There’s no better feeling than being in a space where you know exactly what you want out of life. It has taken me many years filled with profound disappointments, considerable hardships and heartbreaks to finally reach this pivotal point. But it hasn’t come easy.
I’ve had to make some major life changes in the past two years of my life. It all started with our move to a small town in KZN. I suddenly had all this time in my hands, I genuinely knew that God had graciously granted me with the opportunity to start again. An opportunity to live a more purposeful and content life, in my own terms. Here are 5 things to say goodbye to in order to live a more purposeful life.
Being a quitter
I’m a reformed quitter. If I look back in my life, I realise I just never followed through with anything. Whenever the going got tough, I would just quit. Whether it was Varsity, relationships or business ventures. Heck, I’ve even quit business ventures in my head before the implementation phase. Now, I don’t start anything unless I know I will follow through and willingly give it my undivided attention. Whatever I start, I will finish. Because winners don’t quit on themselves!
Making excuses
I touched a little bit on this in my previous post. We come up with excuses when we don’t want to take ownership of our stuff. And the more excuses we make the further we move away from a life that we can be proud of. I don’t have enough time, I’m not ready or I’m afraid to fail. All of those excuses were part of my vocab, up until I decided to take ownership of my stuff.
Complaining
I instantly stopped complaining when I discovered it only fueled negativity. And honestly, nobody wants to spend time with people who love to complain. If you’re unhappy about something, then find a viable solution and keep it moving. Let’s keep it positive.
Saying no to relationships that no longer serve me
AAAAGH this is a tough one. I’m one of those people that would willingly stay in toxic relationships until it was too late. Call me the “fixer”, I’ve always thought that I had the power to change people. And more importantly, I didn’t believe I was worthy of healthy relationships. I can’t think of anything that can possibly be more taxing. I have now learnt it is possible to love people from afar. Just because I love you or you are family, doesn’t mean we have to spend time together. I don’t’ have time for people who constantly disappoint me or drain my energy.
Bad habits
So a few months ago we decided to cancel DSTV and subscribed to Netflix. Those who are close to me know that I love me some Real Housewives. Whether it’s the Housewives of Atlanta, Beverly Hills or Orange County you bet I would have been the first person to fill you in on the latest gossip. As much I’m still suffering from severe withdrawal symptoms, I think that is one of the best decisions we’ve ever made. I still watch TV, but definitely not as much as I used to. I am now able to focus on my family and my work.
It is clear that one needs to make some tough decisions if you want to live a more purposeful life. It all starts with the commitment to make a change, and you will be well on your way to living a life that you’ve always desired. What are the things that you need to say goodbye to in order to live a more purposeful life? Let me know in the comments below.
Love B
