If you need a major life overhaul, try doing these 7 things differently

Sometimes, life can feel like a never-ending cycle of routine and predictability, leaving us feeling stuck and uninspired. 

When we reach that point, it’s time to shake things up and reconsider the way we do things. 

I was once caught in that monotonous loop, but I managed to turn my life around completely, and I’ve never been in a better place. 

If you’re yearning for a major life overhaul, consider doing these 7 things differently. You’ll be amazed at how even the smallest shifts can pave the way for big, exciting transformations.

1) The values you live by

Just as I did years ago, take some time to reflect on what you truly believe in. These are the values that make you feel fulfilled, satisfied, and at peace with yourself. 

For me, it was integrity, compassion, and honesty. 

Are you living in line with them? If not, make changes to your actions, words, and decisions so that you do.

For me personally, things got a lot easier when I did this, because whenever I was struggling or wavering, my values showed me the right path for me. I found more purpose in my actions that way. 

Having this clarity about what I stand for also helped me identify and develop deeper connections with other people who thought in the same way I did. 

For all these reasons, if you’ve been feeling lost or like you’re going in the wrong direction, establishing your values as your internal compass can be a transformative first step.. 

2) The way you set goals

Goals are a huge part of any kind of change you want to make in life. Trying to transform your life without goals is like trying to navigate a ship without a destination.

Think about the goals you’ve had until now, your success with them, and whether or not they have led to fulfillment. 

I spent way too long thinking about goals that no longer served me, just out of sheer momentum. I never stopped to analyze whether or not they were really what I needed.

So I decided to consider my real priorities and put those as my goals: great health, a work-life balance, and unbreakable bonds with my partner, family, and friends. 

It’s also important to try setting your goals differently. Many self-development experts recommend following the SMART goal-setting model:

Specific: Is your goal specific rather than general and vague?

Measurable: Is your goal measurable with numbers or some sort of milestone?

Achievable: Is your goal truly realistic for you while still helping you grow?

Relevant: Does your goal fit into your overall vision for your life?

Time-bound: Do you have a particular time frame for achieving your goal?

3. Who you spend your time with

You might have heard the saying, “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” And this is SO true. 

I was once surrounded by people who had some great qualities to be fair, but were also constantly negative. 

I realized that I was becoming just like them – always complaining and seeing the worst in every situation. That’s when I decided to be intentional about who I spent my time with.

I began surrounding myself with people who inspired and uplifted me. People who shared my values, encouraged my goals, and genuinely wanted the best for me.

It wasn’t long before I noticed a shift in my mindset and my attitude towards life. I felt more positive, motivated, and encouraged to pursue my goals. The energy I received from these people was infectious and motivated me to be a better person myself.

So, take a look at the people you spend most of your time with. You don’t have to completely cut someone out of your life, but do be mindful of who you are around the most. 

4) How you eat and exercise

Alright, it’s time to talk about the boring stuff you’ve probably heard hundreds of times… eating healthy and exercising often. (I promise, this article isn’t sponsored by your doctor!)

For me, this advice used to be something I waved off, like “yeah yeah, but I’m doing just fine.”

But I tried it because a friend of mine wanted to become a personal trainer and nutritionist, and asked me to be one of his test clients.

I had to eat balanced healthy meals, get 10,000 steps per day, and exercise at least 3 times per week. 

It was a favor for him, but really, he was the one doing me a favor. I stopped feeling sluggish and tired all the time, and I got sick much less often. 

So I continued with these habits even after I finished my friend’s program. 

This isn’t even about how you look, but how you feel on a daily basis. Your body and mind will be in much better shape to support you through creating the life of your dreams. 

5) The way you talk to yourself

This might sound like a strange thing to consider, but if you need a major life overhaul, the way you talk to yourself will have a huge role to play.

I’m not talking about the “talking to plants” kind of talking to yourself. Rather, it’s about the internal dialogue that’s always running inside your head.

The sad reality is, for most of us, that inner voice often puts us down rather than cheers us on. For me too, my mind used to be filled with thoughts like “I’m not good enough” and “I messed up, AGAIN!”

It took a lot of self-development books and podcasts for me to realize how damaging this was. I would never dare speak this way to a friend — so how could I allow it towards myself?

I started making a conscious effort to be more compassionate and forgiving towards myself, the way I’d be to my best friend. 

I recognized my efforts, celebrated my achievements, and reminded myself of my strengths and capabilities. 

Even if this doesn’t give you more “success”, the impact on your wellbeing is profound. And that’s possibly one of the best changes in your life to aspire towards. 

6) How you tackle your to-do list

Now we come to a habit that can hinder any attempt at a major life overhaul: procrastination.

This is the monster that lives in the back of your mind, holding you back from moving forward because of perfectionism, fear or failure, or as we spoke above, negative self-talk.

It actually had a useful purpose in the past, keeping us in our comfort zone so that we wouldn’t go out and expose ourselves to danger unnecessarily.

But in the modern world, you need to learn to quiet it down and make your determination speak louder. 

Here’s an exercise that has really helped me: 

1. First, write down all the things that might go wrong if you go after your goal, or tackle the task you’ve been putting off.
2. Now, write down all the the things that might go wrong if you DON’T go after your goal, or tackle the task you’ve been putting off.

Chances are, you’ll find that the “risks” are just as bad for not taking action. So you might as well try, and give yourself the chance of being who you want to be. 

7) How you organize yourself

Finally, if you want a major life overhaul, try changing how you organize yourself.

This means:

• Keeping track of your tasks to do
• Arriving on time to your appointments
• Doing things ahead of time rather than last minute

There are tons of ways to do this, so it’s up to you what you decide. I myself like to use a combination of apps on my phone, while a friend of mine loves her paper agenda.

I even know someone who keeps everything in his head without ever writing anything down.

The important thing is that you stay on top of your responsibilities and maintain a sense of calm with no stress. 

You’ll find it easier to focus on what matters and be able to make real progress with all the other items we spoke above — your life will transform for the better in no time. 

Ready for your major life overhaul?

It can be frightening and confusing to think about doing a major life overhaul.

But I hope this article has shown you that with a few simple changes, you can make it happen much more easily than you may think. 

As you work on doing these 7 things differently, you may discover a couple more shifts and adjustments you can make, depending on your unique circumstances and goals.

So don’t be shy to experiment and try whatever feels right for you. Your intuition knows the right way, and we’re also always here with much more guidance where this came from.