The Nwando: Are You Coasting Through Life? 5 Tips To Nudge You Out of Complacency

“Insanity is coasting through life in a miserable existence when you have a caged lion locked inside and the key to release it.”- Morgan Freeman

To coast through life means to sail through life daily; it is just going with the flow and seeing what life throws your way.

I woke up one day and I realized that I had started coasting – taking what comes and not asking for much more; content with the present even though my dreams have not yet become my reality. I found that my fire was burning out.

I’m not sure when I became complacent with my dreams and life, but I do know that I have the power to change it, and that was my only consolation. I realized that something had to change. I had to start putting more effort and energy into everything and I had to demand more out of life, so I don’t wake up in 5 years and wonder where all my passion and spirit went to. I took time out to self reflect and I applied a few steps to change my coasting phase.

I’ve listed the steps below incase it helps someone out there in a similar situation.

Remember your ‘WHY’
Why do you do the things you do? This should always be your greatest motivation when you feel stuck. I write because I want to use the gift of words to help people in similar situations, to inspire people to be more and to remind people that they have everything they need to succeed in life within them; when I remember this, it’s easy to write 1,000 words because if it helps even just one person out there then it’s a successful write up. Why do you work in that place? Why are you chasing that dream? Why are you with that person?

Write out your plan
It’s easy to go with the flow when you don’t have a plan for your life. What are your dreams? What are you working towards? Writing down the things you want to achieve in life makes it easier to have actionable plans that lead you closer to living your dream life. Put this written out plan in an obvious place you’ll see every day so this serves as a reminder to you.

Set goals
Setting goals within time frames gives you something measurable to work with. It’s easier to calculate the percentage of what’s been achieved and what’s left if there are goals that are ticked as complete upon completion. No matter how small, do something every single day that takes you a step closer to your dreams. Little steps add up to a big accomplishment.

Evaluate and re-evaluate
Give yourself the right to evaluate and adjust your dreams and desires as life goes on. Don’t be so stuck in a list of what to do that you start to beat yourself down when life doesn’t look good on paper and bullet points. Things won’t always go your way, you have to learn how to evaluate and re-adjust as life goes on.

Live your best life
Whatever this means to you, live your best and fullest life. As cliché as it sounds, life is too short. Do more of what makes you happy; be with people that make you feel love; spend time doing things that are worthwhile to you; learn to say yes to adventure and learn to say no to things you really don’t want to do.

These are the tips that I’m currently applying, to prevent coasting. They have helped me to realize that I really do have the power to change situations in my life that I’m not satisfied with.

If there’s anything I’ve learnt in my life, it’s this: life does not simply hand you over the lifestyle you believe you deserve, you have to actively work to build this up. If you spend your life coasting, your lifestyle will match that. The mathematics adds up.

I strongly believe that everyone has the capacity to be everything they put their mind to, you just have to be willing to work hard/smart and you have to be relentless in the pursuit of the things you desire.

I believe in you.

Love x Light,

The Nwando.

Photo Credit: Dreamstime | Lightfieldstudiosprod