Be the ‘New Kid’ Any Time in Your Life
April 14, 2009 3 CommentsWhen you were a kid, did you ever have to move and go to an entirely new school? Being the new kid is tough, but there is one plus side. Most people who become the ‘new kid’ end up using the situation to completely reinvent themselves.
For instance, you may have been teased for your completely out-of-date fashion at your first school. When you move, you could throw out (give away) your old clothes and get some new hip ones. Your new school mates would be none the wiser, and they’d think you’d always been that cool.
Just because most of us are adults now doesn’t mean we can’t invent our own new kid moment.
How to be the ‘new kid’ at any age
You don’t have to move away to reinvent yourself. You can do that right now.
Here’s a few tips to becoming the best you.
- Take a gradual approach. This is good if you know a lot of people who’ll make a big deal about your change. If it’s your attitude you’re changing (from boring to exciting, for instance), ramp up your enthusiasm over the course of a week.
- Ignore what other people think. If you reinvent yourself, you’re bound to get some seemingly negative feedback from family, friends or coworkers. Just ignore it. It happens to everyone. Don’t let their negativity stop your growth. Then again…
- Savor the compliments. If people love the new you, good! Take in each compliment and savor it. It’s good validation and it shows that you’ve done something right.
- Do what makes you happy. The spark that starts a personal reinvention is your unhappiness. It could be unhappiness with your lifestyle, unhappiness with your group of friends, or unhappiness with your current habits. If you were happy with your life, you wouldn’t want to change it. While you’re working to change your life for the better, keep thinking about your happiness. Use it as a gauge to know whether you’re doing the right thing.
Photo by rAmmoRRison
Featured, Motivation
I like the analogy to the ‘new kid on the block’ as a way of reinventing – and the small steps approach.
Having chosen several major reinventions in my own life (leaving my marriage, moving to a new country, leaving the corporate world) I wouldn’t necessarily advise such huge steps simply out of a desire to reinvent. Such big steps comes with some trauma too .. even when chosen and the change is 100% for the positive.
Ian | Quantum Learning’s last blog post..I also have a dream
This is a great post! I love the idea of reinvention and especially agree with #4. Doing what makes you happy is the best way to live a positive and fulfilled life.
Positively Present’s last blog post..this IS it
@Ian – I agree that big steps come from trauma. After all, we fear change, even if it’s a good change. However, I also feel that some change can just come from wanting it badly enough. You can choose to change, too, and you don’t need a trauma to do so.
@Positively Present – Thanks! People often forget their own happiness. They often choose to cater to other people’s happiness than their own. Not good! You are important! You need to be happy!