Written by: Bronwen Sciortino, Senior Level Executive Contributor
Executive Contributors at Brainz Magazine are handpicked and invited to contribute because of their knowledge and valuable insight within their area of expertise.
We all get stuck sometimes. We struggle with the Fear of Missing Out (or FOMO as it is often referred to), exhaustion, stress and overwhelm. And yet life keeps coming at us anyway. There’s no respite, the world keeps turning and we have to keep moving. We work hard to keep everyone happy, juggling too many balls and desperately trying to make sure none of them are dropped. Time is always our enemy and there never seems to be enough of it, but somehow we manage to get things done, meet our deadlines and do what we must.
And with all of that going on around us, we find it impossible to find space to breathe – to stop and work out what direction we can head that will give us an opportunity to take a break. The tasks keep coming, our heads are spinning, we’re trying to keep up … and we are weighed down by the thought that we’re failing and that there must be a better way.
We’re stuck, and it seems like there’s no way out.
We end up living complicated, stressful lives that propel us directly towards sickness, sadness and fatigue. We get mired in our own lives and find ourselves torn between fervently wanting something different and withdrawing within ourselves, accepting that this is how things will always be.
What we don’t realise is that we’re not alone feeling like this; it’s the same for everyone.
At some point, we’ve all jumped on the drive to success, hit the accelerator, pulled into the congested traffic and tried to get ahead. We’re all driving on the same road, navigating to our destination. Everyone is essentially doing the same thing in the same way, whilst at the same time we’re all trying to make our individual mark on the world.
Changing direction is a legitimate option.
It’s counterintuitive to what social conditioning teaches us, but we are allowed to change the direction of our life.
Our greatest breakthroughs come when we challenge the status quo in life. Most importantly, it doesn’t have to be dramatic or traumatic to be effective. You can challenge the norm by asking simple questions that allow you to gather important information.
For example, asking the question “is this right for me?” is a great way to consciously connect to the things you’re accepting in your life.
It comes with a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ answer, and it gives you valuable information about the next step you can take – that’s powerful.
So where do you start?
Here are three simple things you can try to help you ‘un-stuck’ your life:
Write down everything you are doing, and then ask yourself if you enjoy doing it. If the response is ‘no’, make a plan for getting rid of that thing from your life.
What do you enjoy doing the most? How can you ensure that every day you do something you love and that is just for you, no matter how big or small?
Take five minutes at the end of each day to ponder on the things you accomplished very well throughout the day. Be confident; no one else needs to witness you admitting this to yourself. Before going to bed, jot them down and read them.
Why are these steps important?
We often find ourselves succumbing to the load that overwhelm brings. We’re under constant pressure to strive and perform, and the opinions of others around us can carry a hefty weight. It can leave us exhausted and with the impression that we will never be able to live up to society’s standards.
We often find ourselves giving everything we have to everyone else when we become entangled in this cycle of demand, and that distracts us sufficiently so that we lose sight of who we are along the road.
These steps are crucial to ensuring that we never lose sight of what matters most to us. These are the things that fill our lives with joy, happiness, love, and light. Our world becomes drab and boring without these things, with little colour or fun – so it’s important that we do everything we can to keep them in our daily lives.
We’re told to accept a ‘hard life’ now because ‘one day’ we’ll retire, and then we’ll have permission to unwind.
There’s no rule that says that life has to be complex, that you have to be stuck where you are or that you have to accept your ‘lot in life’. It’s time to stand up, choose the life you want, advocate for it and give yourself the approval to live your life the way you want to – right now.
As an adult, you get to make the choices that create your life, and it’s entirely appropriate to create your own rules. Let’s face it: if you live by other people’s rules, then your life is stuck. And if you’re trapped, that’s a pretty good sign that it’s not working for you.
Take action and take charge of your life. Reclaim your right to make your own decisions. Turn away from stress, exhaustion and overwhelm. Instead, be joyful right now and watch life unfold.
If you want some help getting started, there are also loads of tips and more information in the articles and videos in my FREE email series. Simply click here to start on your way.
Bronwen Sciortino is a Simplicity Expert, an internationally renowned author, and a professional speaker, and you can follow her on her website, Facebook, Instagram, or LinkedIn. Read more from Bronwen!
Bronwen Sciortino, Senior Level Executive Contributor Brainz Magazine
Bronwen Sciortino is an International Author and Simplicity Expert who spent almost two decades as an award-winning executive before experiencing a life changing event that forced her to stop and ask the question ‘What if there’s a better way to live?’
Embarking on a journey to answer this question, Bronwen developed a whole new way of living – one that teaches you to challenge the status quo and include the power of questions in everyday life.
Gaining international critical acclaim and 5-star awards for her books and online programs, Bronwen spends every day teaching people that there is an easy, practical and simple pathway to creating a healthy, happy AND highly successful life.
Sourced globally for media comment as an expert and working with corporate programs, conference platforms, retreats, professional mentoring and in the online environment, Bronwen teaches people how easy it is to live life very differently.
