It’s the start of a new year and time for the “New Year, New Me” mantras that will fade by the end of the month. On the other side are people I’ve found online and in real life who have changed their lives in 6 months. I’ve found this interesting as I wonder, what exactly happened for a person to want to change their lives in half a year? Did something specific happen? and what were the steps they took? I was curious and decided to start my own journey.
Can I REALLY Change my Life in 6 Months?
For me, my why is, I want a life that I can be proud of and that will allow me to live comfortably, travel as often as I like and be financially secure. I realise this quest will be challenging and things might even stretch beyond 6 months but that’s ok. I’ve compiled a list of surface-level things I will be doing over 6 months and will leave the deeper things that require a lot more off the Internet until it’s the right time to share.
Setting Boundaries
Boundaries are something I learned later in life and something that I’m still learning. I have separated them into two categories which are Personal and Professional.
Personal: I will not look at my phone the minute I wake up. I will not allow anybody (friends or family) to put me in uncomfortable situations. I’m not agreeing to anything that I don’t want to do. I will no longer expect closure, honesty, or place people on pedestals. I choose who I want to keep in my life. I will not allow people to hurt me continuously.
Professional: I will not reply to calls, messages, texts, or emails BEFORE work. My job is just a job and not my life. I am not my job. My job has a start and end time. I do not work on the weekends. I will ask for my full price at all times. I will speak up when necessary and at the right time. I will take my lunch break and away from my desk. I will take short breaks.
Changing Careers
This might come as a shock to some, but I’ve been working in Marketing since I was 19 years old, and is a field I love, but I am no longer in love with Marketing or Digital Marketing itself. I cannot see myself in this field in my 40s — I need to find something that is purposeful and ethical. I’m not 100% sure what field I want to get into, I just know I want to get out of Digital Marketing in a Professional setting. There are people who are in my age group and older who are at the top of their careers and dominating their roles, but I do not want to be in my late 30s to 40s and getting anxious every time I hear a “ping” on Whatsapp after 7 pm on a Friday when I’m home or out with friends. I want to be present and I want to live in peace.
Changing Environments
I would love to live in another country (legally) this year to take a break from Jamaica and this new wave of “Influencers”. People no longer know who they are and do everything for content and make simple everyday tasks such as going to the supermarket a “thing”. I know this happens everywhere, but I will not know who these people are in a new country.
I also want to experience a new culture, meet new people and learn a new language. I feel this will give me a new and fresh perspective as right now, Jamaica represents disappointment, stress, and heartbreak. A new environment will be exactly what I need to have a fresh start.
Building my Dream Body
My “body story” is quite interesting. I was extremely skinny until I was 30 when I went on a weight gain journey. I gained a total of 23 pounds in a year which was a major accomplishment and took 30 years in retrospect. This new weight gain was quite a lot of my small frame which was what I wanted. I had a plan which made sense to me — once I gained the weight, I started the gym and turned that fat into the muscle which saw me having a sexier toned body. After 2 1/2 years of being consistent, I just stopped! I got tired of getting up early, then having to end my workout to get to work on time. Like most people, work got in the way. I hope to be back in full force but on my time and terms.
Healing from Within
I have always been that person “who is always sick”. When I was younger it was asthma then once I became a teenager it was extremely painful cramps that continued all the way into adulthood. This affected me so much that I had to take time off from work when it was that time of the month and I would be in bed for up to 3 days not being able to eat or sleep. I plan to find solutions to help with the pain whether it’s physical therapy, massages, food, or whatever it is, I plan on finding it this year.
These are a few of the things I plan to work on for the next coming months to change my life. I am currently still in research mode and looking into books, speaking with professionals, and being intentional.
I am curious to know, what changes you will be making in your life this year. Comment below
Written by Lorane Rhoden
Email me at hautepeople@yahoo.com
