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Hey there, my wonderfully weird friend! Welcome to another episode of “Get It Together, Weirdo,” where we embrace our quirks, navigate the chaos, and create a life that works for us—messy bits and all. 

Today, we’re talking about something that can feel as daunting as climbing Mount Everest: changing course.

Do you ever feel like once you’re on a path—whether you’ve committed to it for someone else or just to yourself—you’re stuck there forever? Like you can’t turn around, take a different route, or even stop for a breather? 

Yeah, I’ve been there too. A lot. 

But what if I told you that it’s okay to change directions, to pivot, take a side quest, even make yourself a whole new damn map?

There is power in embracing change, experimenting with new ideas, and finding your own path, even when it feels completely, paralyzingly terrifying. 

So, grab your metaphorical hiking boots, because today, we’re going on an adventure to explore how to navigate the winding trails of life on your terms.

Let’s take a minute or two to chat about “The Fellowship of the Ring,” ok? The journey of Frodo and the original nine starts with one clear mission: take the One Ring to Mordor. 

But along the way, things don’t exactly go as planned. 

They face the Balrog and lose Gandalf in the Mines of Moria. You’ve got Boromir’s whole “give me the ring” moment—ending with him dead, Merry and Pippin being taken by the Orcs, Frodo and Sam leaving the others to head to Mordor alone, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli going to search for Merry and Pippin. 

Each member of the Fellowship has to figure out their own journey, even if it means stepping away from the original plan.

That’s kind of how life works, right? We set out with these grand plans, these commitments to ourselves and others, but sometimes, we need to change course. Life throws us curve balls that we need to dodge or attempt to hit away. 

And that’s not a failure—it’s part of the adventure. But it’s also scary as hell.

So, why is embracing change so hard? A lot of it comes down to fear. 

Fear of the unknown, fear of disappointing others, fear of being seen as unreliable or inconsistent. We get so weighed down by expectations—our own and those of people around us. It’s like we’ve been handed a map that someone else drew, and we’re supposed to follow it, no matter what.

But guess what – you’re allowed to make your own map. You’re allowed to take a detour, stop for a break, backtrack, go on an exciting sidequest if you need to. 

Recognizing when it’s time for a change isn’t a sign of weakness—it’s a sign of strength. It means you’re in tune with what you need and brave enough to go after it.

And then there’s the guilt. Oh, the lovely, lovely guilt. 

We think, “I’ve invested so much time and energy into this—how can I just give up now?” But that’s the thing—we’re not giving up. We’re choosing to let go of something that no longer serves us. We’ve learned something from trying to go down this path, we’re taking that lesson with us into our new journey, and that’s a completely different thing than just giving up altogether.

Challenging those self-imposed obligations and perfectionism is not easy. It’s going to take time to figure out how our brain will respond to the challenge and what ways we can best support ourselves with that challenge. 

We have to practice self-compassion and remind ourselves that it’s okay to not be perfect, to not have everything figured out. It’s okay to set boundaries, to say no, and to change our minds. 

Because you know what? We’re human. And humans are allowed to be messy, to be in progress, to not know exactly what they’re doing every second of the day.

Imagine if Frodo had refused to let Sam come with him, or if Aragorn had insisted on sticking to the original plan no matter what. The Fellowship would’ve missed out on the real growth, the real transformation that comes from adapting to whatever the journey throws their way.

The same goes for us. Life is constantly changing, and if we cling too tightly to our plans, we miss out on the beauty of adaptability. When things don’t go as expected, we have a choice: we can see it as a failure, or we can see it as an opportunity to learn, grow, and become flexible. 

Maybe that job didn’t work out because there’s something better waiting. Maybe that project didn’t go as planned because you’re meant to focus on something else.

Celebrate your progress, even if it looks different than you imagined. Progress isn’t always a straight line. It’s more like a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey path (yes, I know, mixing up my comparisons here…and I don’t care!) that takes us through ups and downs, twists and turns, and sometimes, an unexpected stop or two.

So how do we really know when it’s time to pivot, to change course? 

It starts with getting clear on what really matters to you. What are your core values? What lights you up, what makes you feel alive? If you’re spending your time and energy on things that don’t align with those values, it’s time to really dig in and reassess.

You’re creating your own personal roadmap as you go along. Instead of following someone else’s path, you’re drawing your own, based on what truly matters to you. 

And yes, that can be insanely scary and messy when you’re drawing the map as you go. Yes, that might mean making some tough choices. But it’s worth it, just to know that you’re living in alignment with who you are and you won’t be living on the edge of burnout and overwhelm constantly.

And while you’re creating your own map, don’t forget to build a supportive community around you. Find people who get it, who understand what it’s like to be on this journey. Find people who are creating their own map as they go, too. Whether it’s friends, family, or a community of like-minded weirdos online, having people in your corner can make all the difference.

Share your experiences, exchange ideas, and support each other. It’s amazing how much easier it is to navigate the twists and turns of life when you’ve got a few fellow adventurers by your side – whether it’s a whole Fellowship, or just Sam keeping you safe.

So, here’s what I want you to take away from today’s episode: It’s okay to change your mind, to change your path, to change your whole damn map if you need to. You are not a failure for choosing a different direction. You’re not giving up—you’re growing, you’re evolving, and you’re figuring out what works for you in this moment.

Take some time this week to reflect on where you are right now. Is the path you’re on still serving you? Or is it time to take a step back and create a new route that aligns with who you are and what you need? Be gentle with yourself. There’s no right or wrong way to do this. It’s all about what feels true to you.

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