5 Essential Steps for Preparing for New Beginnings 🙌

New Year's resolutions? Why limit ourselves?

Monday, Valentine's Day, or today's resolutions might also work out pretty well.

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I'm sometimes guilty of seeking the adrenaline rush from a new challenge. Diving into the unknown mobilizes my body's resources and prepares me for action! Even better, it makes me reflect on where I am now and where I want to go. Because there are no boundaries, except for the ones we set ourselves.

I realized it takes me between 1 to 3 years to get bored so I must bring a change to the table now and then. A new degree, training, language or hobby can stimulate my curiosity for a while. However, sometimes these little distractions are simply not enough and life calls for a major change. In my case, this meant changing from flying short/medium-haul to long-haul. It also meant: new airline, aircraft and country. An exciting challenge, isn't it? 😁✈

If you also contemplating a career change, take a look at my previous post, where I share 7 major signs that made me realize I am ready for a new beginning.

The moment I admitted this change was good? One night, while flying, I found myself contemplating how grateful I am to sit where I sit today. At the same time, I realized life is a treasure hunt and we all have a chance of unveiling its secrets. With so many surprises waiting for us, we are responsible for taking chances and jumping into the unknown to achieve our full potential. The city of Rotterdam mirrored my heart that night: modern, diverse and fearless.

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How to prepare for new beginnings in a simple step-by-step roadmap? Change is good, but the way we embrace and integrate it into our lives is where the magic happens. If you are going to face a new challenge soon, allow me to share these 5 essential steps that will certainly make a difference.

1. Clean and organize your environment

Your environment is a reflection of yourself, in a particular space and time. When preparing for a fresh beginning, it is important to decide what you want to keep from your past and what you want to get rid of. Be structured and don't overcharge your mind with parasite noise. Organize your home paying particular attention to your workspace. Design your workspace as a peaceful area that promotes creativity and quality work.

If you are changing jobs, remove the items connected to your previous employment and imagine your workspace as a blank sheet of paper. Don't bring useless elements on your blank sheet: keep it neat and stick with the essentials. Slowly introduce elements that keep your alertness and motivation levels high. Pictures, letters, written materials... everything that reminds you of this new start and keeps you on track.

Although removing some items might make you feel empty, consider it a bottom-up approach. It is an opportunity to let go of the negative aspects of your ''previous life'' and build something that better corresponds to your personality, at this moment in time.

2. Rethink your healthy routines and work on yourself

You might have realized I am committed to self-development and I don't miss a single opportunity of promoting healthy routines.

A fresh beginning is the perfect moment to reflect on your routines and adapt them as necessary.

For example, a concept popularized by Robin Sharma in the ''5 a.m. Club'' book is about waking up at 5 a.m. and investing 20 minutes in physical exercise, 20 minutes in reflecting on goals and 20 minutes in developing a new skill. You will find more details about his book here.

I recently read a book by a new writer, Stephanie Ewing, called ''The Shower Habit''. I found it interesting as it made me realize how many small healthy routines we can connect to our morning shower routine to give ourselves a head start. I also attach a link to her book here.

Of course, there are countless resources out there if you are looking to improve your routines but I think that is better to start with an honest self-debriefing. If time is limited, focus on improving your weaknesses instead of dedicating extra time to your strengths.

3. Brief your entourage and set clear boundaries

You might not want to take all your relatives and friends along with you in your new life. And that's okay!

You will most probably meet new challenges that might increase your stress level. So no point in taking any toxic friends/relatives on this journey. If you are unlucky enough to have a few negative influences in your entourage, have an honest talk with them and explain that you will pass through a transition period that will help you grow both as a professional and as a human. This means you will require lots of support and also time for yourself.

The good part is that during this new beginning, you will meet a bunch of people with whom you can connect and most probably will better relate to your journey.

4. Pay attention to your health

Most probably the initial adrenaline will keep you working for longer than you will normally do. And that's the reason why you should monitor and limit your efforts to protect your health. Keep in mind the cortisol level might rise during a stressful period.

A routine blood test prescribed by your practitioner helps you monitor your general health and the risks of heart and circulatory diseases. Check also the vitamin and mineral levels (D, Mg2+, Zn etc.) as this might directly influence your performance and mood. The last thing you want is to start a new chapter while suffering from acute/chronic fatigue!

5. Start with a break! ✌

'Sorry... whaaaaat? After reading so far?''

Don't worry - I am also guilty of being a small workaholic from time to time. 😊🙈And although is hard to control, I realized it is a bad habit. We all have a limited amount of resources and energy that we should respect to avoid becoming overwhelmed. And life tends to look more like a marathon than a race. So how to integrate a break into our busy lives?

If you are about to start a new job/training, start by taking it easy 2-3 weeks in advance. Work at your own pace and remain ''Zen'' in all circumstances. Be organized and follow step-by-step your plan. Don't overcomplicate things and stick to your predefined schedule instead of allowing your mind to wander. If you wish to integrate new healthy routines that will support your new lifestyle, do it slowly and track your daily progress. I personally love journaling. A good feature of keeping an online journal is that I can go back in time and track my progress throughout the time. If you are looking for a user-friendly journaling app, I insert the link to the one I have been using for a long time. (the free version is perfectly fine)

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I hope that you found my post useful and that you now feel encouraged to make your dreams come true. Let me know if you can think of any other useful strategies. Although it might look like a tiny detail for you, an entire community can benefit from your experience so let's support each other in becoming the best versions of ourselves!