5 STEPS TO REINVENT YOURSELF

After going through a midlife crisis, I can honestly say that I am in a better place mentally and ready to take on the task of reinventing myself. Nine months closer to being 50 is reason to go to the drawing board and come up with a plan on how to make the next decade of life something to look forward to instead of something to dread. I'm all in and ready for that challenge, and I'm going to share 5 of these steps with you. In order to reinvent yourself, you have to be willing to change things that you do for the better so that not only will others see you differently, but you will see yourself differently. Here's what's on the list.Ask yourself, what do you want from this next phase of your life? This is an important step and may take some time to figure out. Give yourself some time to think about how you want to view yourself moving into this next phase of your life? How do you want others to see you? Try reading about how celebrities reinvented themselves. Afterwards, write about yourself. Start by writing about who and where you are right now. Then pretend that you are writing about the new you. This is the person that you want to become. Just make believe it's already happened and write about yourself. This exercise should help you see a clearer picture of who you want to be and what you need to do to achieve your goals.Finding something new to be passionate about can always spark a flame on that burned out candle. This is something that may also take some time to figure out. Get involved in different activities and events and explore. This will expose you to what you may like or may not like. Go back to school and learn something new. Try free courses through your library. Don't give up. Sometimes, finding your passion may come by sheer accident. Either way, explore and it will come.Even if you eat right and exercise, there may be something that you can improve about your eating and exercise routine. If you can, great! If you have all bases covered, that's awesome too! Now those of you who can stand to make some changes, this is especially for you. Remember, you're looking for lifestyle changes. Pick something that you can change about your diet and stick with it. Start small, you don't have to have a laundry list all at one time. Gradual improvement is the key to success. Find something that you can also change about how much you move. These gradual changes will have lasting effects on your body and will eventually be part of your lifestyle and who you are as a person. The key to reinventing is changing for the better.Change, change, change! If you're happy with the way you dress, this tip may not be for you. However, if you feel that you can improve in this area, start small. Focus on some area that you can begin to change quickly. Maybe you can start changing the types of shoes you wear or the purses you carry. You may want to add different types of accessories or completely change your style all together. Assess your wardrobe and figure out what you can do to make change for the better.Bad habits are difficult to drop and once again is another step that will take time. Be patient with yourself and take baby steps. Some people can quit bad habits cold turkey and others need a different approach. List your bad habits and pick one that you feel you are ready and willing to change now. Figure out how you can replace that bad habit with a good one and get started. Remember, habits define who you are as well and the more bad habits you can replace with good ones will go a long way in helping to define who you are and improve your quality of life.Reinventing yourself is not easy and does not happen overnight. However, paying attention to aspects of your life that do define you and changing them for the better will ultimately help to breathe fresh new air in your lungs and allow you live a more fulfilling and purposeful life.