SLR 075: 5 Proven Strategies to Crush the “Sophomore Slump” of Lifestyle Design

Simple Life Reboot - Transformational / Healthy / Minimalism / Lifestyle / Edit

Have you had this experience? You start out strong, buoyed by the excitement of a new challenge and the promise of better things to come. Then, somehow, as you move beyond the initial phase, the load intensifies, progress slows and you lose some degree of confidence in the attainability, if not the desirability, of the objective.

It can happen to the best students, athletes and artists, and it can certainly happen to those of us seeking to increase margin, de-clutter and otherwise simplify or “re-boot” our lives.

Instead of beating ourselves up, we need to recognize a “slump” for what it is – a complication common to many passionate achievers that can be temporary or permanent, depending upon our response.

So how do we make sure the “slump” is only a temporary drag?

Employing the following 5 tactics is key:

1. BE AWARE OF THE SIGNS

Awareness is our best defense. If we can unmask perceived apathy, fatigue, confusion, failure, or disillusionment as nothing more than hallmarks of a “slump“, these feelings lose their hold on us. Not only can we continue, but in the very act of continuing, we strengthen our ‘overcomers’ muscle and become better equipped for the next challenge.

2. LET GO OF FALSE EXPECTATIONS

We need to let go of any hidden hope that the road to lasting positive change is simple, easy or fast. Living intentionally is a lifelong process of growth, and foundation building is not without its complications. We need to give ourselves permission to stumble and travel slowly at times. The critical element is to keep going. Period.

3) CHANGE IT UP

Experiment and try different approaches. If a routine flounders, try another. Focus and commitment is demonstrated by retaining the objective, not by throwing oneself against a wall of personally ineffective or stale processes.

4) RE-CONNECT

Isolation is jet fuel for a “slump“. Starve a “slump” by reconnecting with others in the community. Attend in-person lifestyle design events, conferences, talks, and meetups, if at all possible. Participate in, or better yet host your own online gatherings via Google hangouts, Skype, FaceTime, GoToMeeting, etc.

5) TRACK RESULTS

Recognize that significant progress may not be evident to you. Seek out opportunities to measure progress. Examples include “before and after” photos, journaling, and habit/objective tracker apps. Reflecting upon the progress made can be a great encouragement.

BONUS … and, as a bonus tactic for crushing a slump... contact us and we’ll cheer you on! Your goal is worth it! You can do it! So, keep going!

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Originally posted on http://SimpleLifeReboot.com