Feeling Like You’ve Peaked in Life?
LET'S GET RIGHT TO IT, SHALL WE…
THE THOUGHT THAT YOU'VE "PEAKED" EARLY IN LIFE IS A BITCH. AND THE TRUTH IS, YOU NEED TO DROP THAT BELIEF, PRONTO!!
I'm not sure where this idea came from or why I even let it enter my brain at one stage, but I believe it might be the #1 thing that haunts me on the daily in everything I do and I don’t want that for you!
Somewhere along the way I got it in my head that maybe I peaked in high school. Can you believe that?!
Back in the day I got amazing grades, was captain of almost every team I was on, took leadership positions on counsels, played a many musical instruments, volunteered and was on provincial and rep sports teams outside of school. (Insert ‘overachiever’ here.)
But no matter how much I've accomplished since graduating high school (years and years ago), I can't help but think - "maybe I peaked" already.
If you feel a similar way, this post is written for you :) Just know that you aren’t alone, and that you haven’t peaked.
FOUR WAYS TO KILL THIS THOUGHT
FIND A NEW HOBBY
Give yourself something new to look forward to. Something new that your brain can get around and learn. I always find that when I am learning a new skill, I feel more productive and satisfied with where I am in my life. This could be anything from learning to code, to joining a new sports team in your city. Just try something new and even out of the ordinary for you.
MEDITATE
Sometimes we hit a cross-road in our life and just feel unhappy or unfulfilled with what we've accomplished. I took up meditation again this year, and so far have been consistent with it and although I still have hard days, it has provided more clarity to my life and guidance. When we go inward and silence our minds, we often get the answers we were searching for. But remember, everything is a journey and meditation is a skill that takes time. So be patient with yourself.
HIRE A COACH
The coaching industry has taken the world by storm and some people believe coaches are a joke. But take a step back and ask yourself why you think that is? I think we live in a world where more and more people have lost their way and really, a life coach is the guide to help them get back on track. If you find a good one, they should be able to shed some insight on why you feel 'stuck' or 'uninspired' or where the feeling of 'peaking' stems from. They just might ask you some hard questions that you haven't thought of yet to get you thinking differently.
SET ATTAINABLE GOALS
Big goals are great, but they can also leave us feeling disappointed when we don't hit them. But little goals- now that's the icing on the cake. It's about rewiring the brain to feel the sense of accomplishment and you can do this by setting actionable goals each week. This could even be consistently working out three days a week for 10 mins. It's not hard and you can check it off, which will help you move forward.
“You’re only just getting started on this journey called life
— Andrea Lynett (Drown the Noise Podcast)
So in the end, this idea of 'peaking' in high school is bullshit.
It's a crappy thought that is powerful enough to eat away at even the strongest-minded individuals. So if you have this thought, be sure to remind your brain that it’s a lie. You have a lot of untapped potential. Every moment on this earth is a chance to make an impact- on yourself and others- so go after those opportunities and never stop growing.
Here’s to embracing change,
xx Andrea