While I’m a big believer in fate and destiny, there’s something to be said about taking control of certain aspects of your life to put you in line to receive it. Case in point: a few years ago I worked with a young lady that was with us part-time while she finished up her senior year in college. Before she graduated, she took on a paid internship at a boutique marketing firm while she figured out what she wanted to do career-wise and balanced her long-distance relationship with her military boyfriend of 2 years. To everyone around her, she was at a pretty nice starting point of “adult life”, but she felt a little unsettled but couldn’t figure out why.

Well, around graduation time, her boyfriend unexpectedly dumped her (he was a little older and didn’t want to “hold her back” while she figured out her next move, which was a surprise because she thought they were headed towards an engagement) and things weren’t going as planned at the marketing firm. She was sad, but instead of just wallowing and trying to force something to work, she decided to reset a few goals for herself, take a big leap and apply for a job 3 states away from all of her friends and family. After a few rounds of interviews, she landed the job, packed up everything and relocated to an unfamiliar city a few months later. Within 2 months of being there, she met a guy through work and they’re actually getting married in a few weeks, moving again (both with even better jobs) and she couldn’t be happier.

I know this sounds like one of those “a friend of a friend” urban legends, but I said all of this to say, if you ever find yourself feeling stuck in a certain situation, whether it be work, a relationship, or hell, even in fitness, don’t just accept it as is: take charge and change it. I’m not saying that every situation involves moving across the country to find happiness (or that your “happy ending” even involves a relationship), but I think that sometimes we forget that we have so much power over our lives and that true change, even just a little, can’t happen unless we actually work at it.

One of the easiest/best ways to help you figure out exactly how to change something is to write it down. I keep a journal with me at all times to help me flesh out ideas and goals that I’ve set for myself-there’s just something about seeing my thoughts out on paper. Once you get it out of your head and list out the actionable steps needed to achieve it, you can then set a deadline for yourself and begin to work on it bit by bit. Below is a simple goal setting worksheet that you can download to help you if you’re feeling stuck in your thoughts:

Download

It’s not realistic to try to jump from A-Z, but when you’re truly ready to take control and switch things up, breaking a situation down into smaller parts will make things feel much more attainable. We’re all on a journey, and while some things may already be written, we won’t be able to reap those benefits until we put ourselves on the right path to actually receive it. There will definitely be some tough moments and you will stumble, but if you truly take control over your life, the real fun of figuring out your purpose can begin.

Have you made any big changes in your life lately?

downloads goal setting life