5 Ways to Reinvent Yourself (& Why You Should)

Maybe you’ve always been slightly shy. Or you’ve always been stubborn and pushed your way or the highway. You’ve resigned yourself to the fact that this is you and this is the way you’ve always been and will always be.

But you could seriously be stunting your personal growth and development by limiting yourself this way. In fact, you may not even be living up to your full potential.

This is where reinvention comes into play.

The funny thing about reinventing yourself? You have to choose to do so. It’s a choice.

The good part? It could significantly expand your personal growth and development, as well as send an array of opportunities your way. Who doesn’t want that?

Reinventing yourself can help ease your soul when you hit hard times. Have you recently lost a loved one? Have you recently gone through a heart-wrenching breakup? Did you lose your job?

It’s time to keep moving forward. It’s time to create a new narrative.

Reinvention doesn’t exactly happen all of a sudden. It’s gradual. It takes bold and assertive moves. It requires determination and perseverance. And it’ll involve a lot of discomfort. In fact, get ready to straddle the edge of your comfort zone.

Here are 5 simple but effective ways to reinvent yourself.

1. Shed the labels & rewrite your story.

How do you look at yourself? Are you the “shy one”? Are you “careless”? Do you consider yourself “not smart” or “cautious”? Assess how you look at yourself and how others perceive you.

Now, here’s the thing: You don’t need to embody these labels. Shed them. Look inward - who do you want to be? Who do you want to become? What character traits does that ideal person embody? Then, start doing them. Start embracing this new person. You can.

If you don’t want to be considered “careless” anymore, find ways to disprove this. If you don’t want to be “shy” anymore, start striking up conversations or actively engaging in them.

This mental change starts with you. Health and wellness living is all about giving yourself that chance to become who you truly want to be. Don’t build walls or limits up around your life. Tear them down and re-write the story of the life you want. You are in full control.

2. Adjust your lifestyle.

This relates to our previous point. How do you want your life to be? What do you need to do to make it a life you love? Are there certain hobbies you never have time to do? Start making your lifestyle what you want.

For example, if you’ve always said you’re going to get in shape, start now. Sign up for a gym or program and commit. Go all in.

If you keep saying you wish you did a hobby more, do it. Make an area in your home for it. Remember, you’re in control of your life. You can turn the steering wheel whichever way you like. Believe it and you’ll become it.

Immerse yourself in the activities that you want your life to become. It’s entirely worth making big changes for it. And no one else is going to do it for you.

3. Make a career change.

This is probably the most obvious way to reinvent yourself. And a lot of people make this change to start making bold moves in their lives.

Plus, your job is a place you probably spend 40 or more hours every week. If you don’t enjoy it, make that change. Don’t waste most of your time in a career you don’t love.

The key is to find a career that is fulfilling. Take a career test or questionnaire. Analyze your strengths and weaknesses. Leverage your skills.

You may even choose to take a personality test. This can provide great insight into who you are and what you stand for. It can further your opportunities for personal growth and development, which, in turn, can help you create the life you want.

4. Transform your physical self.

Makeover anyone? Sometimes, switching things up on the outside can reflect inward, making you more confident as a whole. Get that new haircut. Change up your regular makeup routine. Grow out that beard you’ve always been curious about. Heck, even buying a new outfit might send you on confidence bender where your true self shines through.

How you present yourself outward does impact how you feel inward. So, put your best foot forward. Show the world the new you.

5. Surround yourself with the right people.

The top 5 people you surround yourself with are the sum of you. Heard this before? If not, think about it for a second.

Are the 5 people you surround yourself with the most who you want to be? Do you aspire to be like them? Are you proud of them?

If not, it may be time to cut ties. While old friends are wonderful to have, sometimes friendships run their course. Sometimes, you outgrow people. And that’s okay! It happens. But don’t feel forced into a relationship or friendship if it isn’t what you want in your life.

Surround yourself with people who you want to be like and that inspire you - people you want to be around and look forward to seeing.

A tell-tale sign that a friendship is over? You dread your hangouts. You end up in a bad mood after seeing them. You don’t feel like you get anything out of it. It’s sad, for sure. But life is too short. Don’t waste your time on people that don’t lift you up.

Flip Your Life Upside Down!

Go for it. Take that leap. Most people reinvent themselves multiple times. It keeps life interesting, and it forces you to go after your dreams.

There’s no “I can’t.” There’s only “I can’t yet.”

Persevere. Move forward. It might feel scary and uncertain at times. But the end result may prove entirely worthwhile.

What if you could have a life better than the one you have now? What if you could finally get everything you want in life? It comes down to one person - you.

Related Article: The School of Life: The Benefits of Life-Long Learning