How To Start Living Your Dream Life

One of the most important things I have learned is how to start actually making progress on your dreams. Over the last five years my life has changed so much in a very positive way. It has been scary, and I won’t lie, the first few years I really fought against the change that I wanted. I know that sounds weird, but it’s true. I think this happens to a lot of people, and for me it was because I was afraid of the change. Even though I was not happy, I was comfortable being unhappy and any change, even change I wanted was scary. 

Finally I realized that to make positive change I was going to have to just embrace the unknown and take chances. I finally got tired of not living the life I wanted and started making some serious changes. I am not saying that things are perfect now, what I am saying is that I am moving in the right direction and making progress everyday. I am happy with my life and the direction that it’s heading in. Here is what I did to get to this point:

Stop Playing The Comparison Game

Comparing your life to the lives of other people is the best way to suck the joy right out of yourself. This does not mean that you can not look to others for inspiration, or admire the journey of someone else. It does mean you should stop there, do not pass inspiration and admiration and skip on over to jealousy and hopelessness. When you start comparing your life to other peoples it is a slippery slope into a bad mindset. “Why can’t I have that?” “I’ll never be that successful.” “They are so lucky, my life just isn’t like that.” “I try, but I don’t have what they have.” These are the types of thoughts you need to squash immediately, they will keep you exactly where you are. If you find yourself having thoughts like these, stop and switch it up, think to yourself a more positive thought. “My goal is to have that in two years.” “I should ask this person how they achieved this.” “What can I do to have something similar in six months?” It is so important not to drown out your journey but paying too much attention to what everyone else has going on. 

Stop Making Excuses

All of us could think of a thousand reasons not to make that next move or start a new project. The best thing you can do is not listen to those voices in your head telling you to delay it, or that you will start next week, this weekend, or tomorrow. Do it now, right now, start it. Even if all you can do right now is a five minutes of scripting, setting up an account, or practicing your art style, anything is better than putting it off another day! I personally would make excuses because I convinced myself that my new project would not work unless the circumstances were perfect. Well, it turns out that they will never be perfect, you have to start somewhere and that place is here and now!

Do Research 

Now don’t use this as a procrastination tool, spending five weeks researching and never starting is also not the answer. Plan your research, and be very specific. Make a list of things you need to research, make sure it is not vague. Things like “Look up how to start a podcast” are too broad and will not be super helpful. Narrow it down to things such as “Podcast hosting sites” and “Audio editing programs”. These specific searches will give you much better information, and help not immediately get overwhelmed so you can start really learning! Research is great as long as it is beneficial to your goal. Once it starts to be a distraction or overwhelm you it is no longer helpful. Figure out where to start and then just start! Avoid trying to figure out steps one through a hundred all in one research session. Figure out steps one through three and then take action. 

Identify As Someone That Does What You Want To Do

This one is in my opinion the best tip I have, and the best thing I have learned. Have you ever asked for advice or thought about your goal and then followed that up with telling yourself you are not a person that does (said thing)? You are not alone! I think we have all done this at one point, and it is a dream killer. If you want to write a book but think you are not a writer, then identify as someone who writes and start writing a little every day! If you want to be a runner but get discouraged because you have yet to run, then go out, jog up your street, and then tell yourself you are a runner and start a routine! This has worked so well for me that it is honestly shocking. So many times I would stand in my own way by telling myself I could not do something because I had not done it. Looking back it is very silly. You will never be a reader if you don’t start reading. Once you get through that first book though, boom, you are a reader!

Consistency 

Some goals can be achieved by just doing something one time, but not most. Showing up everyday and continuing to make progress is how we truly reach our goals. If you want to leg press 180 lbs, chances are you will have to practice leg press more than once. If you make time to work at your skill, and learn, make mistakes, get better over time, then you will start to see some major improvement. Going to the gym and using the leg press machine two times and then skipping for five weeks is not going to get you to that 180 lbs goal. Going three times a week for eight weeks straight will get you to that goal much faster! This is not easy, and it will take mental fortitude but it is so worth it. There will be days that it feels impossible and you will want to make any excuse not to show up, push through that and I promise you won’t regret it. 

Do It Alone

Other people will not always want to come with you on your journey. Do not let that stop you from pursuing something you want to do. If you want to go rock climbing and none of your friends do, then go alone. You will make new friends at the rock climbing gym, and it will be so fun. This can be said for anything. Found a passion in sewing? Do it alone, go get some fabric and maybe attend a library sewing class. This gives you the opportunity to judge if this new hobby or goal is something you really want to do. If you can do it alone, then you actually want to do it. If not then maybe you should reconsider if it is something you want to give your time and energy to. You also get the chance to meet new people, make new friends, or spend some time with yourself! Either way do not let the fear or anxiety of doing something alone be the reason you don’t try. 

Whatever your next project or goal is, I hope these tips are helpful to you. If you would like to comment what your goal is I would love to hear it! I am always inspired by hearing what others are working on. I wish you nothing but success on your own journey. Stay motivated, and remember everyone starts in the same place, at the beginning. There is no shame in being new to something, or in trying it for the first time. 

Give yourself grace and space to learn.