We all have those life-changing moments that change us and our lives forever.
Sometimes we instigate these moments ourselves, while others are thrust upon us. Sometimes it may take time to realize just how much one moment has affected our lives and changed its trajectory.
On occasion we don’t comprehend we are changing our lives – we view it as embarking on an adventure.
Of course, life-changing moments came in all shapes and sizes. Some we pray we never have. Some are tragic, sad, and totally out of our control.
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To work out when your last life-changing moment was, it helps to be able to define what a life-changing moment means to you.
To start the ball rolling I thought I would make a list of my own pivotal moments. I recommend you write up your own list as well.
- Being adopted
- Meeting my best friend when I was 13 (she is still my best friend 43 years later!)
- Leaving home when I was 18
- Going to the US for three months when I was 23 (I was engaged when I left, single when I got back)
- Moving to Sydney to live
- My parents getting divorced
- My first time in South East Asia and seeing how some people live in developing countries
- Living in London and being heartbroken and homeless after a breakup
- My Dad was diagnosed with Cancer and passed away
- Being made redundant from a job I loved
- Traveling around the world for 8 glorious months (not working any of that time)
- Buying my own home
- Working with a life coach
- Realizing I wanted to be a writer/blogger
- Starting my own blog
- Leaving work to start my own business
- Failing at business on my first attempt
- Being Fired
- Getting serious about my personal growth and knowing my worth
- Needing surgery
- The death of my step-father
- The death of my beloved cat
- The Pandemic (thankfully I’ve been Covid free so far) but the pandemic has certainly been life-changing (I’m definitely not alone with this one!)
- Getting a permanent job after years of temping and uncertainty.
Clearly, some of those moments were tragic. Losing my Dad had a huge impact on my life. It was one of the worst times of my life. There was also a bucket of heartache and loss (not listed) when relationships didn’t work out the way I thought they would.
Yet, there have been many, many joyful, wonderful times as well. There have been exciting adventures and acts of bravery, and fun.
I’m sure it is no coincidence that several of my life-changing moments have involved an airport.
Travel has changed my life in amazing ways.
There have been times when something bad, like being made redundant for example, has turned into a positive. The truth is some of the moments we consider awful at the time are often blessings in disguise.
For this post, I want to focus on the positive life-changing moments in our lives. To the ones we wholeheartedly want to embrace.
So when was the last time you had a positive life-changing moment?
Come on now, think hard.
If one or two popped into your head straight away, then bravo!
Maybe you are drawing a blank.
Perhaps your last moment was too long ago. Perhaps your life has been ambling along at the same steady pace. Nothing much happens. Nothing much changes. No ups and downs, just more of the same. Perhaps you like it that way.
But what if you don’t? What if you are bored out of your brain?
What if you are wondering, what the hell happened to my life?
If that is the case, it’s time to do something bold and adventurous. Something wild and crazy.
Let’s be clear here, wild and crazy doesn’t mean doing something stupid, like say running off and leaving your wife/husband and family. It doesn’t mean having an affair or an inappropriate relationship. That sort of behavior causes a lot of damage and creates drama and stress in your life, not excitement and adventure.
Don’t confuse creating drama with being bold.
Unfortunately, I made this mistake myself when I was younger, creating drama when there wasn’t any and when there didn’t need to be any.
I hate to admit this but I created drama in my life simply because I was bored. Because I felt lost.
I was literally looking for love and excitement in all the wrong places because I knew something was missing in my life.
Related posts and books to help you move forward –
- How to Stop Creating Drama in Your Life
- 12 Things to Remember When You Feel Not Good Enough
- The Mountain is You: Transforming Self-Sabotage into Self-Mastery by Brianna Wiest (This is an excellent book I’m reading about self-sabotage). 🙂
- 101 Essays That Will Change The Way You Think by Brianna Wiest (book)
Instead of seeking out drama, I should have done something creative or helped other people, which is what I was really craving.
In the above list, many of the positive changes were instigated by me. I chose them. I fought for them.
