Your life is yours to live, so why are you letting others decide your path? Since we were born, we have been gradually programmed by our parents, peers, teachers, preachers, and society at large on how to live our lives and our days are filled with things we have to do while our dreams are filled with things we can not do.
Other people and obligations dictate most of our time and life quickly because a series of events and circumstances that happen to us rather than living a life we design and create according to our goals and dreams.
But life doesn’t have to be that way. We can grow, evolve and realize this reality and slowly learn how to uninstall some of our programming to start to take back control of our lives. It is possible to systematically conquer and eliminate the internal and external obstacles that are holding us back and take back control of our lives.
Here are our TOP 10 tips to start being in control of your life and make it your own again.
#1 Set Your Priorities Straight
A lot of people spend their days doing non-essential things that could easily be left until tomorrow or focus on activities that they enjoy rather than on the things that need their urgent attention. However, in order to be in charge of your life, you have to get your priorities straight and start to make a list of what’s really important in your life and prioritize it properly. Once you achieve that, your days will be a lot more productive and satisfying and you will feel like you are in control again.
#2 Declutter Your Life
If you are looking to take back control of your life, it’s not just your belongings and home organization that you need to spend some time on. You also have to take a good hard look at the things and people you spend time with every single day without actually paying attention to whether or not they are necessary. Take some time and honestly assess all the things and people in your life to be able to eliminate the ones that are simply zapping your energy and all of a sudden you have a lot more free time and energy to focus on your priorities.
#3 Don’t Overdo It
Many of us don’t actually have any idea how to set realistic goals in life and as a result, we tend to overburden ourselves with objectives and tasks thinking that achieving them all will put us back into the driver seat. However, unfortunately the opposite is true. When we are trying to do a million and one things, we usually end up achieving next to nothing, which sets us up for feeling completely stressed out. Instead, take a step back, assess what you can actually achieve in the given time frame and then go for it. Because achieving the goals we set for ourselves will actually make us feel in control of our lives again.
#4 Become a Decision Maker
If you don’t learn to be decisive and allow others to make life decisions for you, you are no longer in charge of your life and no longer live the adventure that is meant for you. Sure, making hard choices can be difficult, but in order to be in control of your life you have to develop the courage to make your own decisions and stick to them. Keep in mind, some decisions may be trivial, others are more significant, but every single decision needs to be tackled head on. And once you get into the habit of making decisions for yourself, it will become second nature and you’ll be amazed how empowering that is.
#5 Wake Up Early
Waking up early may seem impossible to you, but it’s a great way to take charge of your life. If you are one of those people who tend to hit the snooze button every time the alarm goes off, stop that habit immediately and instead jump out of bed excited to live your life. Don’t waste your time bundled up in blankets but get up early, take the time to have an empowering morning routine that allows you to plan your day and live it on your own terms rather than simply reacting to everything that happens to you. Use that quiet time in the morning to set your intention for the day and set yourself up for success. Of course you want to get an appropriate amount of sleep, so if that means going to bed earlier, skip that last episode of your favorite Netflix series and take charge of your life.
#6 Hold People Accountable
It is important to not let people walk all over you in order to be able to be in control of your life. Sure, it can be tough to hold friends and family or co-workers accountable for their actions, but it is essential to face these situations head on and not be afraid of a little confrontation. More often than not, it ends up working out for the best for everyone and it forces the people in your life to respect you and your integrity. And if someone doesn’t accept that you stand up for yourself and call them out when they do something wrong, it may be time to reconsider that relationship.
#7 Be Comfortable Being Alone
It may sound a little cliché or even cheesy, but in order to live our best life, it is essential to be comfortable with who we are as a person. So get comfortable with yourself and enjoy some alone time. Maybe even take a solo trip or start smaller by simply doing some soul-searching alone in a coffee shop. The moment you find that confidence of being comfortable with yourself, you will be unstoppable. The truth is, you have to be in touch with yourself in order to know what you need and want out of life and what better way to figure that out than to spend some quality time with yourself.
#8 Know Your Worth
Most of the people who aren’t in control of their life haven’t taken charge because they are doubting themselves. It is key that you know your own worth and realize that you are capable and worthy in order to be able to realize what it is that you want out of life and move forward. You deserve the best whether that’s in your relationships or in your career or in any other area of your life. Don’t be afraid to expect high standards. You owe it to yourself to become everything you’ve ever dreamed of and deserve to be happy.
#9 Create Healthy Rituals
You are destined to become the person you decide to be on a daily basis because how you spend your days is how you spend your life. No matter what substantial life goal you are looking to achieve – whether that’s building a business, growing your career, developing a relationship, earning a degree, becoming more mindful or any other achievement – it takes commitment and time and you have to ask yourself: ‘Am I willing to spend some time every single day like most people won’t, so I can spend most of my life like most people can’t?’ Think about it, we ultimately are what we repeatedly do and while you may not notice the changes in your daily routine, when you look back you will see the difference. Believe in the power of daily rituals and create healthy ones for yourself.
#10 Give Yourself a Break
Yes, we all have many battles to fight out in the world, insecurities to overcome, goals to achieve and loved ones to content with, but sometimes it is necessary to take a break from it all. It is perfectly ok to pause for a while and let the world spin on its own. If you don’t give yourself a break on a regular basis, you will burn yourself out, so make it your mission to refill your energy often. This means making time for fun and laughter, catching up on sleep, eating healthy and working out regularly. Keep in mind, if you don’t make time for recovery, being in control of your life becomes a whole lot more challenging.
While we all know better than to give into peer pressure, sometimes it’s just easier to go with the flow. But in order to be truly happy and live life to our fullest potential, we have to take charge of all aspects of our life. Keep in mind, with a little bit of confidence and the knowledge of what sets your soul on fire you can create our own path and design the life of your dreams.
GET BACK INTO THE DRIVER SEAT AND CALL THE SHOTS FOR YOUR OWN LIFE
Joschi & Monika
#BoldNaked