Let’s face it, life can get pretty hectic. You may be feeling overwhelmed, but you are not alone. Questioning what you want to do with your life or just being inundated by priorities is normal, unfortunately. These concerns can stem from different origins, whether you are over stressed from your responsibilities at work and don’t have time to wash the dishes or you are stuck in a rut and feel like life isn’t going as you planned. There are many reasons why you may feel as though you have lost your power. The good news is, there is always a way to regain your stability and overcome these thoughts. Below are several ways to help you take control of your life and redefine yourself.
Establish Your Priorities
Ain’t nobody got time for that! The first step in taking back control of your life is to realize that you can’t do everything. In order to create a balance, you need to prioritize what is most important to you and what you can let go of. This doesn’t mean you are failing, it means you are human and need to honor your limits. Make a list of all of the tasks on your plate and decide which ones are the most important. Accomplish those first, then see if you have any extra time for the other items on the list. This may mean that you ask for a longer deadline on a project or don’t have time for a load of laundry or you miss a happy hour. When you honor your limits, especially at work, it shows that you have a firm understanding of your capabilities and are ensuring more quality work. This firmness is a great leadership skill and may even make you look better to your clients and boss.
Make a Plan
Write it out! If you find yourself feeling lost and don’t know what your next step should be, decide what interests you and go from there. Start looking at what it takes to accomplish your goals and set up a plan to help you reach them. Check out the education and work experience needed for your dream job or start signing up for workshops and events that align with your interests. If these options seem too daunting, begin by making decisions that make you feel good and eventually you will figure out where to concentrate your energy.
From here, create a written plan that will help to manage your objectives. Be sure to include small, attainable achievements between where you are today and your final step. This will help to keep your momentum going and allow you to continue striving towards your end goal. Also, don’t be surprised if one of these steps leads you in a new direction. We are constantly changing and evolving, which means that our goals will do the same. As long as you are making positive choices, you will end up in a place where you are happy and in control.
Practice Mindfulness
What is going on?! Mindfulness is learning to be present in your life, rather than flowing from one task to another without thinking about what you’re doing and why. To start this process, begin by checking in on yourself a few times throughout the day. Think to yourself “I am here, doing this task.” When you are comfortable with this, ask yourself “why am I doing this?” and don’t accept “because I have to” as a valid reason. If you don’t know why you are doing something, it is probably because doesn’t fit in to your greater plan. Being mindful requires developing an introspective relationship with yourself. Something that we tend to put on the wayside when we feel out of control. Reconnecting with this aspect of yourself will help lead you to a place of strength and peace.
Self-Care
All day, everyday! Self-care doesn’t have to be a spa day or any elaborate event, it can be giving yourself an extra 5 minutes in the morning for a cup of coffee or watching your favorite TV show (but don’t watch too much TV, that is bad for you). Self-care is any activity that you enjoy. For some people this can even be cleaning your house. Whichever activities you choose, practice them as often as you can. Start by scheduling time every day to enjoy yourself, you will start to not only make self-care a habit, but you will also feel more in control of how you spend your time.
Talk to Someone
Let it all out! Vent to someone about how you’re feeling and if you want, use them as a sounding board to make a plan and prioritize your responsibilities. Talking to someone can be beneficial for many reasons, it allows you to hear your plan out loud, you can get a new perspective that may help you to work through issues you were having difficulty with, and it helps you to create a support system that can comfort you during set backs and stressful times. Be aware though that not everyone will be fully supportive of your ideas. Don’t get caught up in the negativity of one individual. Often times if a person has pushed their goals aside to follow a path they don’t enjoy, they can feel threatened by someone who wants to pursue their dreams. When you get criticized, listen to your intuition and decipher if this criticism is constructive and coming from a place of love or from a place of jealousy. If possible, talk to someone who has gone out on their own and is leading a path similar to yours.
These are all suggestions to help you regain stability and redefine yourself. Feel free to use as many as you like and get creative. Find out what works best for you and build on that. It is easy to get caught up in running the rat race, but that doesn’t need to be your way of life. Take some time to figure out what you really want to do. This is your life, you are in control of what you give your time and energy to. There are so many creative avenues to accomplish your goals, you don’t have to follow a traditional path if that isn’t what speaks to you. Give yourself permission to be happy and take back your power!
Xoxo,
Devin