10 Simple Things You Must Do to Turn Your Life Around

“No matter how bad your life gets, you can always turn it around.” — Steve Guttenberg, an American actor, author, businessman, producer, and director

Life can be complicated, challenging, and unfair.

Some days it can feel like the world is out to get you. Life can sometimes feel cruel and lonely.

Luckily, there are some things you can do to turn your life around for the better.

“Failure is not a one-time event; it’s how you deal with life along the way. Until you breathe your last breath, you’re still in the process, and there is still time to turn things around for the better. “ — John C. Maxwell, an American author, speaker, and pastor

If you struggle to work at a job you don’t like or are not on the path you expected in your life, you must look in the mirror and make a change.

Only you hold the keys to turning your life around.

Let’s talk about 10 simple yet powerful ways to help you turn your life around.

1. Take a Hard Look at Who Surrounds You

“I wanted to surround myself with the kind of people who could help me turn my life around; people whom I could rub up against like iron and be sharpened.” — Eric Thomas, an American speaker, author, and minister

Some relationships can be harmful and damaging. Consider your family, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances to determine if you need to “prune” some of your relationships. You are the culmination of the top five people you spend time with, so are you being picky about who you associate with?

Figure out if the people you hang out with consistently are helping you achieve your goals or holding you back from reaching them. It can be challenging to chuck people from your life. However, it’s one of the quickest ways to turn your life around for the better.

2. Make New Friends

“Fight not for your own abundance, but for the abundance of others & you’ll see how your life will turn around. “— Ziad K. Abdelnour, an American banker and author

Yes, even as an adult, you can make new friends. New people in your life can quickly change your outlook. Be open to making new friends and welcoming new people into your life.

Research says most friendships dwindle after age 25, so the key to making new friends is trying and giving new people a chance. Please don’t underestimate the power of making new friends because they can help you lower your stress levels, decrease the risk of illness and increase the longevity of your life.

3. Find Opportunities to Help Others

“Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around.” — Leo Buscaglia, an American author and speaker

When you help others, you can turn your life around because they allow you to change your perspective on life. Helping others can help you open doors that you didn’t see.

Helping others is a catalyst for change.

You can change yourself when you are a good person and give back to others. Helping others can help you strengthen your connection with others, feel a sense of belonging, and strengthen the community you live in.

4. Learn New Skills

“There are gonna be times in life when people tell you that you can’t, that’s when you just gotta turn around and say watch me.” — Justin Bieber, a Canadian singer

Learning new skills can make you a more valuable employee if you struggle to move up the corporate ladder at your company. The more skills you have, the higher your chances of getting more work opportunities.

Learning skills can change your life because knowledge is power.

The definition of a skill is the ability to do something well. When you have more skills, you can achieve more successful outcomes. Learning new skills helps you realize that you have hidden skills and must enhance your power skills such as leadership, productivity, personal development, strategic thinking, listening, and communication.

5. Start a Side Hustle

“I feel like you only need one moment of inspiration to turn your life around.”— DeVon Franklin, an American producer, author, and speaker

Find or rekindle your passion by starting a side hustle. Doing what you love changes your outlook on life. Life can be more challenging when you are overstressed and don’t like what you do.

Working for yourself is an excellent opportunity to make a change.

When you do what you love, you can make each day more rewarding. Starting and maximizing your side hustle can help you take control of your financial future, and you don’t have to quit your 9–5 day job. You may be able to turn your side hustle into a full-time business one day.

6. Watch Less TV and Read More

“Things do not change; we change.” — Henry David Thoreau, an American naturalist, essayist, poet, and philosopher

Watching TV takes up time and distracts you from productive activities that can help you accomplish more in your life. It can take time to change a behavior like watching less TV and reading more, so be gentle with yourself. To help you transform your behavior, keep track of how much TV you watch, discover why you watch TV, and create time limits.

Reading instead of watching TV helps stimulate your brain and keep your mind sharp. Reading can help you escape into different worlds of possibilities and challenge your perspective on life. Reading more can help you turn around your life because you reduce your stress, ignite your imagination, and helps you sleep better.

7. Take a Vacation

“Give yourself a gift of five minutes of contemplation in awe of everything you see around you. Go outside and turn your attention to the many miracles around you.” — Wayne Dyer, an American author and speaker

A vacation helps you hit the reset button. Research has found that people who took more than 10 days of vacation a year had a 30% chance of being awarded a pay raise or bonus. When you take a vacation, you lower your stress, gain a better outlook on your life, and are more motivated to reach your goals.

Taking a vacation is an excellent way to recharge your batteries. This break helps you change your perspective on your life. We all need a break from the daily grind, so don’t think you have too much to do at work to take a vacation.

8. Self Reflect

“The unexamined life is not worth living.” — Socrates, a Greek philosopher

Self-reflection is about looking back on your day and figuring out what worked and what didn’t work. It requires courage and daily effort, but it helps you better engage in the future. To get the benefits of self-reflection, you must make it a habit.

We experience a lot each day, and our actions can tell us who we are and what we really care about in our lives. Take the time to reflect by journaling, meditating, and going for walks. Self-reflection will help you better understand yourself, which is critical for personal development and growth. Just don’t dwell on the negative things.

9. Sharpen Your Saw

“You can turn your life around. You can go through hell and back. It is possible. Never underestimate yourself. I believe in you.”— Demi Lovato, an American singer, songwriter, and actor

Sharpening the saw is about preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have: you. It means you have a balanced program for taking care of yourself. You eat healthier, you exercise more, and you get more sleep.

When you feel good and invest in self-care, you can change your outlook on life. Good things come your way when you have the energy to do more in your personal and professional life. You can turn around your life when you care for yourself and keep your saw sharp.

10. Look at Things Differently

“The smallest change in perspective can transform a life. What tiny attitude adjustment might turn your world around?” — Oprah Winfrey, an American talk show host, television producer, actress, author, and philanthropist

Stop complaining so much about how life is unfair, and how others get this and that. That kind of talk will turn people against you. Look at your attitude and your thinking. Is it positive or negative?

To help you look at things differently, seek out awe-inspiring moments of wonder. Awe improves your mood, helps you think more critically, keeps you humble, decreases materialism, makes you more generous, and expands your perception of time.

Change your perspective on things and make the best out of all the situations you experience in your life. How you look at the world will reflect in how you treat yourself, and how others treat you. A change in your mindset can help you change your life for the better.

Bringing It All Together

There are 10 simple yet powerful things you can do today to turn around your life for the better. Take a hard look at who surrounds you, make new friends, find opportunities to help others, learn new skills, and start a side hustle. Watch less TV and read more. Take a vacation, sharpen your saw, and look at things differently.

You must be willing to change to turn your life around. You must accept your actions, be honest with yourself, take responsibility, and learn from your past.

Change your thinking about life, eliminate the negatives, and smile more. Stop making excuses and remember that failure is an integral part of success. Stay in the moment while forgiving yourself and others.

“At some point, you just have to turn around and face your life head on.” — Chris Cleave, a British writer and journalist