New Beginnings: Creating the Change We Want In Our Lives

About two years ago, I found myself at a familiar crossroads—physically depleted, mentally scattered, and craving change. My body was sending signals I could no longer ignore. While I had practiced yoga for years, the pandemic had disrupted this vital routine, and I felt the absence deeply. Something needed to shift.

There is something about a new beginning that makes me feel alive. It offers a chance to reset, reconnect with our intentions, and redefine our terms with the world. For me, that reset began with simply returning to a yoga studio—showing up on my mat 4-5 times weekly and rebuilding a foundation of physical wellbeing. This single decision became the catalyst for broader transformation.

What started as addressing physical depletion evolved into a holistic approach to change: mindful eating, embracing Ayurvedic principles through a men’s coaching program, and creating new morning rituals. The results weren’t just physical—though losing two pounds weekly was certainly affirming. The most profound shift happened in my mental clarity and creative energy.

As my body found balance, my mind followed. New ideas for creative and professional projects began to flow. The simple act of caring for my physical self had unexpectedly unlocked doors to other areas of my life that had felt stagnant.

This journey taught me that transformation doesn’t happen overnight. It begins with recognizing what’s not working, taking one intentional step, and allowing that momentum to guide you toward the next change.

Embracing the In-Between

Change rarely happens in an instant. More often, we find ourselves in what anthropologists call “liminal spaces”—thresholds between what was and what will be. As Dave Gray notes, “Liminal thinking is the art of creating change by understanding, shaping, and reframing beliefs.” This transitional space, though sometimes uncomfortable, is where transformation takes root. For more on embracing these threshold moments, explore Gray’s work on Liminal Thinking.

Changing Perception Starts Within

Before we can influence how others perceive us or our ideas, we must first transform our own thinking. As Wayne Dyer wisely observed, “If you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.” This principle applies whether you’re launching a business, pivoting careers, or simply seeking personal growth.

For startup founders and business innovators, this mindset shift is particularly crucial. As noted in “Play Bigger,” your primary task is “to change the way people think. Your product, your company culture, your marketing—everything has to be aligned with transforming the way potential customers think.” Learn more about this approach in Play Bigger: How Pirates, Dreamers, and Innovators Create and Dominate Markets.

Tools for Shifting Your Perspective

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) offers practical techniques for reframing limiting beliefs:

• View negative thoughts through an observer’s lens, looking for supporting evidence and alternative perspectives
• Consider realistic outcomes rather than catastrophizing
• Control what you can, including habits, schedules, and self-care
• Accept discomfort without dwelling on negative thoughts
• Listen to your body’s signals when stress arises

For a deeper exploration of these techniques, check out Trudi Roth‘s insights in Think and Grow Well.

Examining Your Need for Change

Before embarking on transformation, it’s worth reflecting on why change feels necessary. People leave established paths for numerous reasons: burnout, lack of growth opportunities, desire for new challenges, toxic environments, inadequate compensation, disengagement, or external life circumstances.

Understanding your specific motivations creates a stronger foundation for intentional change. John Jantsch explores similar themes in his conversation with Anthony Iannarino, a luminary in B2B sales and bestselling author. Explore  The Negativity Fast: How a Simple Practice Can Transform Your Life.

Identity Beyond Work

A critical aspect of meaningful change involves reconsidering how work relates to your identity. In a healthy model, work complements—but doesn’t consume—who you are. Your job becomes one of several roles you play, allowing you to express values and interests without having your entire sense of self depend on your title.

When work becomes your primary identity, you risk burnout and emptiness outside professional achievement. As Adam Alter points out, making life mostly about achieving work milestones creates a sense of “near-continuous failure,” as you’re always chasing the next thing.

To maintain balance:

• See your job as one important role among many
• Use work to express key values, not as your sole source of worth
• Nurture identities beyond work through relationships, hobbies, and community
• Make time for experiences that aren’t achievement-oriented

For more insights on preventing unhealthy obsession with work, see Adam Alter’s book Irresistible: The Rise of Addictive Technology and the Business of Keeping Us Hooked.

Starting Now, Not Forever

Transformative change doesn’t require planning your entire future. As Laura McKowen reminds us, “Forget forever. It doesn’t exist, anyway… Nothing in the future exists yet. But anything is possible right now. Including the thing you think you cannot do.”

Rather than overwhelming yourself with lifelong commitments, focus on living with intention today. This approach aligns with what Rainer Strack, Allison Bailey and Dr. Susanne Dyrchs call “strategic living”—applying thoughtful planning typically reserved for business to our personal lives. In their Harvard Business Review article Use Strategic Thinking to Create the Life You Want, they emphasize that meaningful change comes from identifying your core values and deliberately aligning your daily choices with those values.

The beauty of strategic living is that it breaks overwhelming life changes into actionable steps. Instead of trying to redesign your entire existence at once, you can set clear priorities, make conscious choices about how you spend your time and talents, and regularly evaluate whether your actions align with your vision. This practical framework turns abstract aspirations into concrete reality.

As both McKowen and the HBR article suggest, the power lies in starting now with intentional choices, rather than waiting for some perfect future scenario to materialize. Your new beginning doesn’t require a complete life overhaul—it simply requires one deliberate step forward today.

The Choice Before Us

Michael A. Singer frames our fundamental life choice clearly: “You can devote your life to staying in your comfort zone, or you can work on your freedom.” Real transformation requires stepping beyond the familiar into the possibility of something new.

The path of change isn’t always comfortable, but it offers something our comfort zones cannot—the freedom to grow into who we truly want to become. Singer develops this philosophy more fully in The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself.

Your Next Beginning Starts Now

As we close this exploration of new beginnings and intentional change, I invite you to take one small step today. Real transformation doesn’t require massive overhauls—it begins with a single choice to move toward what truly matters to you.

What’s one area of your life where you’ve been feeling the pull toward change? Whether it’s your relationship with work, your physical wellbeing, or your creative expression, identify that threshold where you stand between what is and what could be.

I’d love to hear about your journey. Comment below with:

1. One small step you’re willing to take this week toward meaningful change
2. A limiting belief you’re ready to reframe
3. How you plan to nurture identities beyond your professional role

If this resonated with you, please share it with someone in your network who might be navigating their own transition. 

Remember what Michael Singer wisely noted—you can either devote your life to staying comfortable or work toward your freedom. The choice, as always, is yours.

Here’s to new beginnings,

Adam