Are you ready to start the next chapter in your life?
It’s never too late to start completely over, or close one chapter in your life to start anew.
When we shift or change trajectories in our careers, relationships, or personal interests, it’s not always easy.
Sometimes, we’re met with opposition, questions, and a lack of understanding from the people who knew who we were before.
When closing a chapter in life, you must stand firm in your decision not to peek in the rear-view mirror.
Much like a new book, you need to keep flipping the pages to get to the end.
Your life isn’t any different.
What does a new chapter in life mean?
A new chapter in life often represents personal growth, goal achievements, or milestones reached.
The next chapter in your life may result in a change of character, friends, scenery, or something completely new added to your life. This could be a new partner, baby, job, religion, or continuing life with a significant loss in your family or friendships.
Sometimes, the next chapter in your life will require you to leave the people you love or were once close to behind.
There will always be memories to reminisce about, but you’ll never move up the ladder if you’re continuously returning to check what you left on the ground.
Your toxic ex and old childhood friends were in your life only for a season. You can’t reach back and bring everyone along with you on your lifelong journey.
The people you cross paths with all have a role to carry out. They can either be lessons or the support system you need to get through trying times.
A new chapter in life signifies a rebirth and restoration of the person you originally were. We strengthen with age and learning hard lessons.
Making new friends, changing careers, and taking on more responsibility are often part of starting a new chapter in life.
When you embrace change and are intentional about becoming a better version of yourself, new chapters in your life are recurrent.
How do I move on from a chapter in my life?
Moving on to the next chapter in your life won’t always be easy.
All too often, we get complacent where we are in our careers.
We hold on to relationships that we should have let go of a long time ago.
We form a sense of community with the people we are in proximity to rather than venturing out of our comfort zone.
It’s great to build bonds with people, but what do you do when they inhibit your personal growth?
No one gets to the next stage in life without getting stuck in a rut. You won’t always know what the next step should be, but progressing forward is key.
You can get un-stuck in your life by being intentional about your personal development and setting monthly goals.
You may go far in life winging it, but you’ll get much further with a plan.
5 intentional steps to progress towards the next chapter of your life
1.Friendship Maintenance
Friendship groups have the most influence over our lives. They often dictate the choices we make, and ultimately, where we end up in life.
Most social circles form because of shared common interests. People who grew up in the same neighborhood. They were college roommates. They were former co-workers or played on the same sports team. Some people meet through mutual friends.
There’s always some sort of connection. As long as these connections remain positive and on similar paths with an upward trajectory, those friendships are safe to foster and keep.
However, change is inevitable. Some people improve, while others spiral out of control.
The friends you had in high school may not be the people you remember from back then.
Life happens to all of us. We all go through ups-and-downs, but some friends aren’t always resilient. They may struggle with bouncing back from hardships or keeping a positive outlook on life.
Unfortunately, friendships like this can become a hindrance overtime. We usually take on the belief and value systems of those around us.
Your friends should respect your lifestyle choices, such as religion or minimalism.
Some people may not understand why you want to go back to school or why you would like to pursue more lucrative career options?
They may even try to steer you in a different direction that aligns with their interests and what they want to do.
And sometimes, friends like these don’t have vision or goals. They prefer to stay exactly where they are.
Contentment is contagious; it’s a drug that quickly spreads.
It keeps people anchored to their past with no actual plans for the future. It’s the easiest way to get held back from moving on to the next chapter in your life.
You should seek like-minded people to curate your social circle. Make sure you’re completing a friendship audit annually.
Learn to let go of people who hold you back and hold on to people that help you grow.
2. Improve Your Health
One of the most common New Year’s resolutions for individuals is to attain better health. For many, losing weight, sticking to a fitness regimen, or following a strict diet are all goals to lead a healthier lifestyle.
Are you getting older? Dealing with health issues? Have you made a conscious decision to eat better and/or build muscle to get the body that you desire?
There are many reasons you may do a 360 on your health as you enter the next chapter in your life.
No matter what it is, it’s a step forward in your fitness journey.
One decision can affect the rest of your life. Improving your health may be difficult, but once you form healthier habits, you won’t be able to look back.
The next chapter in your life will include all facets of self-discovery.
Learning about new cooking techniques, cultural foods, and your body’s needs is the best!
Hats off to you goal-friend! Moving your body more and adopting a healthier diet is a choice you won’t regret.
3. Engage in selective consumption
People don’t reflect on what they consume daily. Sometimes, we adopt the perspectives and biases of others without even knowing it.
We listen to music on the radio and absorb content from audiobooks, podcasts and YouTube videos.
Content creators accumulate thousands of subscribers to the point they create cult-like followings.
