How do we leave the past behind? Part 2

(continued from last week)

3. Change your daily habits

Have you felt stuck year after year, and want to ditch your past for a better lifestyle? Try working on your daily habits. Doing what you’ve always done in the past will likely continue to bring you the same results in the future. If you want to move on from your past and have different outcomes in the future, you’ll need to put significant effort into changing how you do things.

Choose one area of your life you’d like to start changing. Then set a specific goal with an action plan for bringing about a change. For example, maybe you’re craving to make this the year you get healthy. It can be overwhelming to try to change your exercise habits, your diet, and your mindset all at once. Also, a goal of simply “being healthier” is vague and not easily measurable.

Instead of setting massive, nebulous goals, set specific objectives, and then break those down into smaller goals and work on changing the habits associated with them. Start by choosing one habit you’d like to change, related to your goal. In the getting healthier example, you might start by replacing your daily soda with water. Or substitute 30 minutes of social media per day with 30 minutes spent exercising in the fresh air.

4. Get out of your comfort zone

If you want to leave the past behind, the best way to do it is to make your life better than it was in the past. And the best way to do that is to take regular steps out of your comfort zone. Commit to pushing past your fears and trying new things – it’s essential for growth!

Taking steps out of your comfort zone can be intimidating, but remember that everything is an experiment. If you try a new activity and don’t like it, that’s okay. You’ve learned more about yourself in the process, and self-discovery is an important part of living a fulfilling life, too.

You don’t have to take a giant leap out of your comfort zone immediately. Taking small steps outward on a regular basis leads to significant progress over time. Choose one small new action to try today to expand your world. It will help get you unstuck and move you away from the past.

5. Build an amazing tribe

“You’re the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” If you want to create a different future, consider who you spend most of your time with. Are these people building you up? Are they encouraging and supporting you to be your best? Or, are they usually negative and pessimistic? The people you surround yourself with significantly affect your life and, therefore, your ability to leave the past behind. Make this the year you decide to build a tribe of amazing people around you.

When you meet new people, it’s easier to avoid dwelling on your past, because they know nothing about it. That means you can dramatically change your life by changing who you associate with. Surround yourself with people who are doing what you want to do.