To ask for how you turned your life around

[onlytheace]

Life needs to change but I’m not seeing any way to do so at the moment.

So I am asking for your stories to hopefully inspire me.

What needs to change, OP? What areas are you unhappy about?

Stopped smoking
Stopped drinking
Stopped eating crap
Changed my wardrobe
Changed my job

That just about covers it.

But what are you unappy with?

I'm a very solution focussed person. If something is making me unhappy, I change it ( I often don't think things through very carefully but that's a thread all of its own). What's up?

Hard to say ... I feel like it might sound simple to sort written down but actually isn’t (if that makes sense!)

My answer to everything, come rain or shine, is a brisk walk for an hour, doesnt matter if its round the park or on the pavement, fresh air clears the mind, it gives you clarity.

Left my abusive partner
Moved to London
Said yes to everything for a month

Led to me going on loads of fun dates, improving my career, making some incredible friends and having the time of my life. Then I got together with DH which was the best thing of all. Five years on and we're married, live in a different country, have bought a house and have a baby. My life is unrecognisable compared to 2012.

Out of interest, were you a gregarious person? I don’t really get many asks to say yes or no to.

Peach green, my story is very similar to yours. It's so liberating when you just say 'oh fuck it, it will be alright!'

Op, I am a bit of a extrovert but that isn't why it worked out for me. I think you just have to have the confidence to think that if it all goes tits up, you will be able to fix it.

I used to be very introverted and isolated with a tendency to stay in unsuitable relationships through a fear of being alone. This is how I changed that.
Left unhappy relationship.
Became celibate for several years.
Volunteered in a role that involved lots of interaction with other people.
It really is as simple as listing your problems, listing ways of solving them, then following through on those solutions. Starting was difficult but the resulting rewards soon made it easier.
Good luck!

@onlytheace No, I'm a bit of an introvert really. I forced myself to be more outgoing. Twitter led to lots of opportunities for me - if someone was selling a ticket to something, I would buy it, for example.

Really what made the difference was just giving myself permission to make mistakes. I was paralysed by fear which led to me playing it safe and saying no more often than not. That's what I changed. It was uncomfortable but well worth it.