To start a new life, you need to decide what changes you want to make. You may feel the need to start over because of a recently ended relationship or marriage, moving to a new city or country, or starting a different career or lifestyle. Perhaps you may have lost your home to a fire or natural disaster. In any case, starting a new life implies taking new paths. Often, novelties can be scary, as they push us into different and unusual territories; starting a new life therefore requires courage and determination. Do not be afraid, with the right commitment and determination, you will make it.
Steps
Part 1 of 2: Preparing for the New Life
Step 1. Decide what you want
The choice to start a new life could derive from the desire to change something or the need to do it. Your job, home, or relationship may have been destroyed by a tragic event. Either way, the first step to starting over is knowing what you want from your life.
- Even if you are not happy to start a new life, it is important to set priorities based on your wishes. Having clear and well-defined goals helps you determine what you need to do to achieve them, allowing you to feel more confident and optimistic about the future.
- Taking the time to define exactly what you want will allow you to notice the issues you need to deal with, helping you to understand what changes you are able to exercise.
Step 2. Evaluate the potential consequences
If the changes you are pondering stem from your choices, it is helpful to spend some time on the possible repercussions of your actions.
- Changing your life drastically may not be easy. Analyze the situation by evaluating the possible benefits and any waivers that could result from the change.
- For example, if you were considering selling your home to move to another city, you might consider that the new destination has a lot to offer, but at the same time you should take into account that once you sell your current home, it would be very unlikely to succeed. to get it back.
- Similarly, if you are thinking of severing a relationship with a longtime friend or family member, you should keep in mind that if you want to bring that person back into your life, it will be very difficult to undo the damage done.
- These examples do not demonstrate that it is wrong to start a new life or make major changes, they simply highlight the importance of making your own decisions only after thinking thoroughly.
Step 3. Evaluate the possible obstacles
If starting a new life were easy, people would be constantly evolving. The reason we tend to avoid change is that there are multiple obstacles that complicate the transformation process. Take some time to analyze possible impediments, then be ready to deal with them.
- Maybe you want to move to a different country or city to start a new life. Evaluate which aspects of your daily life would be disrupted. If you intend to distance yourself greatly, you may be missing out on friends, family, and your social life. Also consider the cost of living, comparing your current city with the place where you want to live; do you think you can support change economically? How many chances are there of being able to find work in your field? Relocating to another country may require a thorough study, as well as a longer timeframe, than a short-haul travel. Find out if permits are needed to live or work in the chosen place. Remember that the search for a home and a means of transport, currency and the paperwork required to open a bank account may also differ from the country you live in.
- For example, if you don't have the money to quit your job right away and start a new life in a seaside resort (or wherever you want), wait to get fired. This doesn't mean you have to give up your dream of surfing the waves, it's just an obstacle you need to consider. It is important to make sure that your plans are as practical and realistic as possible.
Step 4. Create an action plan
Assess what you will need to achieve your goals and start a new life. The advice is to take a pen and paper to put every detail in writing. You will probably have to make several attempts to make sure you are addressing every aspect of the change in the best possible way.
- Divide your life into different areas based on the major changes you intend to make. For example, create separate areas for: work, place of residence, partner, friends, etc.
- At this point, list the major changes you intend to make in each area, prioritizing them. The goal is to define the most important aspects of your action plan.
- Pause to analyze the practical aspects related to your new life. Evaluate the steps you will need to take, making sure to consider whether you have the energy, support, and funds to deal with these changes.
- For example, if you want to change jobs, determine what moves to take, not forgetting to consider how they will affect your life. Family, friends, education, salary, home-work journey and hours worked are the variables that could undergo changes. Try to predict, as accurately as possible, how and how much different areas of your life will be affected.
Step 5. After a few days, review your outline
It will likely take several sessions to fine-tune your entire action plan. After completing the first analysis, take a few days off to continue reflecting; you will most likely come up with other additional details. Additionally, you may decide to eliminate parts of your initial plan.
- Don't rush the process. The purpose of adding, subtracting or modifying your life priorities is to break down a potentially over-sized project into small, easier-to-manage steps.
- Throughout the process of starting a new life, it will be helpful to frequently review your plan of action, making the necessary changes as they become necessary.
Part 2 of 2: Creating a New Life
Step 1. Pay attention to your finances
In most cases, starting a new life means having to spend some time organizing your financial resources. Perhaps you will need to contact your banking institution, or whoever is responsible, to discuss it in detail. Nobody likes to deal with these topics, but only by dealing with them in time can you make sure that your path is smooth.
- For example, if you find yourself forced to start a new life because you lost your home in a fire, you cannot fail to immediately contact your insurance company to initiate the reimbursement process.
- If your desire is to get early retirement, it is imperative that you contact the entity that manages your retirement plan to find out what options are available to you.
- If you have lost your job, you must commit to getting the unemployment benefit you are entitled to to have the funds to pay the expenses during the time it takes to find a new one.
- None of these tasks are particularly enjoyable or fun, but all of these actions are essential to make sure you have the resources to start a new life.
Step 2. Start a new routine
Your goal must be to be able to carry out your plan of action. Only by actively changing your daily behaviors will you be able to see your dream of starting a new life come true.
- For example, from now on you may have to get into the new habit of getting up early in the morning. Or you may have to work from home instead of leaving for the office. The number of possible variables and changes related to the beginning of a new life is almost infinite.
- Some changes in your routine will be determined by your choices about where you live, the job you do, the need to get back on your books, your family members and, last but not least, the type of life you intend to live.
- It will take about three to six weeks to develop a new routine to replace the old one. After this time, the new behaviors will have become a habit.
Step 3. Stay focused on yourself
Don't compare yourself to anyone else. What you are taking is a path only yours, which will lead you to "your" new life.
- Putting your attention on the things you don't have or on the achievements of others would only depress you, awakening your most critical self. To be able to start a new life, it is important to make the best use of the resources that are in your possession.
- When you compare yourself to others, you only waste time, distracting yourself from what needs to be done to achieve your goals.
Step 4. Seek help
Starting a new life is an ambitious goal, which can be achieved more easily by being able to count on the support of others. Whether the change comes from your choices or some adverse circumstances, it is important to have a supportive social network.
- Having the emotional support of family, friends, or others in an equal or similar situation can help you start a new life in less stressful conditions.
- Especially if you are forced to start a new life following a loss or tragedy, it may be helpful to seek help from a mental health professional. The support of a competent and compassionate therapist can help you overcome fear or pain.
- Even if you have spontaneously chosen to change your life, for example by moving to another city, a therapist could help you overcome any difficulties. The change can cause significant stress, making you feel overwhelmed or worried about managing your new life. Mental health professionals are able to listen, show empathy and help their patients find peace of mind even in difficult situations.
Step 5. Be patient
Starting a new life takes time; you must understand that changing and starting to do things in a different way means undertaking a long and complex process, sometimes not controllable in all its parts.
Time is an important factor in the process of adapting to the new life. If you have the will to carry out your plan of action, you will be able to achieve your goals, successfully conforming to the change
Advice
- As often happens, understanding what your goals are and how to put them into action is the best way to start a new life. This is a process comparable to running a marathon. No one in their right mind would decide to go 42 kilometers overnight, having never raced before. You need to create an action plan to gradually increase the distance traveled.
- Be flexible. Even if you feel that things aren't going your way, don't give up. Change the things that don't seem to work, review your plan of action, and start over.
