It’s Never Too Late To Reinvent Yourself

It’s easy to feel stuck doing a job you hate or living somewhere that’s just not right for you. Maybe you just hate that your closet still looks the same as it did in the ’90s. It doesn’t matter whether you’re 18 or 80, it’s never too late to start over and reinvent yourself. I know it sounds terrifying, but when you do it a little at a time, it’s easier than you might think.

You honestly don’t have to change yourself overnight. It could take weeks, months, or even years to truly become a new person. But if it’s something that will make you happy, it’s worth the time. Besides, the sooner you start, the sooner you’ll look in the mirror and see a new you. Finding ways to reinvent yourself is simple. All you have to do is stick with them.

1. Surround yourself with new people. The first and easiest thing to do is surround yourself with new people. This introduces you to new perspectives, experiences and opportunities. Something as simple as volunteering in an area you’re passionate about is a great start.
2. Build a support group. Reinvention is full of ups and downs. You’ll need a support group to help push you when you want to give up. They’ll also help give you ideas on how and what to change. If possible, build a support group of others who want to reinvent themselves, too, and you can do it together.
3. Find mentors or collaborators. You might know what you want to change, but you’re not sure how. This is where mentors and collaborators come in. Whether it’s reading the blog or tweets of someone who inspires you or getting an internship, mentors are everywhere. Maybe you want to start your own business. Having a collaborator who knows the ins and outs of business can help you change from a 9 to 5 woman to an entrepreneur.
4. Be honest about what you want. Reinventing yourself is going to ruffle some feathers. Your parents might like you the way you are, but you might have always hated following in their footsteps and being an accountant. The most important thing you have to do is be true to yourself. Until you’re ready to be honest about what you want and start living that way, you’re going to be stuck in life.
5. List your goals and read them every day. I know it seems like something a teenage girl might do, but it’s actually helpful and motivating. List out all the things you want to change or accomplish. Think short and long term. Put the list somewhere you’ll see it daily and read it. It’ll keep you on track.
6. Devote yourself to a new goal. Having goals is great, but only if you actually do something with them. Start by choosing one goal. Short term goals are best to start with. Maybe it’s changing your hair or redecorating your house. Set aside time daily for that single goal until it’s accomplished and move on to the next.
7. Make a step-by-step plan. For those bigger goals, such as changing careers, make a step by step plan for your reinvention. Maybe you need to decide what career you want, sign up for classes to gain the skills you need, and decide what companies you want to apply to. Each step gives you a goal to devote yourself to.
8. Change at least one major thing. Reinventing yourself doesn’t mean you just get a new car and you’re done. You should feel like a new and better version of yourself. This means major changes. If you don’t do anything else, choose one major thing in your life and change it. It could be your entire style, your personality, your career, or the city you live in. Making that one big change inspires you to make others.
9. Step outside your comfort zone. No one really likes feeling uncomfortable, but you’ll have to do it in order to change. Do things that you’re not used to. This helps you figure out what you want and how you want to change. Besides, it’s actually fun to do and you’ll meet a lot of new people.
10. Take some classes or read some books. If you’re not sure how you want to reinvent yourself, get some inspiration by taking classes in areas you’re interested in or reading some books. You’ll find new ideas and even get valuable guidance on how to make changes in your life.
11. Travel and learn from new experiences. Sometimes seeing other cultures or just stepping out of the city you’ve always lived in is enough to get your reinvention started. Make plans to travel to different areas around the world or even just a few states away. Just getting away for a while helps you feel like a new, more confident person.
12. Know that you will fail. You’ll never reinvent yourself without a few failures along the way. You’ll have days that everything goes wrong and you think it’s not worth it. Learn from each failure. Every one is just another chance to get better at whatever you’re trying to change. Reinvention takes time and effort. Expect failure, but don’t let it stop you.

Don’t hold back any longer. Decide what you want to change and change it. The only person standing in your way is you.