If you’re considering reinventing yourself, the good news is that things change. People move, friends act differently, and even climate change changes us. Your circumstances have probably changed, and you may be thinking about a new career. Or you may want to try on a new hobby.
Quarterly reviews
One of the best ways I’ve discovered to look at yourself is to do a quarterly review. What worked and what didn’t? What would you like to do going forward? Is there something that fell off your calendar or your radar? And make no mistake, doing a self-review will make you a better writer and blogger. I’ve written about improving your blogging here: How to become a better blogger: quick and easy ways.
Self-awareness is the key to reinvent yourself
If you’re not already journaling, or keeping track of your reactions to the world, a journal is a very good way to gain self awareness. Some of my best Aha! moments have been discovered through journaling. And a journal doesn’t need to be about your personal life. You may also want to journal about your career or work life. In Wikhow’s article, How to Start a Journal, Nicolette Tura describes how to get started: “Write about what you felt today. Pour your joys, your frustrations, and your goals into the journal. Use the act of writing as a way to explore your feelings.”
Unplanned changes
Recently, there have been a lot of unplanned power outages where I live. So of course everyone has had to adjust to these outages. Unplanned changes change our views of ourselves, too. Do we continue to live the same way? Or do we suddenly have to plan for possibly having no power? In my case, I opted for a back-up power supply. You may want to use time management to get that to-do list under control. Perhaps this will help: Best Social Media Time Management Apps and Tools.
How long does it take to reinvent yourself?
That depends upon how thorough a job you want to do. If you’re simply reinventing the way you look, maybe redoing your wardrobe and hair, that could be done much more quickly than, say, changing your career and getting a new credential. In his 15 Steps I Took to Successfully Reinvent Myself After Losing Everything, John Rampton describes attaching yourself to the right people, learning, and finding a mentor. He also mentions that “Reinvention is a process that could take years.”
How to reinvent yourself professionally
Of course, reinventing yourself professionally is much different than reinventing yourself physically. You’ve all seen those images on the interwebs of people who want to actually look like a Barbie doll. A professional reinvention is much easier, and the pain is, well, different. You’ll want to explore your interests, create a bucket list, and recognize all the resistance you’ll receive–from yourself as well as others. Then again, changing yourself could be a lot of fun if you’re interested in the journey! Have you ever gone through a professional change? How did you start?
Interesting thought. In my youth, I always reinvented myself when my circumstances totally changed. Being a military kid, every time I moved to a different place, I indirectly got to be someone else, hoping to take lessons learned from the previous place to be seen in a better light… though it didn’t work when I went to Kansas City, and I never had a chance.
Over time, I basically stopped reinventing myself because I felt I’d established the strongest points I’d need to persevere and move forward. That worked until Mom had to move here and my ex left; I had to totally change directions, but I still have to say that I’m lucky that I had the choice to make the right choice.
Right now, after a year, I’m looking to find myself again, not necessarily reinvent myself. It’s not easy because I’m out of practice, but I haven’t given up. The next month and a half will be telling, but I’m going to push forward. Never give up; never waver… not a bad slogan at the moment.
Hi Mitch, sometimes we have to reinvent ourselves through no choice of our own. Other times, we choose to reinvent ourselves. Sounds like being a military kid forced some of those changes on you, but the moves gave you good practice for later! (What happened in Kansas City, by the way?)
You’re lucky to have realized that you didn’t need to keep reinventing yourself–until your mom’s move and your ex left, that is.
I’m so sorry about your mom being gone from your life. And I enjoyed seeing pictures of her, especially when she smiled. And best luck over the next year and a half. By the way, I looked for a new video from you this morning on YouTube–will you start recording again soon, or are you taking a long break?
Thanks for stopping by!
Carol
I lived in the ghetto in Kansas City at my mother’s house. It’s not an overstatement to say that I stood out, which means I was 99.9% hated… which also means I had to be segregated in an all-black school, except for the one Mexican kid. I did a video about that a couple of years ago; not one of the best periods of my life.
I will be doing a new video in a day or two. I had some writing to take care of first, and I have one article to go… tomorrow. :-)
Hi again, Mitch! Oh, wow! So sorry about that experience in Kansas City. Have never been to some parts of the U.S., and that’s one that I’ll probably never visit! Yikes! Nothing about that sounds like a good experience–sorry you went through it.
I’ll keep my eyes peeled for the new video! I do enjoy them.
Thanks again,
Carol
Let me lead you to it lol https://youtu.be/6_JjRdV5zJA
Thanks and sorry for the late reply, Mitch! Vacation and a cold kept me off here for a while!
Carol