Danielle Jung
Contrary to how I sometimes wish it would be, fear doesn’t just show up and then leave when it’s tired of you.
And readiness isn’t the absence of fear.
If it was, we’d all be where we want to be. But we’d probably want differently, less wisely.
The longer you spend time with fear, the more it changes you. Sometimes without you fully realizing.
Here are 10 signs you’re finally ready to change your life.
1) Everything is falling apart
Call it divine intervention, rejection is protection, rock bottom, or whatever else. It’s all the same.
Think of a time you really wanted something and it didn’t work out. How did it make you feel?
Most likely your fears regarding worthiness came to the surface, which is another way of saying it’s on its way out.
This is your chance to question why you want certain things. You might realize that your desires and fears are mingling more than they should.
So if things are falling apart, it just means you’re being given a chance to want beyond what’s convenient.
Because spoiler: those never work out.
2) You’re not as attached to the past as you once were
A lot of us want certain things because it’s easy.
Not necessarily easy like we’re lazy! But in the way that our past experiences shape how we perceive ourselves and what we’re capable of.
Before your life changes, it will start on the inside.
And as you grow, it’s only natural to outgrow your past selves.
You aren’t fully detached from your experiences, but the way you used to think and function won’t resonate anymore.
All that will be left are the lessons, and you’ll be living proof of them.
3) You have better focus
Our ties to the past are often unconscious.
We might process that attachment as an attraction to what’s comfortable. Which makes sense, especially if you experienced something traumatic.
When you slowly but surely liberate yourself from it, you might find yourself having more energy to pour into your present.
So in your present reality, you might come across new opportunities that challenge your ability to handle more responsibilities.
It could literally be a new project, but also an inkling to take care of your health and improve your routine.
So in an odd way, you might sleep more than usual or crave certain foods. And I say go for it and take care of that sleep debt!
It’s like you’re itching to increase the quality of your life – almost like you’re preparing for a new one.
4) You’re better at handling your insecurities
While you make small steps to change your external reality, something else is happening internally.
And you might notice that the things that used to bother you, don’t anymore.
It’s not that you don’t care at all. But it’s like certain things don’t deserve an emotional reaction out of you.
Haven’t they taken enough?
For example, I used to feel really anxious about how people might perceive me. It was something I really wanted to change.
With time, I realized that people are just projecting their own perceptions – that it’s never personal.
But still, I’d be bothered because somewhere within me, I agreed with their judgments. Then with more time, I became aware of how much time and energy this took away from me.
And like magic (time and dedication), the energy I preserved from not indulging in my overthinking proved its value.
I realized I was the one mentally holding myself hostage.
Similarly or not, you might feel like you have better ways of managing your fears. And it will show in the way you spend your time.
5) You’re making more room for newness
This one doesn’t feel as liberating because it requires a bit (or a lot) of grieving.
Nonetheless, it depends on how you see it.
As you prepare yourself little by little for change, certain people or habits won’t fit anymore.
Especially as you’re overcoming insecurities or other fears about yourself. You might find that certain relationships were rooted in those things.
Whatever it is that you’re being called to let go of, you have 2 choices: see it as making more room for newness, or feel like a loser.
It all comes down to how capable you believe you are of starting again.
Whether it’s making new friends, relationships, or jobs, this is where your faith in yourself will be tested the most.
Because it will make you question the way you love and connect.
6) It’s getting easier to imagine your desires
If you pass the test, you’ll not only be rewarded with more self-awareness and respect, but also the freedom to visualize better.
I find that some people avoid daydreaming because they think it’s a waste of time.
But I think they’re just scared of wanting things because they don’t believe in themselves.
At this point, I invite you to dive deep into the intentions and motivations behind your dreams. Fine tweak them if needed so they reflect your long-term visions.
Preferably without expectations.
And if my 2 cents are welcome, they should encourage you to stay open-minded, yet slightly uncomfortable.
7) You don’t care as much for who supports you
We don’t have time for that!
And the fear of being alone is more of a voice inside your head, than a feeling or belief that overtakes your entire body.
You’ve made it this far, it feels a bit trivial to let a whiny voice stop you.
This nonchalant energy, if you could call it that, is also a result of you gaining clarity on what you want.
So it doesn’t matter if people understand or not. If anything, that would give you more clarity.
I should even mention that some people mean to be supportive, but they aren’t because they don’t see change the same way as you.
And when you focus too much on convincing them, you can take on some of their fears. Which is annoying, but can also affect your energy.
That means if you feel like you’re craving more alone time than usual, that’s okay.
Allow yourself to relish in some solitude and know that there are people out there who can support you without you having to exhaust yourself explaining.
8) You’re more agitated than usual
Making room for new energy can be uncomfortable, but it can also trigger a craving for more change in your life.
Also known as boredom!
Which is a good sign that you’re becoming braver in the face of change. So what’s there left to change?
Everything else! More specifically, maybe your relationship to change itself.
Does change need to be planned for it to be successful?
No, it does not! So while your visions of a new life are useful, consider doing something spontaneous.
Whatever it is, surprise yourself.
9) People are telling you that you’re ready
And if not people, you’re seeing signs or synchronicities that feel too real to be coincidences.
Sometimes, these signs come through in the form of people that embody the change we desire.
Life is weird that way.
You might meet people that make you feel envious or make you question your life even more.
Curb your jealousies, but I also want you to know that what you covet, is already within you. Or in the least, you’re capable of achieving.
People from your past might even tell you that you’re different!
When we are cramped up in our own lives and heads, it can be hard to notice all that’s different. Take the time to look back and see how far you’ve come.
Indulge in a bit of pride! This is your sign to go and show off how much you’ve grown even if it’s just to yourself.
10) Everything is falling into place
Not necessarily because they actually are, but because your mindset has changed.
So far, a lot of the changes you’ve put yourself through may have been improvements. Certain things you’ve had to accept or deny in order to discover yourself.
A spiritual upgrade, if you will.
You might be looking back and have an inner knowing that only you can understand. That it all had to happen the way they did.
So that means life will continue to happen the way it’s supposed to.
You might still be scared and find yourself in a state of analysis paralysis. Not because you’re scared of change, but because you know you could do anything.
Trust in what you want, we’re not living life on easy mode anymore.
Your new life will cost you your old life.
But know that nothing dies unless it has to for your well-being.
Don’t skip ahead and try to figure out where you’ll be at the end of it.
Just pay attention to how your reality makes you feel and make small changes. Eventually, you’ll see how they add up and connect.
By the end of it, you’ll have a name for each fear and an appetite for naming things.
And you won’t wonder so much if you’ll know what to do, you just will.
