1. You Think About the Past A Lot
“Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” — John F. Kennedy, the 35th president of the United States
Are you romanticizing the past? Are you trying to escape the present, so you are getting enjoyment or regret about the past? We are free to think about anything we want to but thinking about the past takes away from what we could be thinking about: the present and future.
When you think about the past and find enjoyment in it, it’s a telltale sign that you need to change your life. Find out what benefit you get from thinking about the past. Thinking about the past often gets you nothing because those memories have already happened. It would help if you created new memories.
2. Your Actions Don’t Meet Your Words
“You need to know it’s your actions that will make you a good person, not desire.” — Matthew Quick, an American writer
Are your actions aligning with your words? If they are not, you have some inner conflict. In other words, you have what psychologists call cognitive dissonance — a mental conflict where your behaviors and beliefs don’t match.
If your actions don’t match your words consistently, it’s a warning sign that you must change your life. If your words and actions are at odds with each other, people will believe your behavior over what you say. This won’t help your relationships and earning the trust of others.
3. Your Relationships Feel Superficial
“Fake friends believe in rumors. Real friends believe in you.” — Anonymous
Do your romantic or platonic relationships feel superficial? Communication breakdowns, not sharing information, and lacking understanding are signs that your relationships are shallow. Superficial relationships are where both parties don’t think deeply, lack depth during conversations, and have little understanding of anything serious.
If you feel like many of your relationships are superficial, it’s a telltale sign that you need a change in your life. Superficial things kill relationships because the other person doesn’t know much about you and understands your thoughts and feelings. A lack of substance doesn’t help you or the other parties.
4. You Feel Numb
“I was just numb all over, like a dead man walking.” — Fred Gipson, an American writer and screenwriter
Do you feel numb? This is a coping mechanism that many people use to deal with physical or emotional trauma, too much stress, and depression. The good news is that feeling numb can be temporary, but it can have long-lasting consequences if not addressed.
If you feel numb about certain things and people in your life, you are protecting yourself from pain and coping with difficult emotions and feelings. Feeling numb is a warning sign that you must change your life. Working with a therapist or psychologist can help you unpack the cause of the numbing.
5. You Fear the Unknown or What Others Will Say
“Taking a new step, uttering a new word, is what people fear most.” — Fyodor Dostoevsky, a Russian author
Are you fearful of the unknown? Are you worried about what others will say after your actions? This fear and worry hold you back from experiencing opportunities that you could experience in your life and is a sign that you must make a change in your life.
To help you manage the fear, talk to someone you trust, practice mindfulness, and create a plan to overcome the fear of the unknown or what others might say. If you focus on creating a healthy lifestyle, you’ll gain clarity in your mind and the strength to thrive in uncertainty.
6. You Compare Yourself to Others
“Comparison robs you of joy. Learn from others. Don’t compare.” — David Meltzer, a speaker, author, and entrepreneur
Do you see someone with a great life and wish you had what they have? Do you compare your chapter 1 to someone else’s chapter 20? It is human to be curious and get to know others. However, comparing yourself to others is a sign you are not happy with something or someone in your life.
Comparing yourself to others makes you feel inferior and less secure in yourself. You may feel like a failure when you are not. We all have unique stories to tell and different circumstances. It’s okay to have a different story and not get fixated on what other people share on social media because most people present a fabricated picture of their lives.
7. You Feel Like You are Settling and Not Growing
“There are plenty of difficult obstacles in your path. Don’t allow yourself to become one of them.” — Ralph Marston, a former professional football player
Are you settling for things that come to you in your life? Do you feel like you are stuck and not growing? When you are not growing and “coasting,” it’s a sign that you must make a change in your life.
If you are always tired, blame other people, keep saying “someday,” and tear down successful people, you are settling in your life. Settling and not growing is about your insecurities and not being comfortable being uncomfortable. To grow and not settle, you must try something new that challenges you.
Bringing It All Together
There are seven warning signs you must make a significant life change. You think about the past a lot, your actions don’t meet your words, your relationships feel superficial, you feel numb, and you fear the unknown or what others will say. You compare yourself to others and feel like you are settling and not growing.
Life is short, so you must seize the day and live the life you were meant to live. Don’t wait for another second to change the direction of your life. Hopefully, some of these warning signs resonate with you, and you will decide to change and live your life to the fullest.
“The measure of intelligence is the ability to change.” — Albert Einstein, a theoretical physicist