In the past 12 months, I have really stepped into my own and started making some major life changing decisions, both in my personal life and in my career.

I decided to take three months off to travel and when I returned, I quit my job and started my own soul-centered business.

Scary? Definitely!

Even though I knew and was committed to the idea of changing my life, I was constantly faced with raging doubts and unlimited choices.

These choices that come up consistently test our commitment and our confidence, and in most cases can help steer us in the right direction. However, they can also cause a lot of procrastination, and even potentially halt the progress entirely.

Here are five key things that I have learned throughout this experience that can help us all stay encouraged and motivated when going through major, life changing decisions.

1. Commit to it.

By committing to the act itself we are setting the intention to the universe of what we want. This is especially critical at the beginning of the change process, because once we have committed ourselves entirely to the end result, the progression itself becomes natural. Focus on how this falls in line with your life purpose or vision.

When I finally committed myself to quit smoking after 20 years, the actual choice and act of quitting was uncomplicated. It no longer fit into my values and vision for my life, so I committed myself 100 percent. The moment I made the choice, I was a non-smoker and committed to the end result.

Whether it’s a health choice, a career choice or a choice to take that dream vacation or quit your job to travel the world, if it’s something that means something to us, it is critical that we set the intention and commit ourselves entirely to the end.

2. Don’t wait for others to validate your choices.

There will always be naysayers. Those who think our choices aren’t realistic, are ridiculous or won’t ever work. The truth is they are most likely living within their own fears, and we need to focus on what is right for us.

I like to think of them as challengers to test our true commitment. When they appeared for me (which they did in many forms) I asked myself what I was projecting in that moment and why they were showing up for me now.

When they show up for you, ask yourself: Why you need their validation? What is it that you are missing in your own confidence to move forward?

Keep in mind that the naysayers are probably going to be the first to congratulate you at the finish line!

3. Don’t wait for perfect.

Perfect may never come. Take the moment and make it perfect.

When we find ourselves waiting for the perfect time, the perfect book, the perfect, website or the perfect answer, we may find ourselves waiting forever.

Ask yourself what is really keeping you stuck? What are you really holding out for? You may need to work through that.

Don’t procrastinate any longer waiting for perfect.

4. The universe will open doors.

As the famous quote goes by Paulo Coelho, “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it.”

Once we have committed ourselves (see step one) it’s amazing how we will begin to notice that the universe will start to open the right doors to make it happen and at just the right time.

When I made the decision to take a sabbatical from my job last year, I had no idea how I was going to get the time off or the money to finance it. But just as I had committed to the decision, the answers to everything else began appearing to me at just the right times.

Open your awareness to it and see just what the universe puts in your path.

5. Put yourself out and there and allow yourself to be vulnerable.

Let go of the ego and turn off the inner critic.

When I first told my friends and family what I was going to be doing and published my website, I felt like I might as well have been standing naked in the front of a room filled with everyone in my contact list. I couldn’t have felt more vulnerable and open to ridicule and judgment. But I just closed my eyes and hoped for the best.

But do you know what came back? The most amazing support and love and energy I could have ever imagined.

We are the biggest critics of ourselves. We need to stand by our choices and decisions and remember why we were brought to make them in the first place.

This is not to say that making living your life purpose will always be easy and that everything will always fall into place. There may be detours and obstacles along the way. But there is something calling inside of you to make these decisions and choices. It’s our souls way of talking to us.

It is so beneficial when we stay with the intention and be mindful of what the universe is helping us with along the way.

 

 

Relephant Read:

3 Steps to Find (or Rediscover) Your Passion.

 

Author: Jodie Hebbard

Editor: Emily Bartran

Photo: gfpeck/Flickr

 

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