How many of us are living out someone else’s dreams or the way life should be? It’s often our parents, teachers, cultural expectations, social standing, or even our own fears that shape our path.

It’s only when we hit a crisis and things start to fall apart that we really start to question if this is the right way to go. We get a fleeting moment to “wake up,” take a look around, and reassess before inertia pulls us back into our old routines.

I’ve seen people “wake up” during times of stress—serious illness, job loss, breakups, or the loss of a loved one. It’s almost like we’re jolted awake from a dream, thinking, “Oh, this wasn’t meant to happen,” or “I don’t know how to feel or act in this new situation.”

I remember feeling so lost when my father passed away. We weren’t the best of friends, but deep down, I must have felt he had my back if I ever needed him… but now he was gone, and I was on my own.

I’ve heard similar stories when a long-term relationship ends or someone loses a job they’ve had for years. In the hours, days, or weeks that follow, there’s a chance to reinvent yourself. To chart a new course. To follow a new path (to quote Jung).

If we resist the pull of the familiar, we can really redefine who we are, what we do, where we live and work, how we behave (or not). Do this for long enough, and we can live a very different life from those who came before us. One that is more “you.”

Howard

As well as business and marketing I coach and mentor many people re their personal and professional lives. If you want to explore your personal development or an issue that's keeping you stuck, I'd be very happy to have a chat with you, to do so contact me here