Self-Improvement – How to Keep Yourself From Withering
Recently a woman said to me “I feel so withered”. I was puzzled as to what she meant by withered. She proceeded to recount that she felt that her life had become so predictable, repetitive, and rather dull. Both her job and her marriage were OK but neither was challenging or exciting. She added that she also felt withered because she had neglected her body. What upset her the most was that she used to be such a happy person with many interests and lots of energy.
I had heard similar expressions from other men and women in their second half of life. Although no one else had referred to what was happening as “withering away”. Yet the meaning was the same.
How do you recharge yourself? The key for making changes is to begin by thinking differently and by taking action.
1. Believe that you can make changes
By truly believing that change is possible throughout life we free ourselves up for growth. Just like plants need to be constantly nurtured to thrive so do people. If we don’t have new challenges from the outside or create new goals for ourselves on the inside we indeed begin to wither. It is a human need that we create our lives to be what we deep inside know we are capable of being.
2. Be in it for the long haul
We all are creatures of habit. When we do something over and over it becomes a habit. To change habits you have to consciously keep in mind what you want to change and begin with little steps. Lasting change takes persistence and after a while you will develop new habits.
3. Grow yourself throughout life
Do things as long as you enjoy them. When boredom sets on ask yourself what you need to to do to make the task or situation more interesting. For instance couples need to keep nurturing their relationship otherwise the relationship looses vibrancy and will be fueled primarily by the stresses of living. Likewise, there needs to be a chance to grow and be challenged at work because otherwise the mind becomes dulled. One of the characteristics of the second half of life is a renewed longing for life to have meaning and purpose. Value your inner voice because it is encouraging you to bring forth your authentic self.
4. Take action
The most important thing to do is to get started. For instance,if you want more energy for yourself review your eating habits. Are you eating things that fuel you or are you indulging in energy zappers? You can make a conscious decision to drink more water instead of sodas. It has to be conscious and specific. You can say to yourself ” I will drink one soda a day and substitute water all the other times”. That decision has to be followed daily and before you know it you will have developed a new healthier habit.
Look at life as a journey. You are the orchestrator of your journey. If you are on a path that doesn’t give you the satisfaction you desire then find a new path. Enjoy the process since it may take you in directions you have yet to imagine.
By: Kristina Von Rosenvinge
About the Author:
Filed under Improvement by on Sep 3rd, 2010. 