Change your life today. Don't gamble on the future, act now, without delay. ~~ Simone de Beauvoir
If you are stuck in a rut and this is the page that returned for your search engine request, the odds are that you need to change ''right now''.
1. Pull out the Yellow Pages right now and book your psychology test. Know your personality type. Knowing your personality type enables you to choose the right career, pastimes and partners. If you are going against the grain and doing things in life that don't match your personal traits and strengths, chances are that you are unhappy because you're a square peg trying to fit a round hole. There are online tests you can take or better still, see a career counselor or psychologist for the best results.
2. Go outside as soon as you finish this article. Get out there. Right now you are sitting at the computer. After you have read this article, turn it off and... go outside if it's daytime or get a good night's sleep if it's nighttime and put your new plan of action into place first thing upon waking. Do not give in to the temptation to keep surfing for answers. That will turn up at least 50 different opinions on what ails you and most are likely inaccurate but in the process, will sap your time and make you feel more confused. And staying online leads from one thing to another to another; hardly conducive to getting your head around rebooting your life.
3. Pull out your CV right now. It's time to change jobs. If you're in a dead-end job, stop making excuses. It may be the world's best job for Andy or Jill but your enhanced skills and drooping interest-level are making it the least desirable job for you and chances are, your level of disconnect is reflected in work quality drops and lack of enthusiasm for even turning up each day. Start a plan of attack. Tonight, after work, draw up a "get me out of here" action plan. Write down what the job means to you in positives and negatives and write down what you want to be doing. Write down where you can begin looking. Pull out the CV and write on it all the refreshing updates that will reflect the new you who is moving on. Tomorrow, type up those changes and start mailing.
4. Eat an apple as you read this. Toss the junk food and packaged meals. Convenient they may be; full of fat, sugar and sub-optimal nutrition they are also. Your health is the most important asset you have in life; guard it with your life, literally. Visit the local fruit and veg store and start eating fresh food. Get more grains, vegetables and whole foods into your diet as of now. It doesn't take a nutrition degree to listen to your body honestly and feed it well; you already know deep down what those donuts are doing to you. And if that doesn't motivate you, consider this: your brain is the most energy hungry part of your body. If you want to think like a genius, eat like one too.
5. Stop reading for a second and go and say "I love you". Choose someone who is near you and tell them you love them. If it's a colleague, express appreciation for their presence, their good work and their support. Then come back here.
6. Grab the real estate pages right now. Circle some places that are different from the one you're in now and that excite you. If you're in a large house, downsize and declutter. If you're in the middle of the city, move to the beach. If you're in the hills and that commute is driving you crazy, move closer to the city. If the school you send your kids to is really worrying you, look for a suburb with better schools. It's time for a change. Leave cities and the country if you really want to up the ante.
7. Volunteer. Give some of your time to those who don't have the luxury of thinking about the philosophical underpinnings of their lives. Give your time, effort and money to make the world a better place for all, so that everyone has a chance to spend moments reflecting on their life's direction.
Tips
- Never stay in a situation just because it seems like a good idea or because you are competing with Rachel, Harry and Bob to see who can last out in a career the longest. Who cares? If Rachel, Harry and Bob want to fry their brains and never question the greater meaning of life, then let them - '''even if you are the type of person whose empathy usually means you can't let go!''' You need to shift gears, even if that means some downward mobility and leaving others behind. You might be surprised - your example could trigger others to follow suit.
