In 2017 I took a non-formal education course that changed my life, in ways I have never imagined. During that class, I had a vision of myself, actually the best version of myself, a Poppy who finds a real purpose in life and transforms it into an amazing career and a happy life.
I resigned from my boring receptionist job that I hated to make space in my life for… something else.
But things didn’t work out as I was hoping for.
What went wrong?
These are the five things I wish I knew 5 years ago when I took a leap of faith and allowed myself a gap year.
- Have a plan, a good one, and transform it into action asap
The story where the girl takes off a year to search for her path in life and starts a career from scratch only because she found a flyer that falls from the sky is not how things roll in real life.
The matter is you can’t get anywhere if you don’t know where you want to be.
Be sure you have a detailed plan of how you will reach your goal. A plan keeps you closer to your objective when you have too much time to handle and diminishes the chances of procrastination. As soon you have a realistic plan, transform it into action.
If you want to travel, just buy your tickets. If you want to study, apply to all the possible programs that might interest you. If you want to be a full-time mum, be sure you have a backup plan when things get tricky.
2. Find a strong support network.
This equals = friends who support you and are willing to cheer you up in any given situation/a family who won’t criticise you/a support group who has the same interests as you have.
People usually envy their peers who dare to break the routine, leave their jobs and try something new. This is a fact. Be sure when you will become that damn person who finally DOES IT, someone will show jealousy. Even people you didn’t expect to.
Do your best to avoid this negative group at least at the beginning of your transition. Focus only on who believes in you.
Facing uncertainty is even harder if you have to face the pity masks that are ready to give you the: “I told you so…” speech.
3. Be sure your pocket will allow you to survive the whole process of transition
Whatever you chose to do, be sure you can stand on your own feet from a financial point of view. If you don’t, the risk is you will have to compromise even more than before to keep going.
4. Built your change on a positive foundation.
Stable projects can’t grow on a negative foundation.
The most effective changes come from a state of peace. If you just want to escape an unbearable situation, maybe your motivation is not enough. Be sure your drive is a positive vibe that can be a trigger to creation. Years ago, my ultimate goal was to upgrade my social status that was downgraded by the immigration process.
It might sound like a relevant desire, but it all came from my ego.
It was my ego who wanted me to grow, and not the calling or the love inside me.
When you decide to change your life, be sure you put yourself in the service of good vibes.
5. Love yourself, invest in yourself, be just a little bit selfish
It took me thirty years to realise that I do amazing things for other people that I wouldn’t do for myself in 1000 years. I am an empathic person and I give a lot of love, but most of the times I simply don’t know how to take it back.
I wasn’t thought to do it. I had no tools to understand that love is a giving and taking process, and when things don’t go like that, something will go wrong for sure.
Personal changes are the moments when you have to accept help, ask for it, to be able to take your personal space.
It’s not recommended, but is a must to let your moment…be yours!
I wish you 2022 be full of positive changes and may all your dreams come true!
Foto courtesy of Photo by Suzanne D. Williams on Unsplash
