Now is a Great Time to Reinvent Yourself (if you want to)

As we get closer to herd immunity with Covid19, reentering society seems like a reality coming sooner rather than later. While we still might be social distancing and wearing masks in some communities, it seems like – fingers crossed – this might be coming to an end in the next several months. Are you ready?

If you’ve been refraining from socializing, staying at home with your pod, and the idea of getting back to normal isn’t as comforting as you would like now is a great time to reinvent yourself.

Whether you’ve decided your career needs to change, or you need to drop some toxic habits – now is a good time to start making those changes.

Now is a Great Time to Reinvent Yourself (if you want to)

If you’re like most of us, you’ve probably spent a good deal of time alone this past year. You may have had more time to think about the things you want to achieve, but haven’t made the time to actually makes the necessary changes to see those achievements come to fruition. That can be a wonderful thing, or it can be a terrifying thing. Hopefully, thinking about the future and where you see yourself is exciting, but it’s understandable if it’s a little scary.

It’s a great time to reinvent yourself (if you want to) while still cocooning because you have time to get used to the new you before you introduce that new person to the world. Building confidence in yourself while still holed up during the pandemic can help keep you on the path to the changes you want to make.

There are a Millions Ways to Reinvent Yourself (if you want to)

A lot of us have developed bad habits during the pandemic. Being forced to stay home, or close to home has a way of creating unhealthy routines like vegging out in front of the TV all night while mindlessly stuff our face with the closest crunchy snack. Some of us have taken to using alcohol and drugs more than we would like. Most of us have gained some weight. And still some of us have come to the realization that life is too short to be stuck doing something we’re not happy doing. And, we’re moving!

Whether you’re reinventing yourself by losing the covid 19(lbs), or have decided to start checking off those bucket list items – there’s never been a better time.

It might actually be easier to reinvent yourself during a pandemic than during normal times. By being more isolated – working from home or doing online school – you don’t have to worry about the naysayers. We all know one or two people who seem to take pleasure in telling you why you shouldn’t/can’t/won’t do the thing you want to do. Being isolated means you don’t have to be exposed to these Debbie Downers and can pursue your passion more freely.

So just how do you reinvent yourself?

1. Know what you want to achieve – Have a clear image in your mind of what it is you want to achieve. Do you want to lose the pounds you packed on while cooped up at home? Then imagine what you will look like when you’ve shed those pounds. Imagine how you’ll feel healthier, your joints won’t ache, you’ll have energy to do the things you haven’t been able to do in a while, your clothes will fit better etc… You don’t need to create a vision board (but it’s an awesome tool if you do), but being able to see in your mind’s eye what your outcome will look like will help you on your way to reinventing yourself.
2. Do something everyday to move you toward the desired result – Using the weight loss example you would do one thing each day to move you closer to your goal. That could be taking a walk after each meal, removing certain foods or food groups from your daily diet. It could mean downloading an app to help track your steps or calorie intake. Do one thing each day to move you closer to your goal and before long you’ll reach it.
3. Take some risks – In order to make lasting changes you have to get out of your routine, and that means taking risks. You don’t have to jump out of an airplane but joining a gym can seem really scary. A risk can be running a mile instead of walking one. Small risks add up to big gains (or losses in this example) so challenge yourself to try new things.
4. Track your progress – When we are trying to make big changes, we often don’t see our progress day to day. It can be discouraging if the scale doesn’t move. However, that’s only one measurement of progress. Keeping track of your measurements, weight etc is one way to track your progress – you know you’re doing the right things to achieve your goals even if you aren’t seeing the results. Taking progress photos is a great way to see the differences you’re making by changing your behavior. You may not see any changes each day when you look in the mirror, but looking at a selfie from three weeks ago compared with today will show that progress is indeed being made.
5. Celebrate your wins – Whenever we make changes, there are always setbacks – always. Take these missteps in stride and don’t let them get you down. Celebrate you achievement with friends who support and uplift you, and leave the Debbie Downers to their old routines.