How to Turn Your Life Around: 3 Wellness Tips and the Books That Can Help
The Moment Everything Changed
There comes a point when you realize you can’t keep living the same way. Maybe it happens slowly—small frustrations piling up until they spill over. Or maybe it happens all at once, in a single moment that forces you to stop, to look at your life and admit, this isn’t working anymore.
For me, it was exhaustion—not just physical, but something deeper. I was tired of feeling stuck, tired of saying yes when I wanted to say no, tired of living a life that didn’t feel like my own. I kept pushing through, convincing myself that if I just held on a little longer, things would get better. But deep down, I knew the truth. Nothing was going to change unless I changed.
That realization wasn’t easy to accept. It’s uncomfortable to admit that the life you’ve built—whether by choice or by default—no longer fits. But there’s also freedom in it. Because if something isn’t working, it means there’s room to build something new.
Writing My Way Back to Myself
I didn’t know where to start, so I picked up a pen. Writing has always been my way of making sense of things, but for a long time, I had avoided it. Maybe I was afraid of what I would find if I looked too closely. But when I finally sat down and let the words spill onto the page, I realized something: I already knew what I needed. I had just been ignoring it.
I wrote about the things that drained me. The way I stretched myself thin trying to please everyone. The way I silenced my own needs because I thought they were less important. And then, I wrote about what I wanted. At first, it felt strange—almost selfish—to think about my own happiness. But as I kept writing, I felt a shift. The more I put my thoughts on paper, the clearer things became.
One book that helped me during this time was The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. It introduced me to morning pages—three pages of freewriting every morning, no filter, no judgment. At first, it felt like just another task, but over time, it became a ritual. A space to be honest with myself. A way to untangle the mess in my head and hear my own voice again.
Journal Prompt: If I were completely honest with myself, what would I admit needs to change?
Learning to Say No and Protect My Energy
For so long, I believed that saying no was selfish. That being a “good” person meant always being available, always saying yes. But that belief left me drained, with nothing left to give—not to others, and certainly not to myself.
I had to learn—slowly, awkwardly—that boundaries weren’t about shutting people out. They were about making space for the things that mattered. The first time I said no to something I didn’t want to do, I felt guilty. But then, something unexpected happened. I felt lighter. I realized that every time I said no to something that didn’t serve me, I was saying yes to myself.
Set Boundaries, Find Peace by Nedra Glover Tawwab became my guide through this process. It taught me that boundaries aren’t just about relationships with others—they’re about the relationship we have with ourselves. How we manage our time, our energy, our emotional well-being.
I started making small shifts. Not answering messages right away. Letting go of obligations that no longer fit. Giving myself permission to rest. And the more I did, the more I realized how much space I had been giving away—space I could now reclaim.
Journal Prompt: Where in my life do I feel the most drained? What boundary could I set to change that?
Letting Myself Dream Again
For a long time, I was just surviving. I wasn’t thinking about what I wanted or what excited me—I was just getting through the day. But once I started creating space in my life, something unexpected happened. I began to dream again.
At first, it was small. A thought in the back of my mind. A whisper of curiosity. But I paid attention. I let myself imagine what could be possible, instead of immediately shutting myself down with “that’s not realistic” or “I don’t have time for that.”
I remembered how much I loved to write, so I started writing again. I remembered how much I enjoyed quiet mornings with a cup of coffee, so I made time for them. I started asking myself: What if? What would my life look like if I gave myself permission to follow what feels good?
Atomic Habits by James Clear reminded me that change doesn’t have to be drastic. It happens in small, consistent steps. One choice at a time. And that’s what I focused on—tiny shifts that, over time, began to reshape my life.
Journal Prompt: If I let go of fear and doubt, what would I allow myself to dream about?
The Journey Forward
I’m still figuring things out. There are days when I slip into old patterns, when doubt creeps in, when I forget to put myself first. But now, I recognize the signs sooner. I know when I need to pause, to check in with myself, to realign.
The most important thing I’ve learned is that change isn’t about finding a perfect version of myself. It’s about making choices, every day, that align with who I want to be. Some days, that looks like writing for clarity. Other days, it looks like saying no, resting, or simply allowing myself to enjoy the present moment.
I don’t have all the answers. But I do know this: the life I want isn’t something I have to wait for. It’s something I can create, choice by choice, day by day.
Journal Prompt: What is one small thing I can do today to move closer to the life I want?
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