We receive wake-up calls daily but life is noisy so it’s hard to hear them, and even harder to take action. So we often ignore them until it’s too late. But actually, maybe it’s never too late to answer your wake up call.
The best time to answer your wake up call was when you first heard it. The next best time is today. I was the queen of ignoring my wake-up calls. For a while, I couldn’t hear them at all. I was so stressed, so busy and so overwhelmed with life that paying attention to what I really needed felt impossible.
The quiet wake-up calls were the easiest to ignore. It was like a soft voice from within that said things like, “This isn’t working.” or “I can’t do this anymore.” or “I don’t feel well.” I shut them down so fast by reminding myself of the toxic self-help messages I carried with me. You know the ones. No pain, no gain. Push through. Do you best. Go above and beyond. Sleep when you’re dead.
How to answer your wake up calls.
First and foremost, release any guilt or shame for not answering your wake up call earlier. Remember you deserve to make a change or shift if you want to regardless of the circumstances that got you here. You do not need to punish yourself or delay answering a wake up call because you think it’s your fault that you are in this position. It really doesn’t matter how you contributed, only that you are ready for something different.
If you can’t let yourself off the hook (no pun intended), imagine that you are giving advice and support to someone you love dearly who is going through something hard. What would you tell them? Now give yourself the same treatment. Treat yourself like someone you love.
7 Wake-up Calls You Can’t Ignore Anymore
Your wake-up call might not as specific as the recommendations below but pay attention to the subtle nudges to see what they are all about. If you are overwhelmed, tired of pushing through or struggling in a relationship, give yourself a little time and space to listen to your body and understand what you need. Perhaps you can shift your mood or implement a few strategies for a calmer life. Answering your wake up calls is a practice in self-trust. You’ve got this.
1. I don’t feel well.
We love to ignore this one because we don’t think we have time to take care of ourselves. The truth is, the moment you think you don’t have time to take care of yourself is the exact moment you have to take care of yourself. I learned so much from my big wake up call of being diagnosed with multiple sclerosis but I had been experiencing symptoms for years before. It can feel scary to address a health issue, and easy to brush off as “stress” but trust yourself to know when it’s time to find answers and support.
2. I hate my job.
If you are waiting to quit your job until your dream job comes along, consider that there might be something in between. When you are overwhelmed and feel stuck, it can be a challenge to know what you want to do next. All of your energy is spent on survival mode, so a stop over between the job you hate and the job you’ll love can be a beautiful respite. If you want to take things to the next level, keep in mind that the next level isn’t always up. Here are some other things to consider if you want to quit your job.
3. Money is stressing me out.
Get specific about the stressful part of money. Is it debt? Shopping habits? Things are too expensive? You don’t get paid enough? Check in with the money stories you tell yourself. For instance, for most of my adult life I told myself that I was bad with money and that I would always be in debt. I told myself I’d always have to work a zillion hours to make ends meet. I proved my stories wrong over and over again. Here’s how to spend less money. This 21-day guide will help you get ready to become debt-free.
4. I’m drinking too much.
This wake up call usually shows up as a question. “Do I drink too much?” In my experience, if you are asking the question, you probably already know the answer. Still, I recommend a reframe. Ask a different question. This one worked for me, “Does drinking contribute to the full, healthy, intentional life you say you want?” The answer was no. So I quit.
5. I can’t sleep.
Ok, this one is big. Sleeping well is really important for all of your physical and mental health. A bad night of sleep is different than several so don’t panic if you don’t sleep well once in a while. Start sleeping better by quitting these 10 habits and seek more medical support if necessary.
6. I have too much to do.
Our to-do lists are longer than ever. We are sacrificing sleep in the name of getting “one more thing done.” It really is too much. Instead of seeking productivity tips to get more done, consider doing less. I used to equate thriving and rising with rushing and busyness. I thought the more I did and the faster I did it, the more I would succeed. Wow, I got that wrong. Doing more things doesn’t make you a better person or a more successful person. Doing more things makes you a tired person. Slow down and thrive.
7. My life is so stressful.
The biggest part of finding my way back to health was getting rid of stress. My life was so stressful! Part of the solution was to get rid of stressful things like debt, clutter, and busyness. The other part was to introduce more fun and joy in my life with rituals like Little Saturday, spending time with people who make me laugh so hard I cry and managing stress with journaling, meditating and prioritizing great sleep.
Noticing your wake up calls is the first step. Slow down and check in with yourself at least for a few minutes each day to start. Listen. How do you feel? What’s bothering you? What are happy about? What do you want less of or more of in your life? The best way to create the life you want is to remember than you can. I’ll be cheering you on.