If there are things in your life that you are not happy about or satisfied with, it can be a challenge deciding what to do to make your life better. Change is hard. Is it worth the effort to make big changes in your life if you are generally satisfied with how things are going? The answer to this question is almost always yes. The fact that you are thinking about making a change means that something inside you is craving something different. To try to ignore it can eventually lead to burnout or other issues. If you are avoiding the idea of change because you think it is too late or you are too old, you should know that plenty of other people feel the same way. Swallow that anxiety and start taking steps to live your dream life.
Volunteer
One small way you can dip your toe into a different world is through volunteering. Whether it is with a cause that is of interest to you, or through an organization that needs someone with your skillset, volunteering is a low-risk way to create change and get comfortable pushing yourself out of your element.
Get Your Degree
If you do not have a college degree, you may think the moment is gone. You may feel you are too old to be a student, and that you have been away from the learning environment for too long. You may think that since you have a job, even if it is one that you do not care for, it would be wasteful to spend time, energy, and money on a college degree. Time and money spent on education are never wasted. You are never too old to return to school. It may be uncomfortable at first, sitting among other students who are much younger and bolder than you are, but it is okay to be uncomfortable. The more you put yourself in situations that are challenging, the easier it will get.
Do not let concern over finances stop you from earning your degree. There are many ways to pay for school, and finances should never be the deciding factor. If you are interested in attending school full-time and cutting back on your working hours, or even quitting entirely, consider private student loans. These loans come without the strict limits of federal loans, so you will be able to borrow enough to cover living expenses while you complete your degree.
Find What You Love
No one wants to go through life doing things that do not bring them joy or allow them to feel like they are making a difference. While it is normal and healthy to feel like you want your daily life to matter, it is easy to get stuck in a career that feels meaningless. The desire to change is part of human nature, but change itself is hard. Recognizing that you want to make changes, and then determining what those changes should look like, requires you to sit down and reimagine your life. When you do this, lose your filter. Rather than think that your ideas and goals are frivolous or irresponsible, look at ways to make them a reality. Building a life that reflects how you want to live is not impossible, but it also doesn’t happen by accident.