Ideologies, beliefs, and values get transmitted through airwaves right into our homes without notice.
Listening to someone constantly overtime can affect your personal perspective.
Movies, songs, and the internet have highly influential content. It can make you think about things and certain aspects of life the same way that they do.
It may be too late by the time you realize they manipulated your thoughts.
Have you ever wondered why you think strongly about certain things?
Well, life experience isn’t always the culprit.
It could simply be the content you consume.
The media is very influential. Your friend group can’t take all the blame!
You must be selective about what you listen to.
Assess the type of music, tv shows, books, and movies that you consume to start.
Are you madly obsessed with horror films, reading dark literature, or listening to music with aggressive lyrics?
What do you consume in your leisure? Do you feel uplifted and motivated afterwards?
Don’t waltz into the next chapter of your life with a shape-shifter mentality.
Stand strong in what you believe in and value. Don’t copy and paste the mindset of others.
It’s okay to accept and respect different perspectives. Pay attention to what you hear, but don’t allow it to influence you
Take caution with what you watch on television and while scrolling on your smart phone.
If it isn’t positive or doesn’t add any light to your day, pass it by.
4. Romanticize Your Daily Routine
Life isn’t perfect. We all know this, but there’s something about romanticizing your day that really takes it up a notch.
Romanticizing your day requires you to appreciate the little things without complaint.
A trip to Starbucks, a midday work break in your backyard, listening to the crickets sing, or lunch dates with friends are simple pleasures.
They will help you romanticize your daily routine.
Romanticize your housework. Don’t think of decluttering and cleaning your home as a chore. Think of it as a privilege instead.
You have somewhere to lay your head, a home office, a kitchen to cook tasty meals, and non-stop entertainment at your fingertips.
No matter how small or large, be grateful for what others may consider as a luxury.
Think about it.
If you’re gainfully employed, money gets deposited into your checking account twice a month. That should be more than enough.
Or maybe you don’t love the job you’re at right now?
It’s perfectly okay to be honest, but switch up your perspective.
Instead of loathing where you are, consider it as a stepping stone for the future.
It’s unrealistic to believe you’ll navigate every day of your life without conflict or the delivery of bad news – that’s beyond your control.
However, you can control how you react to minor inconveniences and negative behavior.
I dare you to romanticize your daily routines in the next chapter of your life. The daily walks outside, trips to the grocery store, laundry day, and don’t forget to value those lazy Sundays, too.
Take a few seconds to imagine your best day if you had everything you wanted in life and more…Now make it happen.
5. Prioritize Self-Discovery
Self-development doesn’t have an end date.
You will never be the same person you were at twelve years-old or twenty-four years old again. Learn to embrace growth – new friends, new environments, new hobbies, and the list goes on and on.
Try not to spend your year exactly like the last. Embrace activities, places to explore, classes, and/or clubs you plan to join each year.
Say yes to doing something different each year, and you’ll understand how much more there is to life when you close each chapter.
- Would you like to learn a foreign language?
- Would you like to explore the world?
- What hobbies interest you?
- Do you want to give back to your community?
- What social events will you attend to meet new people?
These are some questions you may ask yourself when self-discovery is at the top of your priority list.
When you start a new chapter in life dare to be different. You’ll never get these years back again, so why not make the most of them?
When should you end a chapter?
Toxic habits, uncertainty about the future, and a poverty mindset are all factors that hinder progression.
Many people get stuck in one chapter of their life due to fear. They’re scared to leave unpleasant situations and negative people behind, because they’re comfortable.
They know what to expect from their boss at work.
They feel safer around the people in their hometown.
Their emotionally abusive ex is the best they can find in a mate.
Red flags may be present, but some people simply refuse to move on from friendships and relationships that no longer serve them.
Closing the chapter in a relationship is often the most difficult.
Whether it’s a significant other, best friend, or cutting ties with a family member, relationships are the hardest to let go of. Most people are unprepared for the grieving process that follows.
Comparing the pros and cons of a relationship or friendship to determine if you should end the chapter is definitely worth it.
Envision your life as a book that’s taking forever to read.
You can’t get to the end because you keep flipping the pages in the wrong direction. Or, you’re still stuck on the page you bookmarked a long time ago.
There’s no progress or movement.
This is what it feels like when the people attached to you keep pulling you backwards instead of pushing you forward.
You’ll always know when it’s time to end a chapter in your life as long as you don’t ignore the signs.
Want to try your hand at living a simpler, more fulfilling life? If you’re interested in living simply, try the 31-day challenge for free!
I teach entrepreneurs how to simplify their life and business with less + own their time and maximize productivity towards their personal and monetary goals.
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