How to Change Your Life
for the Better:
12 Knockout Tips to Follow

Changing your life for the better is an exciting feat and often one of the best decisions you can make for your life in the long run. Knowing where to start or how to commit to doing so is the key to your success, and these skills are rarely taught. In this article, we cover 12 tips you can use to make changing your life at any age that much easier.

Often, knowing that we need to make a change in our lives happens very suddenly. For some of us, we need to hit rock bottom before we realize we're not on top. Whether you recently realized you need a life change due to a positive or a negative event, realization, or idea, there is no better time to start than now. Changing your life for the better is always the right move. Never underestimate your own strength and grit, and equip yourself with the knowledge, skills, and support you'll need to find the right direction in life.

While you don't need to set your new life goals in stone the moment you realize you need to change your life for the better, spend some time thinking about the direction you'd like your life to go. From here, you can begin to sketch out an idea of what you want your life goals to look like. If you're unsatisfied with your current job and are looking to change your life even at 45, you can consider looking into attending an online college or seeking accreditation in a new field. By setting clear life goals, you give yourself a starting point for change.

You can create a physical or digital vision board to help you see what change in your life might look like. If you dream of living in a certain city, you could attach images of the place and what your life might look like there to your vision board. If you're working toward a certain career change, you can pin up "memes" or jokes about your future profession. Fill your vision board with things that inspire you and fill you with motivation to make the necessary changes in your life.

In order to change your life, you'll need to challenge how you currently view the world and act within it. This is often extremely uncomfortable until you get used to the feeling of "being out of your comfort zone." However, every time you challenge yourself to make that call, ask a guy out on a date, or pitch your new idea, you give yourself an opportunity to learn and grow.

Spending your entire day working away and leaving yourself no time to decompress, socialize with loved ones, or enjoy "me time" is a recipe for burnout. Make sure you find a balance between working to change your life and actually enjoying it. Keep your work or school life separate from your personal and family time.

When you fully commit to spending your time off actually relaxing and enjoying yourself, you give your brain the opportunity to rest and recharge. In the long run, spending quality time with yourself and performing acts of self-care will reward you with change that is sustainable.

Changing your direction in life is possible, but fundamentally changing who you are as a person is usually not. Do not beat yourself up or be too harsh on yourself when it comes to aspects about yourself you can't control. It's important to learn to show yourself the same compassion you would show a friend and fully accept who you are as a person. Just because you recognize the need for positive change in your life doesn't mean you are currently a bad person. All humans are meant to change and evolve, so realizing that you want to be a better person in itself is a commendable act.

When changing your life for the better starts to become difficult, it can be hard to stay positive. Yet, reminding yourself why you want to change your life in the first place is often a great way to remain positive. Work on reframing your negative thoughts with a positive outlook, and over time, you'll find yourself thinking less negatively and more positively about your goals.

More than anything, you should want to change your life because you care about and value yourself. Building a positive self-image may take time, but putting in consistent daily effort is a good place to start. Every day, make sure you remind yourself that you are working toward changing your life for the better. Far too often, many people choose not to change at all. By working on bettering yourself and putting in the effort to change, you are already taking better care of yourself than you may ever have before. Put yourself first!

It can be easy to fall into the trap of making plans and never following through with them. No matter how good your intentions are, your actions matter more than plans or dreams. Once you've made a solid plan and done all your research, you must put action behind your words in order to see real change in your life.

In order to make real change in your life, you'll need to devote a large portion of your time to it. To make that time for yourself, you'll need to be comfortable saying "no." While nobody enjoys telling somebody "no," far too often, we say "yes" to things that take up far more of our time than we originally estimate for far less personal reward. Make sure you save time to focus on making change in your life, spending time with your loved ones, and improving the world around you.

No one is ever truly done learning. Become curious about the world around you and do research into the areas of your life that you'd like to change. Read about the industry you dream of working in one day or read self-help books to motivate you to make lasting changes in yourself. Watch videos and documentaries that inspire you to learn more. Dig deeper into your curiosity and you'll often find that it can be the fuel you need to change things in your life.

An overall healthy lifestyle is key to making lasting changes to your life. A healthy sleep schedule is extremely important in the age of burnout, working overtime, and a blurred work-life balance. Along with a balanced diet and regular exercise routine, ensuring that you are mentally and physically healthy will help propel your changes.

As you begin to change your life for the better, you may notice family or friends who try to drag you down or discourage you. People who cause turmoil, belittle you, or actively impede your progress are people who you do not need in your life. You deserve a support system that is healthy and encouraging and has your best interests at heart.

If you are struggling with close relationships that you are afraid may be destructive and need more advice on how to handle it, reach out to a counselor or therapist for individualized advice.

Knowing you need to change your life for the better is the first step. Once you've brainstormed how you want to change your life, then you'll need to do the research to discover the steps you need to take. Committing to yourself and believing that you can change will increase your self-confidence and the chances that your changes will stick.