As far as the stuff on the list that was devastating and painful. The stuff that rocked me to my core. I fought hard to pick myself back up and move forward.
I reiterate moments come in all shapes and sizes. It’s not just about shaking up or changing your life either. What about changing someone else’s life for the better? What can you do to help other people?
I was originally going to write a list with this post about how you can create life-changing moments. But I doubt you need to read that list.
Life-changing moments
Deep down you probably know what you need for your next life-changing event. You need the courage to take the first step and the willpower, determination, and perseverance to see it through.
If the thought of change scares you look at it a different way. Think of it as expanding life, improving life, celebrating life.
You KNOW what to do. It’s buried deep inside of you where you left it sleeping. It’s time to wake up. When was your last positive life-changing moment?
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Read next – 25 Ways to Be More Courageous in Life
My worst one by far Thea was when I lost my Dad too. It wasn’t the thought of him dying but the way he left this world. Long story and not a pleasant one.
The most positive life changing moment for me was actually when I was let go from my corporate job back in early 2007. I actually manifested that scenario if you must know the truth and decided to change the direction of my life and manifest something entirely different and new to me.
The journey has been up and down for sure but it’s been the best experience for me really getting to learn a lot more about myself which overall has turned into a very positive experience.
Thanks for sharing all your moments with us and you’ve definitely had some moments. I’m not about to list all of mine. Why? I’m much older than you and have had way too many!
Enjoy your day Thea!
~Adrienne
Hi Adrienne
So wonderful to see you here again. Thank you so much for your comment.
I am really sorry to hear about your Dad. I had no idea until it happened how hard losing a parent could be.
That is fantastic to hear your most positive moment was leaving corporate life. To be honest, I am hoping my pivotal moment will be leaving corporate life as well. I am in the starting out and sometimes struggling stage, which while I appreciate is an important part of the learning process, I am also secretly hoping it doesn’t last too long! As you mentioned though the journey has its ups and downs.
It wasn’t till I read back through my list after writing the post that I realised I don’t have some of the ‘conventional’ items a lot of people have on their list at my age like getting married and having kids for instance. I guess I have always done things a little bit differently or on a totally different time frame to other people. It has taken me a while but I am learning to embrace that and not be ashamed or worried about it.
Thank you again for stopping by. It is always wonderful to talk to you.
I hope you enjoy your day as well. 🙂
Cheers
Thea
A lovely article Thea and a lovely trip down memory lane as I considered all the crazy, exciting, momentous, and sometimes very quiet moments in my life that have shaped the person I am today.
What’s most interesting about this exercise is that for every life-changing moment I have had, it’s been due to another life-changing moment before that. Some were horrendous at the time.. but the path they set me on has led to a very happy place, so I’m grateful for the good and the bad alike.
Some of the most recent positive life-changing moments for me were receiving my new heart valve in 2008 (I was able to live my life to its fullest again! YAY!), going back to work only to be inspired to start my own business, and meeting an amazing person at that previous job who has provided me some incredible opportunities for my business in the most unexpected ways.
Of course, always asking “why not?” has also been a big part of the endless opportunities that seem to come my way 😉
I can’t wait for the next opportunity that comes knocking on my door!
Hi Anna
Lovely to see you here. Thank you so much for commenting.
I am so glad you enjoyed the article. I loved the fact you mentioned the ‘very quiet moments’ because they can definitely shape our lives. Sometimes the big game changes are the quiet moments. I hear you on the good and bad alike aspect. Sometimes I have regrets over a certain event than I realise I wouldn’t have what I do right now if that had not happened and that turns my thoughts to a better more positive place.
WOW that blew me away when you talked about receiving a new heart valve. That is truly life changing!!! I am so glad to hear it all went well and lead you in some wonderful new directions in life. Very powerful.
I like your ‘why not’ philosophy. Many people are too busy thinking ‘why?’ or ‘why bother?’ to jump at opportunities or change.
I look forward to hearing about your next fab opportunity when it comes knocking!!!!!
Again lovely to have you here Anna and I look forward to chatting again soon.
Cheers
Thea