#380: The Inspiration to Start Over: Let Go of What No Longer Fits & Step into What’s Next

And yet in life, we're going through the video game of our lives.

And maybe when we should be choosing to start over, instead, we just keep on plugging away. Because why?

Well, because it's easier for us to stay stuck and in something that we don't like than it is for us to face the unknown. The idea of starting new, starting fresh, starting over.

Well, today, my friend, my hope is to change that.

Or if nothing else, to at least spark that little bit of inspiration inside of you to have you thinking, huh, maybe it is time that I start to view my life like I do a video game where starting over isn't some monumental feat that I can't do.

I don't have to be so scared of it. I've got a whole life ahead of me.

And if I stay stuck, well, then what am I doing? I'm wasting away my opportunity.

But instead, if I just listen to Kevin today and start fresh to start anew, well, then I got a whole new opportunity to play this game however I want.

My friend, today is episode 380. I'm your host, Kevin Lowe. And this, of course, is Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

Music.

Into talking about starting over or starting something new in life, what about just life in general? The never-ending to-do list.

It's the tasks you have that you never complete. It's your own self that is falling apart.

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So in talking about starting over, let's address the crazy part of this whole conversation.

Because even when we know that we need to start over, even when we know that we're stuck, that we're not where we're meant to be, and even when we know deep down that we're meant for more, we still hesitate.

And you have to ask, but why? If I know I'm made for more, if I know that there's more out there for me, then why am I not jumping in headfirst, eager to do it?

Well, by doing so, it means that you have to first admit that something isn't working.

It's not easy to leave a career that you've put your life into.

It's not easy to walk away from a relationship that no longer serves you.

And it's really hard to let go of an identity that you've held on to for years.

You've always been that person. So the idea of starting over, it's intimidating. It's scary.

And you can't help but feel lost. But one of the most important things I want you to understand is that holding on to something that isn't right for you will never make it okay.

And if you keep saying to yourself, ah, well, I'm just going to keep waiting.

Maybe things are going to get better. Maybe I'll feel differently next week, tomorrow, next year.

My friend, you have to at some point be honest with yourself. Is that really the case?

Are you doing anything that's going to make it different?

Is the person that you're involved with in this relationship, are they doing anything, working on themselves, that can make a difference?

If not, then at some point you have to get real with yourself and understand that where I am is not the right place.

And it is time for me to just start over.

And so many times before we ever even want to take that first step, we just want to know that it's all going to be okay. hey, we're looking for that clarity.

Well, the fact is true is that clarity comes with movement.

You're never going to figure it all out by just laying in bed and thinking about it and worrying about it. You have to start moving forward.

If you are driving through the fog in your car, if you don't keep moving forward, you're never going to get out of the fog.

You're going to constantly stay there wondering what next, what's going to happen, scared of what you can't see.

But instead, if you just keep moving forward, inch by inch, step by step, you're finally going to get through.

You're going to get to the other side. But you have to have the courage, the bravery, the guts, the drive to just keep taking one step after another.

Now, one thing that keeps a lot of people stuck is the idea of going back to square one.

Because look at all that I've done, all the work I've put into this career.

Maybe you've built a business. I was there. I spent seven years building my travel agency. It was called Better Days Travel.

And now I plugged away with it, man. I built a brand.

I had a travel business. I had clients I worked with.

And so to say, to give it all up, what am I doing?

All those seven years of work and effort were for nothing? No, of course not.

The lessons that I've learned, that I've gained from those seven years building a business have only helped me in this new chapter of life.

Once I started a podcast, once I started getting involved in public speaking, all of that wisdom is never lost. It's only gained.

And that, my friend, is the same for you. All the experience you've gained is not lost. It wasn't for nothing.

No, it was preparing you for something more, for something new.

All of the wisdom you've gained is there in your toolbox.

All the lessons you've learned, you have that wisdom to take with you.

Basically, my friend, I want you to not think of yourself as starting back at square one as a beginner.

But instead, I want you to view yourself as a builder.

You're building on yourself. You're building on your life. And that is because the life that you're about to create isn't coming from nothing.

Instead, it's being built upon everything that you've already done.

So what I want you to understand is that, my friend, it is never too late.

You are never too far gone. You're never too late at making a big move in your life.

