you run your own business, you’re a CEO. You’re your own boss – so own it! Turn your description of yourself into a positive voice and visualise yourself as if you’re already that person. Stop using the word “trying” too. Not only will you find it easier to adopt more of a positive mindset, you’ll believe you’re truly capable of becoming the person you want to be too.
Watch the related video…
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#3. Set clear boundaries.
Boundaries are necessary to keep us sane – both in our personal lives and in our professional lives! What are your boundaries? Do you want to be surrounded by toxic friends or family members who suck the fun out of life? Do you want to be on call with clients 24/7 or would you like to finish at 5pm and leave your work at the office until the following day?
Set clear boundaries about what you say yes to, how much you take on, how you’re prepared to spend your free time and who you spend your time with. And don’t be afraid of sticking to your guns and saying no if what is being asked of you encroaches on those boundaries!
#4. Make your goals concrete goals.
Want to accomplish your goals? Make sure they’re concrete! Goals like “getting healthy” or “going to the gym” are not concrete goals. They’re not detailed enough which means they won’t lead to you forming healthy habits. You need to be much more specific so that you know exactly what you’re working towards.
Instead of just aiming for “getting healthy”, set yourself a goal of say, doing 5-10 push-ups each day or hitting 10k steps a day. You’ll be far more likely to accomplish the thing you desire (in this case, becoming healthier) because you know what you need to do to make it happen. Plus, you’ll know when you’ve met your goal for that day because it’s super-specific.
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#5. Track your goals for a set number of days and then repeat.
Number five of my ten ways to change your life is tracking your habits. If you want to stay focused and motivated, tracking your habits is THE way to go. Not only does tracking your habits give you a visual reminder of the progress you’re making, it takes away some of the overwhelm too because you’re only doing it for a set number of days.
Tracking a habit for 7 days, 21 days or even 30 days and then repeating it is FAR less daunting than trying to stick at something for a whole 6 months straight. Especially if you break it down into bite-sized chunks and add another piece to it once the first chunk has become a habit.
For example, want to lose weight? Instead of going cold turkey and cutting out snacks, sugar, gluten, alcohol AND caffeine right away, challenge yourself to not have any snacks between meals for 30 days. Then, at the end of the 30 days, consider tracking for another 30 days but adding in one more thing such as no sugar or no gluten. Then, at the end of the next 30 days, add another piece to the mix.
You’ll find it much easier to stay motivated and feel inspired to keep going. And because you’ll be less likely to give up, you’ll see the results you’re looking for quicker too!
#6. Practice habit stacking.
The easiest way to make a habit become a habit? Stacking it! Habit stacking – or attaching a new habit to a habit you already have – is a super simple way of making a new habit stick. For example, if you’ve been meaning to read more but struggle to find the time, do it during the 10 minutes it takes for your coffee to brew in the morning.
Resist the urge to reach for your phone and pick up your book instead. You’re already spending that time waiting for your coffee, so why not read at the same time? Do it for a whole week and you’ll have read for more than an hour without thinking about it! Come the end of the month, you’ll have read for a whole 5 hours without even trying! Pretty cool, right?!
What new habits do you want to create and what existing habits can you attach them to?
#7. Started too big? Don’t give up! Use tiny habits instead.
Next on my list of ways to change your life is using tiny habits. Find it hard to run for 15 minutes? Resist the urge to give up by making your habit smaller. Drop it down to 5 minutes instead and build up from there. Can’t get motivated to go to the gym? Make your tiny habits putting on your trainers and filling up your water bottle.
Making them tiny habits takes away some of the overwhelm and makes it easier for you to dive in. Just like habit stacking, those tiny habits will very soon become automatic movements that you eventually don’t think twice about.
#8. Incorporate the 2-minute rule.
It’s much easier to do something for 2 minutes than it is to find time or motivation for an activity that lasts 20+ minutes. So, instead of committing to meditating for 20 minutes every day, commit to just 2 minutes. Or add an extra 2 minutes to the end of your cardio workout. Or relieve stress by doing some deep breathing exercises for 2 minutes.
When it becomes a habit, you can add an extra few minutes. Plus, once you get started, you’ll find it easier to just keep going. After all. getting started is the hardest part. Once you’re in the flow, you’ll surprise yourself that more time has passed than you expected. Give it a few weeks and you’ll be doing the 20+ minutes without even thinking about it!
#9. Slipped up? Get back on the wagon right away.
We all let things slip from time to time and so all is not lost if you cave or make a mistake. Slipping up doesn’t mean that you’ve failed, it means you’re human. Give yourself grace, try not to beat yourself up for caving or missing a day and just keep going.
If you overeat at dinnertime, don’t eat any snacks that evening and plan a healthy breakfast for the following day. If you skip your workout, simply do it tomorrow instead.
It takes work to develop your habit, so be kind to yourself. Don’t let all of your hard work go to waste just because you made one simple mistake. Remind yourself that it’s much easier to start the habit again right away than it is to pick it back up again months down the road. So, forgive yourself for those slip-ups, get back on the wagon right away and keep going!
#10. Find your community.
My final – and probably favourite way – to change your life is to find your community. This has BY FAR been THE BIGGEST game-changer for me. Surrounding myself with like-minded people has helped me to maintain a positive mindset, find the motivation to accomplish my goals and become a better version of myself. And it can totally do the same for you too!
So, who around you lifts you up? Who inspires you? Which authors, bloggers, podcasters or entrepreneurs are accomplishing what you want to accomplish?
Surround yourself with those influences and you’ll find it much easier to keep toxic relationships and pessimistic attitudes at bay. Know that it’s okay to remove the negative influences from your life and keep those who bring you down at arm’s length. Find your community and hang out in their presence – either online or in-person – as much as possible.
Making a change for the better…
There you have it – my ten things to do today to change your life! Which will you do first? Here they are again:
- Figure out who you want to be, THEN plan the steps to get you there.
- Identify as the person you want to be.
- Set clear boundaries.
- Make your goals concrete goals.
- Track your goals for a set number of days – then repeat.
- Practice habit stacking.
- Started too big? Don’t give up! Use tiny habits instead.
- Incorporate the 2-minute rule.
- Slipped up? Get back on the wagon right away.
- Find your community.
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