Hey friends. A lot has happened since we started this journey together. Pushing through adversity has been one of the hardest things to overcome in my journey to a more present self. Let’s talk today about how that’s going and how you can learn to get through tougher times to enjoy yourself more on a daily basis.
Your Worst Enemy
Sometimes adversity can hit home. It can come through the loss of a loved one, a job misfortune or just a plain old bad day. It can get you down and wear you out, but I’m here to let you know that working through times like these can only make you a stronger individual.
Why are we always so hard on ourselves? Why do we let comparison steal our happiness and truth of who we are inside? If you want nice things, you don’t have to feel guilty. If you enjoy the simple life, you don’t need to feel like you’re missing out on nice things. The “simple life” can be looked at in several different ways, it is simply what makes you feel happy and alive.
This past week I had a change in my outlook on life. Something personal came up that made me feel envious of others lives and created regret that maybe I hadn’t been living my life to its fullest, or rather, to what I “thought” I should be living it like.
After several days of pouting and upset, I finally realized that I am in fact living my best life. I am, in fact living my life to its fullest. I have no reason to make complaints, remarks of others I may be envious of, because in the end, we’re just all humans doing our best to live our lives the way we feel that we should.
I want to let you know that you can be anything you want in this world. If you find toxicity in any parts of your life, you can change them. You can create the lifestyle you want, the career you desire, and the relationship that looks perfect to you. You alone have the control to make these things your reality, and all you have to do is begin.
Begin the changes to encourage your new life, begin accepting that you are on the right path in this universe and let go of the control over what you think you need to do to get there. Things will always happen whether planned or not, and adversity will always strike when you least expect it to.
This personal conflict in my life made me at first feel like it would have such an impact. I thought that it was going to cause such problems and uncertainty that I got worked up for days about it. But after some time to just sit and think, (without a screen nearby), I had time to self-reflect on what my actual problem with the situation was.
I then realized that it came at a perfect time. A time where I am now confident and comfortable in my own skin to take on this new challenge. Not a time where I was weak-minded and fragile like I was not so long ago.
Sometimes challenges present themselves in weird ways. They come out of nowhere when everything is going well and try to break you down mentally. I challenge you to push back and stand up for yourself. You’ve come this far, all you have to do is keep forging ahead.
Related: When Push Comes To Shove, Remember To Not Compare
5 Tips to Start Becoming More Confident in Yourself
What are some things you can do to start becoming more confident in yourself? What are some aspects you can adjust about your life so that you are comfortable with the path you are on? Let’s talk about a few suggestions.
- Find things that make you happy. Do them more often. This is easier said than done, trust me.
- Remind yourself that you are enough. You are okay. You are on the right path. Say it in the mirror if you feel comfortable doing so.
- Talk to a friend about your situation. Try to be completely open and receive their feedback without criticism. They probably know you better than you know yourself.
- Give yourself little reminders of how amazing you are. Write down your favorite book excerpts or lyrics and put post-it notes where you get ready in the morning.
- Speaking of getting ready, GET READY! Stop being lazy and start encouraging yourself to get out of bed and fix your hair, do your makeup or nails, take a bath or read some. Make time for yourself, even before a workday. You’ll feel better and more confident going into the grind.
Why have you been holding back on the things that bring you joy? Who has been holding you back? Has it been yourself? A loved one? A friend? It’s time to stop putting off the hobbies and interests that you collect happiness from. It’s important to spend time with these things especially after a long day at work or when you’re feeling overstimulated.
Related: Working Through Self Expectations & Limitations
Don’t Let Expectations Hold Back Your Joy
This bump in my road has brought so much more clarity than I could have asked for. I’ve found that not only am I enjoying who I am, but I’m also making an effort to dip my toes into things that I’ve been dreaming of doing but haven’t yet accomplished. Having big goals before turning 30, I became a little upset when these still were not embarked upon recently when turning 33.
But I’m making progress…and so can you.
These changes don’t have to be giant, they just have to exist. Start prioritizing a little more time on fun and you’ll begin growing in ways that you didn’t think were possible anymore. It’s almost like we hit the pause button at a certain age in life when “adulthood” begins and then throw all fun activities to the wayside for the rest of your days.
Why do you think this happens? For example, life changes can throw wrenches in our plans. Having a child, getting married, getting divorced, starting a new career or a new business, these can all take a toll on the person you were starting to become. That all begins to get internalized and before you know it you become a boring 33 year old with no more fun hobbies or interests to tell the world about.
What’re some things you’ve been dreaming of? What new activities could you try out this week, month, year?? Is there something that has been holding you back or do you just have anxiety for fear of failing at something as an adult?
We don’t have to have it all figured out, you know. I don’t think I truly ever will. But that’s what makes each one of us human, with emotions and feelings and intelligence and understanding and kindness. The good thing is that we can start making baby steps each day to get to where we feel we should be. Time will always be unforgiving, but what you do with your time doesn’t have to be.
Here’s some new hobbies I’ve been dreaming of taking up if you’re looking for inspiration! I’ve finally started some, and a few are on the books!
- Horseback Riding
- Electric Guitar Lessons
- Babbel (to learn as many languages as I can before I peace out!)
You can do this. You can do anything. Don’t keep waiting for a reason to get started, just begin.
Thank you for reading “Turning Things Around At 33: Why It’s Never Too Late To Start Embracing Change With Growth”
I want to thank all my readers for continuing to join me on my journey including today’s post all about embracing change through growth. What goals have you started? Which goals do you want to start? Let us know in the comments.