We never know what tomorrow will hold. None of us know how long we will be here on this earth.

But if we look at life from this scared mindset of, oh, well, I don't know. So therefore, I should just say stuck.

No, I don't think that's what life was meant to be. We don't know when we're going to leave this world.

I believe for a reason, because God didn't want us to play scared.

He wanted us to play full out like it's the first quarter of the football game. It's not the end.

No, you got a whole game ahead of you. So make the most of it.

That is every single day when the sun rises is your opportunity to start anew, to start fresh, to keep moving forward in your life.

I never want you to give up on the opportunity to thrive in life.

And in that, my friend, I have to believe that your best days are not behind you, but they are ahead of you.

Now, yeah, I get it. My life included. It's easy to look back on life and only remember the good days.

And we tend to compare that to our life today. And we tend to think that, man, I just wish I could go back in time.

I know I have felt that way many a times.

Matter of fact, thinking about it right now, there's many times in my life I would love to go back to.

But the fact is true is that we can't go back, but we can create a future.

It's up to us, though, whether we stay stuck where we are or we have the courage to start anew, to start fresh.

For some practical applications in regards to today's topic, let's help you out here.

Because it's as easy as you being willing to just take one step.

You don't have to see the whole plan. You don't have to know where it's all going to go.

But you do have to be willing to take the first step.

Now, depending upon what the situation looks like for you, maybe it's you finally deciding to send the email.

Maybe it's you picking up the phone and making that call.

Or maybe it's you finally standing up for yourself and saying no to something that you've tolerated for way too long.

But I want you to remember, momentum does not come from thinking about it.

Momentum, it comes from moving forward. And once you start moving forward, then my friend, the momentum will continue to build.

And things will get easier and easier. But you have to, at first, have the courage to go for it.

Today, I want to be that inspiration, that motivation that encourages you to just do it.

I'm telling you, if you think of your life like the video game, what do you have to lose? If it doesn't work, that's fine.

You can start over again tomorrow morning.

Every day is a new chance and a new beginning.

Now, even though you might be all rah-rah right now, you're thinking, you know what? I'm feeling, Kev. I'm feeling this. I am ready.

And then when you turn off to the podcast, you're going to start thinking, hmm, maybe not.

You start getting scared. You start letting fear creep in.

And you think, if I'm this scared, if I'm this worried, then it must mean that I shouldn't.

Well, I want you to reframe that in that what if fear means that you're on the right track, that you're finally thinking big enough for the goals that you're meant to achieve.

And that idea of being fearful about starting back at square one, remember, we said, you're bringing with you all the years of experience and wisdom you've gained.

You can do it better this time. You can go bigger and better than ever before.

You can be faster and stronger because of what you've already gone through.

All that you've done in life has not been lost. It's all been preparing you for this very moment.

And remember, you don't have to have it all figured out.

You don't have to know what step 10 is. You only have to know what step one is.

And once you take that first step, you start to build momentum.

And you take the second step, and the third step, and the fourth step.

By step five, my friend, you're basically running. You are cruising along by the time you hit that 10th step in the puzzle that you're putting together.

You just have to start moving forward.

And I leave you with the last final thought. I use this reference a lot on the podcast. This idea of looking at your life like a book.

This chapter is waiting on you to have the courage to turn the page.

Turning the page is step one.

And once you turn the page, my friend, there is no stopping.

Because you have a whole new chapter to write. You got the video game of your life.

You are the Super Mario Brothers. And my friend, I just want you to be sure that you're never wasting a single moment, a single day in this life, because every day is a gift. Every moment is precious.

And I believe that our creator wanted us to be sure that we make the most of this life each and every day.

So with that, if today's episode inspired you, encouraged you, well, consider maybe sharing it with somebody else who you think can benefit.

Or if there's nobody else you can think of Well, be sure to maybe think about Leaving a rating and review on Apple Podcasts For this show Just do something What I'm saying here is I want you to take action Whether it's helping me support this podcast And ultimately helping to support you I want you to take action Don't turn it off and do nothing I want you to start moving forward Towards your hopes and dreams That's what I want for you.

And with that, I'm your host, Kevin Lowe. I'm so excited that you joined me for yet another episode of Grit, Grace, and Inspiration.

Music.