Stop Drifting, Start Living
Does your life or career feel like you’re running on a treadmill? No matter how long, fast, or how many miles you run, you’re in the exact same place as you started. Except that you’re now exhausted, drained, and you’re muscles are sore.
Is it worth it?
What if you turned all this effort into something that made you feel excited and energized? Something that made you feel alive and led you to turn your dreams into a reality? Would you give it a shot?
In this post, I’ll introduce 5 subtle,, often misinterpreted signs that you’re ready for a change.
Stop Running Aimlessly
Most people keep running on the treadmill for their entire lives, never stopping to think about their lives or what they want to do with them.
So, our body and mind try to send us messages to indicate that we need to stop trying to outrun our lives and start running towards them. But unfortunately, most of the time, we are too busy or distracted to even notice these signs.
Next time you notice your body and mind sending you one of the below signals, don’t try to run harder or faster. Instead, slow down and take a moment to evaluate what these signs are trying to tell you.
Here are 5 signs you’re ready for change:
- You’re uninspired, bored, or numb
- Simple things become impossible
- You feel chained/caged in
- Something is missing
- You’re everywhere and nowhere simultaneously
You may experience just one or multiple of these. But the message your body is trying to send you is the same. It’s time to reflect.
Maybe you have outgrown your current role and need a new challenge. Perhaps you have overextended your stay, and it’s time to explore new ventures. Or, it’s time to let go of something or someone that no longer makes you feel alive. Something that keeps dragging you down and diminishes your spark.
Maybe you just need to switch things up a bit. The routine has become too much of a routine. Nothing is surprising, unexpected, or exciting anymore. Every day is the same 5-mile run on the treadmill staring at the same white wall in front of you.
Or it could be the complete opposite of this. There’s too much going on all the time, and your multitasking is tearing you up to be everywhere and nowhere at the same time. It becomes so overwhelming that the smallest tasks become unbearably difficult to do.
Maybe you keep longing for a life not lived, for a dream yet to be fulfilled, or an opportunity to be seized. Maybe now is the time to escape the treadmill and take a shot at these?
It’s Not Weakness or Failure
The thing is, these signs are often interpreted as failure, weakness, or laziness. But they’re not. There’s nothing wrong with you. There might be a problem with the direction you’re headed in, though.
If you notice any of the signs above, take a moment to understand what they are trying to tell you. What is going on in life right now? What is causing you to feel this way? Imagine a day without feeling this way; what would be different?
Now, think of small ways you can adjust your current situation for the better. What can you do to feel more excited, energized, and alive?
It’s time to jump off the treadmill you’ve been running on for so long. Now is the time to redirect your life and start living on your terms. Not in three years from now, not when you’ve retired, most definitely not when it’s a ‘better time’.
So tell me, is your life ruling you, or are you ruling life?
Feeling stuck is common, but you don’t have to stay there.
Ready to find clear direction and purpose? My “Discover Your Purpose” PDF guide offers a proven framework (the 3 MIQ) and actionable steps in a concise 10-page format.
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