Sometimes we crave a life shift so much, our desire locks us into inaction. If you’re ready to make a move but need a nudge, here are six questions to inspire that shift.
1. What’s at the very bottom of your blockage?
Look down, waaaay down. Something is blocking you from moving forward and it’s time you figure out what that is and get rid of it. There’s only one sure way to know if you’ve gotten to the very root of the blockage and this is if after you deal with it, you can freely move forward. If you can’t, then keep digging, because that blockage is still there.
2. It’s the future – if you look back to your life right now, what will you regret?
Fear of regret is not a good motivator for action but it can serve as a good gauge. The old trick of projecting into the future to wonder what you’ll think as you look back gives us a great “big picture” view. Our lives get mired in minutia and the daily nitty-gritty feels so important. The future look back should help you to see past all of that.
3. What does your gut say?
We are all intuitive. Our guts tell us what our minds cover up with fear, ambition and desire. If you’re not used to listening to your gut then it’s time to clear out some of the other noise. Get really quiet, clear and grounded. Listen until you know for certain that it’s your gut and not your mind. If you don’t know for sure, keep listening and trust that you are intuitive. It will come.
4. What advice would you give your best friend in the same situation?
We’re so good at listening to others and helping them move toward their goals but when it comes to our own drive, we stall. It’s a lot easier giving advice than taking it. So, give yourself the friend treatment. What would you tell you to do to successfully navigate this life shift? Can you take your own advice? If you can’t role-play your way and give yourself honest counsel, do yourself a favour and actually listen to the advice of your friends.
5. Where’s the fear?
Fear is almost always a part of any shift for life change. We may not be aware of it, but if there is something stopping us, you can be sure fear is a part of the mix. So, go find that fear. Face it. Give it its due. Then, break it down and own it. It may never go away, but when you own it, you can use it to fuel your forward.
6. What’s the reward and do you want it?
This may seem like a silly question, but making a good shift requires really understanding the ‘why’. What will you really get out of it? Once you know what the prize is, you have to figure out if you even want it. Often we set goals based on what we think we should want or do, or what others think. We might be striving for something that is actually meaningless or valueless to us. When we identify the actual reward, we may realize we don’t want it.
Whether you’re making a life change or a small lifestyle shift, you need to be committed to it and take the leap. Honest answers to these questions will either make the jump easier or have you backing away slowly.
Either way, it’s the right move.
