We can feel bound by who we are. When we don’t like something about ourselves or we have a bad habit that we know isn’t good for us trying to step towards making those changes seems futile. This is especially true when we get older, and therefore, more cynical. But what do we do if we want to change something about ourselves later in life? Is it actually too late? Naturally, we tend to think that it’s not in a superficial sense, because “age is but a number,” but we don’t tend to listen to our own advice. What should we do if we want to change our lives even though we think it’s too late?
Look At Yourself From A Different Perspective
We could look in the mirror and automatically have an opinion of ourselves because of these learned habits in our own head. Whether we’ve got a negative mindset or not, we must remember that when we look at who we are, we should take the perspective of a sculptor. Think about the things that may need changing, but without any emotional attachment. We have to remember that because we associate aspects of ourselves according to our personality, not everybody else thinks the same thing. So if you start to look at yourself as if you are a piece of art, you can just get to work and think about things that may look a little bit better. Whether it’s about changing your hairstyle or fixing your teeth there are styles that suit your face shape and an alternative to traditional braces which means that you don’t have to emotionally regress back to your teenage years! As soon as you remove the emotional connections you won’t sweat it as much!
Acquire New Habits
If there are things that you want to change about yourself you can focus too much on the actual problems rather than the habits associated with the change. A very good example is losing weight. If you have a terrible diet and you feel that all you need to do is go to the gym seven days a week you will need to acknowledge the fact that it’s the poor diet rather than anything else. It’s all about lifestyle choices, not just in diet or wellness, but it’s about when you want to make a specific change you’ve got to understand that the habits associated with the thing that you want to change is the important bit. This is what will make you change your mindset and when we are locked in a thought pattern or are lusting after a new lifestyle it’s not something that happens overnight; it’s about implementing those habits that make us transition into this new lifestyle. Another fun way to elicit change and inspire you is to create a vision board.
Practicing Your New Life
In order to effectively transition into a new way of being, it’s not about waking up one morning and telling yourself that you’ve got to do these new things. This is why New Year’s fads fall flat on their face. Going from 0 to 100 is impossible for anybody to sustain. This is why you need to dedicate yourself to practicing your new way of thinking or exercise regime. When we have an addiction to something, it’s not about getting rid of the offending substance but it’s about replacing it with a healthier habit. This means that whether we are trying to give up smoking or be happier in ourselves, we have to practice it. Dedicate time every single day to focusing on becoming this new version is what will make everything click into place. Our free Casual Resolutions Goal Setting Kit might help you set some goals in a fun way!
Associating Yourself With The Right People
This is something we don’t necessarily think about when trying to change ourselves. If everybody around you isn’t able to tell you the truth, there are big problems afoot. There’s criticism, which isn’t helpful, but there is also constructive criticism, which is. You need people around that will challenge you and if you are trying to grow in some way you may very well hear things that you don’t want to hear. But rather than getting defensive, take the opportunity to sit and listen to what they have to say, if it is constructive. At the same time, when you are trying to implement a new way of being if there are those around you that tell you you’re not able to do things, these naysayers need minimizing your life. Sometimes it’s family members that can’t bear the idea of you being something different and they have to nitpick, which can be incredibly heartbreaking. When we surround ourselves with negative people it’s hardly surprising that we learn negativity by osmosis.
Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
When you want to change something about yourself or become a new person, growth demands that you step out of your comfort zone. It’s simple, but in order to get to that point, you’ve got to challenge yourself. There’s a lot to be said for stepping out of your comfort zone because this is what will help you to develop. Taking the easy option is never going to demand growth. At the same time, if you push yourself too far you could risk burnout or struggle to sustain something in your life. Taking risks is about gradually stepping outside your comfort zone. Doing something that you struggle with and achieving it, whether it’s eating something you don’t think you’ll like or doing an extra 5 reps in the gym, means that when you’ve achieved it you can congratulate yourself. And this is important to point out. There is no point in setting a goal when it’s too far away. If we want to change something about ourselves later in life the key to it at any age is about gradual steps in the right direction. But in order to do that, you’ve got to step out of your comfort zone.
For those that think that it’s too late, it’s crucial to remember that this is absolute doohickey! If you think that it’s too late then you’ve already talked yourself out of it, but if there are others telling you it’s too late, it’s time to show those naysayers!
