How can we can improve our life?

What are some ways we can improve our life? Well, firstly, we need to know what part of our life needs improving.

There could be many areas that could benefit from an upgrade or a change. Knowing what they are is essential for us to understand them and take action to address them.

Let's take a step back. How long have you been feeling that you need some improvements in your life? Was there a particular event that got you thinking? Or has it always been something you have wanted to do, but never really thought too much about it? Have you procrastinated by leaving it for another day, and then that 'another day' becomes many more days, and you find yourself still doing the same things that don't serve, drive, inspire, fulfil or excite you?

If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got

Whatever you choose to do, it's great to take action - the choices are yours. There are many opportunities in life; it's how we choose to use them. Try not to be defeated by your negative self-talk or your inner conflict. Challenge yourself - we are all capable of great things if only we believe more in ourselves. Quitting can be easy and success isn’t for the faint-hearted, but are you willing to pay the price to realise your dreams?

Bad experiences can keep us stuck and the road can be tough. There could be many stumbling blocks along the way. So what does that mean? It means that we learn by experience, and those experiences can give us the strength we need to keep on going in the face of adversity and can help us make better decisions for the next years of our lives.

What doesn't break us only makes us stronger

Our experiences can enslave us and keep us in a place where we feel there is no way out; our minds can be our greatest enemy but also our greatest 'saviour'. We cannot change the past, but we can upgrade to the future, ensuring that whatever kept us in a place that didn't serve us will have no place or purpose going forward. 

You can ask yourself: What didn’t serve you? What broke you? What empowered you? Try making a list and breaking it down into smaller chunks. What is the one experience in your life that has shaped your future, for the better or for the worse? And what knock-on effect did that one experience have? Some things in life can literally break us or shape us.

Life reset

Going forward, step outside of your mind, and imagine your life this time next year - how would you like it to look, how would you like it to feel, what would make you truly happy, and how are you going to get there?

What are your core values and how are they aligned with you right now? Here are some tips to help you move forward.

• Evaluate what isn’t working for you.
• Concentrate on the relevant rather than the irrelevant.
• Invest in your mental health.
• Do something meaningful and not meaningless.
• Don’t waste time on anything that will have a negative effect on you.
• Change your routine.
• Close the door to the past.
• Open the door to your future.
• No more negative self-talk or self-sabotage.
• Don’t let those past mistakes be part of your future.
• Change your story, change your life.

How can coaching help?

Our thoughts become our feelings and those feelings will show up in our behaviour. Let's look at how coaching may help, starting with the intention followed by 'tailoring a programme', accepting the challenge, adapting to change, being accountable, and reaching your goals.

The intention

Setting an intention can be a big stepping stone - coming to the realisation that you now wish to upgrade your life is progress in itself. You have taken the first step to want to make a change and that is positive. No one is responsible for the change in your life, the choice is yours What takes place next? As previously mentioned, let's look at the list you have completed and take the next step. Which path will you take? There may be many; ensure you choose the best one that will help you to attain what you set out to do

Tailoring a programme

First, a brainstorming session will take place to ensure the coach is fully armed with all the information needed to organise a programme that is best suited to your needs and will work around your lifestyle. The programme will be accepted and signed by you. Now the work begins with you.

Adapting to change

Of course, there will be change, this is what the coaching programme is all about. Change can be scary, it can be hard, and it can be overwhelming, but know the reason you are doing this. So, start with the end in sight.

Being accountable and reaching goals

A coach will hold you accountable generally on a weekly or biweekly basis, whichever you choose. This is all about you and what suits you and fits in with your lifestyle. If we make the goals unrealistic and unmeasurable, we could see failure, so we take one step at a time. Small steps can lead to great achievements. Your coach will give you a set of tasks to complete and at the end of each week or every other week as you choose, catch up either face to face or over Zoom/telephone to see what you have achieved so far - each week you should be one step closer to your end goal. Small steps can lead to great achievements.

What might we encounter along this journey?

In this journey of self-discovery, you may encounter many different emotions and states of being, including:

• A deeper understanding of self and our desires.
• A realisation that we have been stuck in the same place for too long.
• How strong we are.
• How fragile we are.
• Unexplained emotions.
• Negative and positive thoughts.
• Rejection.
• Vulnerability.
• Our lack of self-care and self-love.
• Our lack of belonging.
• Our lack of identity.
• Stumbling blocks.
• Blockages.
• Growth.
• Opportunity.

The list can be endless but it is necessary to go through the emotions to promote change. Your darkest days can now become your brightest day because you have taken the steps to improve your life. And as tough as it may have been, you can now see the change was necessary. 

Go forth, give yourself what was missing from your life, embrace it, nourish it, and know that you've become the best version of who you want to be, and how you want your life to look. Well done! Now is the start of your new, positive life; you have accomplished what you set out to do. Your curses have become your blessings and you are no longer attached to the past - your future looks bright. There has been a big positive shift on this journey and you have been responsible for all the hard work, let's celebrate.

Remember who you are doing this for, and why – step out of your past and into your future.