As a Life Coach and a Financial Coach / Financial Advisor, I have seen many people who are stuck…in a job, a relationship or another situation, which they want to change but just do not know how to take those first steps. My role is to help people find out what those first steps are but also to carve a bigger path which will, not only lead them out of the hole they feel they are in, but also will get them from where they are to where they want to be. No matter what the choices are, no matter whether it is work, personal or other, the first steps are the same.
STEP ONE: DECIDE
Yes, it is that simple. Decide that you want change. That does not mean think about it, argue with yourself or find every reason not to do it. That is all before DECIDING. “YES. I want change. I am ready for change. I will do what it takes to bring about change. Change can be scarey but staying where I am is scarier. I want change NOW.”
STEP TWO: IDENTIFY
You must clearly now identify and define what it is you want to change. Do you love where you work but hate the job you have? Do you love the job you have but hate where you work? Are you in a relationship that is leading nowhere and you prefer to be alone than with that person? Do you love him / her but have lost that passion for each other? Have you always played life safely and now you are ready for adventure and excitement? Do you love something that you have not allowed yourself to indulge in such as travel, collecting something or maybe it is a new body / lifestyle which would help you find that hott sexy body you know is hiding inside you, somewhere? Whatever it is, you need to identify it and define it.
STEP THREE: FACING REALITIES
Okay, so now you know precisely what it is you do not want or do want. It may be awhile until you figure out what you do want exactly because there are so many options available. Planning is not an easy step as there are many realities you need to deal with, realities which likely include money, emotions, suitability, legalities, responsibilities. These would particularly be important to those leaving a relationship or leaving a career for a completely new one. Nothing is impossible and almost everything is possible. Personal circumstances will play a huge part in the planning. Being a parent of young children, mortgage and car payments or even where you live will need to be factored in. Sometimes you may need to put your plans on hold for awhile, perhaps even a few years. that does not mean you cannot be planning ahead and preparing for it, but it may not be able to be enacted yet. If you are a parent, your needs are not primary. A change of careers or a decision to leave your spouse / family will have a tremendous impact on people who have not been given the option to keep things as they are. Let me say this once again. If your decision will have a life altering affect on others for the negative,you may need to modify your plans or seek out other ways to manage them until the impact is significantly lessened and coping mechanisms are in place.
STEP FOUR: PLAN
The single most common reason for not changing anything (other than the above mentioned reality of impact on others), is money. Whether you want to go back to school so as to have the background to start a new career, or you will need enough income to pay a mortgage or rent on a new home for you alone or perhaps it is traveling the world, you will need money. Most people in North America, live pay check to pay check. We have not got money saved for emergencies, for being out of work or for major upheavals in your life. We mindlessly use our credit cards as if they do not need to be paid back, we buy a $5.00 coffee out of habit without asking ourselves if it is really so much better than that $1.50 cup of coffee and we go out for a $25.00 dinner (often x2 as we do not like to dine alone) after a long day because we deserve it….right? How much do you want the BIG change and how ready are you to make the little changes in order to prepare for the big one? If you do truly want the big change, then do some quick math here…. $5.00 x twice a day x 5 days a week = $50.00, $200.00 / month, $2400.00 / year. Dinner out once a week…. $ 50.00 x 4 weeks = $200.00 / month, $2400.00 / year. Add to that eating lunch out versus brown bagging it, say twice a week = $10.00 x 2 x 4 weeks = $80.00/month = $960.00 / year. Total from three small changes? $5760.00 / year. Spend that on a credit card (or the equivalent) and you will incur a further $1150.00 approximately in interest charges. These are rough numbers of course, You know your life style, but be honest about it. Buy a small coffee maker for work and make your own. you won’t have to go out in the cold to get it. The little things really do add up. sit down with a financial advisor to discuss your finances and figure out how much you need and how you can find it. A good advisor will possibly be able to help you find tax savings and other alternatives to put more dollars into your future. Part of this, of course, is finding out, as precisely as possibly, what your change will cost. Education can be anywhere on the scale from relatively inexpensive to costing two arms and a leg. Travel can also vary greatly but there are ways to mitigate those costs. Hobbies such as collecting coins, stamps, antiques etc, can be very expensive but are possible.
STEP FIVE: ACTION
At some point, you will need to being to put into place your plan. It will need to be carefully laid out and skipping steps may lead to backwards sliding at some point. In the coming weeks, I will discuss specific steps and opportunities for each major area of your life you may want to change. I will discuss changing relationships, work places, careers, and lifestyle and attitudes. This post is made to get you thinking about what YOU want to change in your life. Comment below and if you have specific questions, feel free to get in touch.
andrea@unleashtheknow.com
andrea.blaustein@f55f.com
UnLeash the KNOW 