Change is a good thing in life – we all go through changes throughout the different stages of our lives – at school, at work or in our social circles.
But that doesn’t mean change is always comfortable or easy!
If you feel resistant or worried about change – whether changing school years, finishing school, taking on a new class or starting a new work placement – rest assured you are completely NORMAL.
Sometimes we let our fears about change stop us from recognising when we need to move forward and take on a new adventure.
If any of that sounds familiar, we’re here to help. Check out our top tips below for recognising when you might be ready to embrace change and forge forward with a new adventure!
6 Tips for Recognising You’re Ready For a New Adventure
There’s nothing wrong with feeling comfortable (it’s pretty hard to move forward with something new if you feel too unbalanced or your life lacks enough structure). But comfort shouldn’t be confused with becoming stagnant!
New adventures are the best way to keep growing and uncovering great opportunities for your future.
Here are six signs you might be stagnating – and that it’s time to crack on with some positive change!
1. You’ve been feeling unmotivated and restless.
Sure, staying in your comfort zone is comfortable, but you know what else it can be? A bit boring. If you just stay the same and don’t push yourself to try new things and explore, you’ll quickly start to feel unmotivated – even by the things you may have previously found fulfilling.
If your days are beginning to feel restless and same-same, it’s time for a new adventure.
2. You don’t feel challenged.
Feeling challenged and stretched is a huge part of growing as a person – whether in our academic pursuits or career paths.
Appropriate challenges can help boost all kinds of great skills; communication, problem-solving, teamwork, analytical, and creative skills.
3. Many of your friends are moving on to new things.
If everyone around you seems to be moving on, getting involved in their next steps and making plans for their future, it might leave you wondering what you should be doing?
It’s natural to want some parts of your life to stay the same, and thinking about how they might change (like your close friendships) can make you feel sad. But everyone reaches a point when it’s time to go after new things – if everyone around you is already doing this, it might be time to think about what’s next for you too.
4. Feelings of stress and anxiety are getting on top of you.
Stress and anxiety can show up in our lives in all kinds of ways. If you’re feeling restless and unmotivated, stress and anxiety might not be far behind.
Getting impatient and angry at others, losing your cool over minor setbacks or events, arguing with friends and family, not wanting to eat or overeating, loss of interest in hobbies – these could all be signs of feeling overly stressed or anxious.
If this sounds familiar, getting proactive about moving forward with a new adventure could help.
5. Every day just feels the same.
While routines can be helpful, there needs to be a bit of balance. No one wants to feel stuck in the same repetitive cycle for years on end.
You might feel like this as your school years go by, eagerly awaiting what comes next, only to arrive at the end of high school and feel anxious about the change ahead – again, this is totally normal!
Remember that feeling of everything feeling the same and predictable, and use this as a motivator to embrace the adventure ahead.
6. You often daydream about going off and doing something new and different.
It’s a bit of a no-brainer, but if you’re constantly preoccupied with what might be and all the fantastic adventures possible in the year ahead, you’re ready to start making it happen for real!
3 Ways to Embrace a New Change
Sounding like a new adventure is on the cards? Great!
Now check out these three top tips for getting stuck in.
1. Write it out.
One of the main reasons embracing change can feel scary is the threat of the unknown – which is why writing things out can help you feel more in control and capable of handling what comes your way.
You can use the prompts below to help you write out whatever change/adventure you’re facing:
| How will this change benefit me? | What am I most looking forward to? | What could go wrong? | What can I do to manage/prepare for this |
| ●
● ● |
●
● ● |
●
● ● |
●
● ● |
2. Start small.
Learning to embrace change as a positive force for good won’t happen overnight – and if you know there’s a significant change coming up in your life, you can help yourself to feel ready for it by starting small.
Find small, positive changes you can make in your life to help you get comfortable with change overall. Whether it’s waking up a bit earlier, starting a new hobby or routine, or talking to new people, take baby steps you know you can achieve and get ready to feel warm and gooey as great things happen.
3. Get support.
When facing a bigger change, like finishing school and moving on, don’t bottle it up. We can pretty much guarantee there will be others feeling just like you, and actively talking about what you’re feeling can help you feel less alone.
Having people you trust around you as you embark on a new journey can help you stay motivated, have someone to talk things through with if you start to get cold feet, and work out how to overcome setbacks and challenges.
Time for a New Adventure?
Hopefully, your answer is a resounding YES!
Remember, new experiences, significant changes, and pushing forward in our own direction can feel scary – and that’s okay!
What’s that saying? ‘Feel the fear and do it anyway’? We say go for it!
