Taking a big leap can be terrifying, here’s how to do it đź‘Š
1. Listen to your heart
If something just feels right, it normally is. Regardless of doubt, or external factors, try to work out how you feel about both options. If you have lots of conflicting emotions about both potential outcomes of a decision, try flipping a coin. No, really.
Flipping a coin is sometimes genuinely the best way of finding what direction your heart is pointing you. Imagine the coin toss WILL determine the outcome of the decision, whatever it lands on you’re going to pick, and work through to completion. Now flip the coin.
How do you feel about the result?
Do you feel a sense of relief? Or a sense of panic that it’s landed on the “wrong” option. When the decision is taken out of your hands and left up to chance, it can often be very revealing.
2. Think things through
If you are unhappy with your life and are thinking about making a major change, hammer out exactly what you hope to achieve by ripping things up and starting afresh. “Ask yourself: am I running away from something or walking towards something?” Be clear about why you’re doing this and why it matters to you. That has to be your anchor. When things are challenging and you’re experiencing doubt, you need your anchor to hold on to, to remind you why you’re doing this.
3. But don’t overthink
When it comes to a big life change, at some point you will have to turn thinking into action, dragging your feet and clinging on to a situation can create pointless stress. Especially if its work related and relies on external factors to resolve, instead, you can take control and change the situation for the better yourself.
4. Make the leap
It’s usually a small action to make the leap in a decision, sending an email, making a phone call, buying a life changing online tattoo course… The process may seem like a mountain to climb, but in reality it’s usually the leap itself is more of a small hop. Many people find a sense of relief floods in once the decision has been made.
5. Conquer your fears
Those who don’t get a sense of relief may get suddenly overwhelmed or panicked, this is completely normal! Take some time to do comfort activities and distract your brain until the decision has sunk in, reach out to family and friends for support (or join our wonderful Facebook community!) Talking to people and working through your worries is one of the best things you can do.
6. Build your support system
Find the people will stick by you no matter what and chat to them about your decision, be open about your worries and also what you want to achieve. Don’t forget to also use apps and processes as support mechanisms to make your life easier – does your decision involve time based activities? There are plenty of ways to make sure you schedule your diary and minimise impact to your normal daily activities.
7. Get used to the feeling
It’s going to feel strange for a while, that something big in your life has either changed or is changing, it might not even feel real yet. But over time it will gradually become a reality, you’ll have a new and hopefully improved life.
8. Accept the doubt
Self doubt is a necessary part of any life changing decision, use your strength to overcome these feelings, and try not to look at the change as an admittance of any sort of failure. If anything by staying in a situation that’s negatively impacting your life is a failure to yourself and your mental wellbeing. A lot of good can come from making mistakes, we fall 100s of times before learning to walk.
A good way to conquer doubt is to try to stop yourself from overthinking. Catch your inner voice when it goes to the worst case scenarios and instead focus on what is likely to happen.
9. Focus on future happiness
Big changes are not without pain, when the going get’s tough make sure to picture your future self – will they be thankful for the decision you’ve made today? What will their life look like as opposed to where you are now?
