Creating a life you’re in love with isn’t always easy. It takes the ability to admit to yourself that you want more (and not feel guilty about it.) It takes knowing how to listen to and honor your intuition. It takes discerning what your dreams are and having the desire to go get them. It takes the courage to take risks. It takes examining your life and having the fortitude to realize something needs to change

Depending on your stage in life, this can seem unrealistic. In fact, you might be laughing at me, saying, “But Karen, you just don’t understand.”

In every stage of living there is a reasonable excuse as to why you’re choosing not to live a kick ass, vibrant, no apologies kinda life.

• In your 20s, you may not have yet developed the confidence to recognize that the world is your oyster nor have the courage to go after what you want.
• In your 30s, you may have become so focused on your career and/or raising a family that you barely have time or energy to look up and see life passing you by.
• In your 40s, you may have had your nose to the grindstone for so long, paying the mortgage and taking care of others, that you don’t even know what your dreams and desires are anymore.
• In your 50s and beyond, you might think it’s too late. That you’re too old to make a change.

I am here to tell you, whatever stage in life you are in, now is the perfect time to start living a life you’re in love with. A life where you are true to who you are, where you have courage to get out of your damned comfort zone, and where you allow yourself to build strong connections with others.

[Tweet “Now is the perfect time to start living a life you’re in love with.”]

Now is the perfect time because no matter what stage you are in, you don’t have time to wait. No one knows what tomorrow brings.

Living a vibrant life you love doesn’t have to mean skydiving or moving to Argentina.

• It can mean taking a cooking class or making time to learn a new language.
• It can mean saying yes way more than you say no.
• It can mean purging your days of things that are unimportant.
• It can mean choosing to live more simply, making time and space for what really matters.

When making a decision to start living a life you love, a mental shift needs to occur.

How To Make The Mental Shift To Create A Life You Love

• Make the decision you want more. It’s okay . . . you’re not greedy. Give yourself permission to live boldly without apology. You should never have to apologize for wanting to live a more fulfilled life.
• When creating a life you love remember, it’s YOUR life. The life you love isn’t going to look like my life, or Oprah’s life, or your best friend’s life. It’s going to look like your life. This is important to know for two reasons:
  • You don’t want to get caught up in comparisons. You don’t want to feel you have to make your life look a certain way. Living a life you love doesn’t necessarily mean doing big, crazy things all the time like an adrenaline junkie. It might simply mean living more in the moment or cutting things or people out of your life that drain your energy. Whatever feels right to you.
  • You can’t listen to the haters. If you want to go join the circus (if it’s feasible) don’t let anyone discourage you. This is your life with your own unique desires. So tell all those dream crushers and negative Nellies to take a hike.
  • [Tweet “Tell all the dream crushers to take a hike.”]
• Realize that the universe WANTS you to live the best freaking life you can. The universe is on your side. Why do you think God put so many AMAZING places, creatures, people, and opportunities on our planet? Hint: It wasn’t so we could say, “I’m too busy,” or “Maybe next year.”
• Mentally prepare yourself to get out of your comfort zone. Know that getting out of your cz is a necessary step in living a kick ass life. Our cz is safe and familiar, but nothing exciting goes on in there.
  • Know that everyone’s cz threshold is different. One person may want to travel to Italy alone while someone else may just want to go to the movies alone. Neither adventure is “right,” it’s merely right for you.
  • There is no wrong way to do it. Even if you have to start by simply ordering something new at Starbucks, there is no shame in any level of change. The important part is to recognize how your comfort zone holds you captive and take steps to get out.
  • [Tweet “Getting out of you comfort zone is a necessary step in living a kick ass life.”]
• Start to take inventory of what you feel you want to change in your life. Are you stagnant? Do you need to make a change at work? Do you need to develop a circle of solid friendships? Do you need to start honoring your inner voice more and living a more authentic existence? Do you just need more fun? Take a good look at where you feel unfulfilled.
• Then put your big girl panties or big boy boxers on (to help you be brave.) Find them, dig them out from the recesses of your underwear drawer and get them on. You will need these. They are part of your uniform as you design a life you love. These are kind of like your superhero cape, they will help you fly . . . trust me! 😉

Sometimes, we get so focused on day-to-day life, we forget to really live. We put all our energy into our goals and what we think we are supposed to do, or should be doing. We lose touch with who we are inside. We lose sight of our creativity, our dreams, our sense of wonder, and our playfulness. We lose our excitement for living.

[Tweet “Sometimes, we get so focused on day-to-day life, we forget to really live.”]

We keep going along, like this is just how life is supposed to be, never thinking we could do something different. That we could make a life that breaks away from the status quo. A life we want to jump out of bed every morning for.

But you can, and once you wrap your mind around the idea that you deserve THE MOST this life has to offer, you can start taking steps in that direction.

Stay tuned . . . the next post will help you get there!

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Salty Kisses,