Have you ever felt that you are living a life meant for someone else? The following warning signs might mean you should make your own dreams a priority.
Often we can find ourselves living a life that was not quite what we wanted or expected. This can happen because of pressure from others or just because things didn’t quite work out how we planned.
If you find yourself experiencing these warning signs, you might be living life for someone else instead of yourself.
1. You give in to other peoples’ demands all the time
Are you afraid to upset the apple cart? Do you give in to other people’s requests simply to keep the peace? Doing this means your dreams and desires get left behind. If so, you might have ended up living the life someone else wants for you. It can be hard to make changes and upset people. But this is your life – so spend it doing what you want.
2. You avoid thinking about things too much
If you are afraid to even think about what you are doing with your life, it is a sure sign you are not living the one that you are meant to. Habitually drowning out your thoughts with TV, social media or alcohol indicates it’s time to make a change.
If you don’t take the time to really think about what you want from life, then you can never make it happen. When other people try to pressure us into taking certain actions, we can end up living a life that is not suited to us. But we need to follow our own dreams and not those of someone else.
3. You’re only doing what you’re doing because it’s safe.
When you live life by other people’s rules, you can end up sticking to safe options when making choices about your life. Perhaps others have always told you to be safe and sensible. People may have told you your dreams are too difficult to achieve. They may have your best interests at heart, but only you can know what will really make you happy.
If you always take the safe option, you may avoid any pain, disappointment, and embarrassment, but you won’t achieve wild joy and success either. You will never grow if you refuse to take a risk sometimes.
4. You are often bored or dissatisfied.
Feeling bored is a sure sign that you are not living up to your full potential. Life is amazing. There are so many opportunities out there. There simply isn’t any reason to feel bored. Try doing something different every day. Take some risks, shake things up and find something that really excites you in life.
5. You’re addicted
If you are numbing yourself with food, drugs, alcohol, sex, or TV, then there is something you are avoiding. We numb ourselves when we are in pain so this is a warning sign that your life is not all that it should be. Making changes is difficult, especially if we risk upsetting someone else. But you will never find the solutions to your happiness at the bottom of a bottle or a bag of donuts.
5. Everything is going wrong
When every little thing that could go wrong does go wrong, the universe might be trying to tell you something. Perhaps these incidents and accidents are gentle, or not so gentle nudges to wake up and do something with your life.
When you live from your heart and soul, things will begin to go more smoothly. Of course, though there may still be bumps in the road. But you will face challenges with energy and enthusiasm rather than sinking into despair.
6.You feel sick and tired
If you feel sick and tired of being sick and tired, you are not on the right path in life. Our lives should light us up and fill us with enthusiasm and excitement – at least for part of the time. No one’s life is a bed of roses and we all get sick from time to time. However, if this has become a near constant state, you might like to think about making some changes to get back on the right path.
7. You aren’t connecting with others in a meaningful way
We often put on a mask to face the world. But if you are living a life that is false, it prevents you from opening up to others and making meaningful relationships. Relationships rely on trust, honesty, and openness. But before you can be open with others, you have to be honest with yourself.
8. You are working hard but getting nowhere.
We think that if we work hard enough, we will achieve success and happiness. But if our hearts aren’t really in what we are doing, then this will rarely be the case. If you are working hard to please others rather than yourself, you are living someone else’s dream life and not your own.
If there is no creativity or enthusiasm in your work, then the results will always be disappointing. Focus your hard work on something meaningful to you and you have every chance of being happy and successful.
Closing thoughts
Finding out you are living the wrong life can be scary. But it is always possible to get back on track. Don’t spend your precious time here on earth living someone else’s life.
It can be hard to make changes, especially if we feel they will upset or disappoint others. But it is worth it to make your own dreams come true. Take the time to work out what your ideal life would look like and then start working towards it.