7 things that could be sucking the life out of you

Stop letting these things suck the joy out of your life.

Do you know what could be causing you to feel like life is being sucked right out of you? It may be a little different for everyone, but here are a few common places to look for answers. Changing these could help you get on with some positive and exciting changes. 

Your outdated personal style

You may like the clothes you have, and that’s fine, but the fact of the matter is if you’ve had certain things for a decade or more, odds are, they’re impacting your style game. If you don’t care, keep everything. If you feel like your life is in a funk, then your personal style is the place to start. Here’s the thing. Spending a little time and money choosing classic new items that fit well and make you feel like a million bucks when you wear them, will be a huge step one for getting out of the rut you’re in. While you’re at it, for every piece you buy, bag one for charity, and don’t cram your closet.

Your past failures.

Past failures may be harmful to your ego, but they are essential if you ever want to live in confidence. Confidence isn’t a feeling, but rather a result of your journey. A journey that is fraught with successes, failures, and lessons learned. If you’re already feeling blue you might feel tempted to look backward at your failures and use them as a great excuse to stay stuck. The truth is that anything that didn’t have the outcome you desired served to teach you something. Now adjust the plan and try again.

Those habits you hate

Habits are awesome in so many ways. Starting great new ones and breaking old bad ones feel great. You probably think you know your “habits” but the truth is, everything you do is a habit when you think about it. If you truly hate some of your habits and they’re keeping you in a pattern you want to change, start with one small change. Commit to it for 21 days, and once it sticks, move forward to the next one.

All those people that bring negativity into your life.

You know who they are. You have great things that happen but you don’t even want to bother telling them because they either give you the “what do you know about that” question or “ok, let me play devil’s advocate here” before they even know the whole story. Those people plant seeds of doubt in you and can really impact your self-esteem. You don’t want a bunch of  “yes people” either, but it would be great to have the support that helps you tease out a new idea or goal. Negative people can suck the joy out of your life. Distance yourself if you can, or at least, share your exciting goals or plans with the people that will support you.

Your unhealthy lifestyle.

With age comes so many things that can make you throw your hands up and think, “why bother”? Your body just starts to want to fight against you, it seems, and even though you know what you should do, a healthy lifestyle can sometimes feel like a mountain you don’t have the energy to climb. News flash. You don’t really have a choice if you want any shot at slowing down the energy drain and weight gain. Like everything else, start with small changes, like time to stretch, walk, or meditate in the morning, and watch it become something you “need”. It happens. You just have to start.

Your fears.

Maybe you don’t know where they come from, but you may have fears and insecurities you can’t seem to shake. They can float up to the surface just when you’re feeling that energy to do something bold and daring, and they stop you dead in your tracks. It happens. You may want to talk to a therapist or a life coach to dissect the issue and find the root of the problem. It’s possible too that your fear is a habit, and it’s more a matter of pushing out of that comfy spot to take the chance. Once you do it, the fear will be diminished or maybe even gone. You just have to get comfortable with being a little uncomfortable when pushing through fear.

Your poor self-image.

This is the grand-daddy of all our stuckery. How can you make any changes or moves if you don’t love yourself, believe in your strengths and skills, and believe that you deserve better? It may sound cliche’ but it’s the real key to success in all areas. When you go into something clouded with a doubting spirit, feeling like it probably won’t happen, or doing that familiar negative self-talk, you’re not creating fertile ground for change. You need to clear up those emotional roadblocks and love yourself first before you can start planting new seeds.

The point is, you deserve to be having the time of your life at any stage of life. All the parts are beautiful for their own reasons, and you should never feel like “those days are over''. Changing up habits and patterns may be what takes to move you from hot mess to great-ness. 

You just have to believe it to see it.

🎉 P.S. More musings on The Badass Midlife Podcast 🎧

 Juicy topics about midlife with a twist… let's get real and do midlife like a 🔥badass🔥.