A colleague warned me that culture shock was part of returning to the office, and she wasn’t kidding! After taking a job at a new location, I wasn’t sure which route would be easiest, what would be waiting for me vs. what I needed to bring along, and when to show up. Several frustrated hours later, I just wanted to turn back the hands of time to early 2020 when life made sense. I’m plainly way out of practice for being out in the world!
But I felt better when I saw a Tweet from Gwen Snyder that read, “I think a lot of people need to hear this: You just went through 1.5 years of a profound, ongoing threat to your health / wellbeing / life, social isolation, aggressive disinformation, political turmoil, and financial uncertainty. OF COURSE, you are not functioning at your peak.”
Let’s agree that there’s no point in pushing yourself to YOLO during one of the busiest months of the year. But what you could do is switch from trying to force peak performance and use December to take a step back and get a fresh, clear perspective. In the two-part series, It’s Run its Course, we’ll talk about shedding what you need to and planning your reinvention. Let me tell you how one woman found her better life one step at a time.
Podcaster Amanda Walsh had an idea to redesign her world to be more engaging and meaningful. Pretty straightforward, right? But it turned out that meaningful took a minute.
She enjoyed her career as a successful technology consultant. But she did a double-take thinking about doing the exact, same thing for many decades to come.
Then her two daughters were born. Their arrival made her wonder what it might be like to raise them outside New York City.
And then there was the quiet drumbeat about her marriage. Meditation provided a surprise insight: She thought the next step would be a clear Big Reason. However, the reality was that she stayed mostly because she couldn’t imagine the “something better”. That insight prompted a deeper question—Was that reason enough? And was it the love they both deserved?
Eight years later, the “something better” has come into view. Amanda lives with her children in Hawaii and has repurposed her tech experience to coach entrepreneurs and show others how to transform their lives through personal development. Bit by bit, the better life has fallen into place.
Are you getting whispers that something in your life is only kinda, sorta working? The last thing to do when you’re not functioning at your peak is to kick off a huge overhaul. Instead, try a simple three-step process: (1) Take quiet time; (2) Get curious; and (3) Use a refined, sophisticated eye to decide what has run its course.
If you need a visual, think of a shop owner. They wouldn’t renovate the whole store overnight. They would understand what areas are working, streamline certain displays, and clear out old inventory. Those are all examples of pairing your vision with the soft skills of creativity and smart choices.
Where are your curiosity and imagination ready to take you? And remember—you’ll probably need to prepare for the future by clearing out the deadwood first. So, ask yourself important questions like:
* What would it feel like to improve my routine and streamline my day?
* Where would I like to enrich my life with new people—in my community, at work, or close friends?
* How could I start matching my values with how I show up in the real world?
* What leisure activities give me pleasure and how can I do them consistently?
* What would it feel like to step back from low vibe people who constantly find themselves in troubled situations?
* What does being healthier look like?
After you’ve worked through the visioning exercise, make it real by identifying two steps you’ll take toward your better life. If none of the starter questions spark your imagination, reframe it this way: Anything that makes you go, “Hmm…” or “Huh—that sounds cool!” is your bespoke right path.
The answers you’re looking for aren’t external—they’re all an inside job. So, when those random a-ha moments happen, don’t let them slip away—take 30 seconds to record them on your phone. Start sketching out the plan. And journal what you’re grateful to but also ready to let go of. Your better life is right behind what has run its course.