“Life is either a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
― Helen Keller, The Open Door

Life. We go through the same routine, day after day, thinking everything is “normal” and maybe everything will always be this way. Then something changes and opportunity presents itself.

For the last couple months, I have been overwhelmed by the amount of changes that have happened around me. There’s been love, loss, new jobs, life-changing decisions, and lots of emotions. And for the most part, positivity and excitement overflowed us. It has been one of the longest roller coasters I’ve been on in my short life.

How did we all get here? We took a risk. We said yes or no. We challenged ourselves. We changed. We chose to live and not just exist.

It was all necessary to get where we are today – even though some of us are terrified – and we are well on our way to becoming better, stronger people. This week, I want to offer some tips on dealing with change, and this post is dedicated to all those amazing people who inspire me!

1. Admit how you feel. Don’t try to push it down or ignore it. It’s okay to be scared, excited, nervous, whatever. You’re human, so you’re probably going to feel all of those at the same time, and it’s okay. Owning your emotions will help you process them.

2. Don’t apologize. You can’t make everyone happy all the time. You’ll be lucky to make a quarter of the people you know happy all the time, so don’t feel bad or apologize for your decisions. I’m not suggesting being insensitive, but if you decide to change jobs for example, don’t feel bad about it. Embrace the new opportunity!

3. Decide what you need and stick to it. This is the hardest part for me. Women especially tend to put themselves last because we are caretakers. We also need care. If you want to cry or scream, do it. If you want a drink, have a couple. If you want bread, dig in! Treat yourself how you treat those you love.

4. Dive in. Change can be scary and it’s very easy to get stuck. Refuse to settle and just jump in. It may or may not work out, but at least you tried and know instead of always asking yourself “what if”.

5. Don’t doubt yourself. This one may be the hardest to do. Keep in mind you are strong and can do anything you set your mind to. Seek advice and help from people who love you, and lean on them whenever you need. Don’t worry, you’ll have to return the favor one day.

Try to take a risk today! Even if you buy a lottery ticket for fun, dance while you clean, or call that person you’ve been admiring from afar. Maybe it’s time you check out jobs or take a hike instead of cleaning your house. Whatever it may be, remember you’re the only one holding yourself back!