The Power of a “Hard Reset” In Your Life: When It’s Time to Make a Big Change and Start Anew

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Whether you’re feeling trapped in your life or you’re just looking to make a major change, sometimes your best option is to start going down a completely new path. This means doing a “hard reset” to your current life and starting from scratch.

A “hard reset” can be any life-changing decision, including (but not limited to): moving to a new place, changing career paths, or ending a marriage or long-term relationship.

None of these decisions are easy or should be taken lightly. A “hard reset” is life-altering and risky by definition. You’re leaving your current life (which is familiar and safe) and willing to take the chance to see what else the world has to offer you.

Your ability to do a “hard reset” depends on a variety of factors, especially your current responsibilities and obligations.

The more responsibilities you have, the more difficult it will be to do a “hard reset.” I certainly wouldn’t recommend someone with a family and children to completely ditch them to “try to find themselves” or something silly like that. That’s just irresponsible and neglectful.

A “hard reset” is a serious decision that requires adequate thought and planning before you jump into it, but it can also be the best decision you ever made if you do it correctly.

I did a “hard reset” several years ago when I moved from New York to Florida. I’ve always lived in New York all my life (grew up on Long Island, went to college in Binghamton, and lived a couple years in Brooklyn), so I was craving a new environment to shake things up in my life, especially while I was still young and in a position to explore.

Thankfully, I didn’t have many obligations in New York. Nothing was keeping me tied there such as taking care of a family, or a long-term career, or serious girlfriend, so it was easy for me to just pack up my things and start anew in a completely different place.

And to be honest, it’s one of the better decisions I’ve made.

The excitement of moving somewhere new, building a new social circle, and exploring a completely new place helped to reinvigorate my life and gave me an extra boost of motivation and inspiration.

We often underestimate how much our daily environment can influence us.

For the longest time, I believed that the only thing that mattered to my well-being was my attitude and mindset, but as I learned more about psychology I discovered that a big part of self improvement is finding the right environment to succeed and flourish.

Completely changing your environment can become a “crash-course” in learning new things, discovering more about yourself, and broadening your perspective of the world.

Yes, we have the power to change our environment – but our environment also has the power to change us . Sometimes throwing yourself into a new environment can be the single, best way to change the direction of your life.

Of course our minds crave what is familiar because we see it as “safe” and “normal,” even if what is familiar is a life of misery, disappointment, frustration, and sadness.

This is why people tend to get stuck in jobs they hate, relationships that are toxic and destructive, and negative living situations in general. It sucks, but most people would rather choose the “evil they know over the evil they don’t know.” And that makes sense…if you think the world is mostly filled with evil.

But I believe the world is filled with a lot of good. And sometimes, you just have to hit that “hard reset” button and start a new life from scratch before you can begin discovering it for yourself.



“Hard Resets” vs. “Soft Resets”

A “hard reset” is a permanent escape from your current life. It’s often a life-altering decision that is difficult to come back from (though not always impossible).

You should only do a “hard reset” if you’re truly ready to leave something behind and take the risk of re-starting some aspect of your life from scratch (whether it’s a career, relationship, or living situation).

A “soft reset” is a temporary escape from your current life.

The most common examples of a “soft reset” would be going on vacation, taking a scheduled break from your relationship or career, or traveling to new places.

A “soft reset” can be a lot less riskier of a decision, but it can still be powerful. Being able to temporarily walk away from your everyday life can help to put things into perspective, re-evaluate your current situation, and re-enter it with a fresh mindset.

Due to the inherent riskiness of a “hard reset,” it is often recommended that you try a “soft reset” first.

Take a short break from your current life and then go back to re-evaluate it. If you still find it unbearable and intolerable, then you can start thinking if a “hard reset” is the right decision for you.

Don’t underestimate the power of a “hard reset” or “soft reset” to change your life. While they are both serious decisions, they can sometimes be the very best decision available to you if you want long-term happiness and success.



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