Ever looked at your house decorations and said that the curtains and wallpaper are outdated and it needed some revamping? Or ever looked in the mirror and played the idea of cutting your hair and sporting a totally different hairstyle or even a different hair color? Ever paused in front of your desktop at work and told yourself that you are sick and tired of the regimented tasks you have for the day? If so, you are not alone. I have felt the same too.
With some of those examples I have mentioned, did you ever think of doing something about it or to address those changes that you would like to do? Has it ever crossed your mind to totally or some cases, slightly change your personality, appearance, career or even your lifestyle? Then if yes, I think you may have hit that "crossroads" and may have thought of reinventing yourself.
Now, before writing this blog, I read several articles about the subject and even had a discussion with close confidantes of what their opinion of reinventing ones's self is. I am surprised in a way that we all view it differently. While one said, it is about fundamentally changing your character or the core of your identity, on the other hand, one said it is more of major life-changing moments that you take upon that impact one's life in a drastic way.
While I agree to both in some extent, I think reinventing one's self doesn't always have to be drastic or full-blown; meaning it could be minor but strong and impactful enough that there is a difference to what it is now to what it was before. It could be from the little things and details about your ways (personality-wise) that you can start to change, or the activities that you engage yourself in or even a different haircut, hair color to major changes such as a transition in your career. I am no means an expert in this subject, but based from my own experience, I have done both: major and minor "reinvention".
A small example I want to elaborate on is that year after year, I have constantly changed, experimented and shifted different fashion looks and trends to even different hairstyles and colors to find the right look or sense of style that defines me and my personality. Those who knew me for a long time could attest that I was once a brunette, a redhead, a strawberry blonde to sporting braids, short bob with bangs, long curly hair to my present platinum blond, straight shoulder-length hairstyle. I did those small changes partially because I was trying to get to know myself a little bit more and trying to see how I will identify myself physically. It is that moment where in people can identify you with a specific look by saying "Oh, MC, that is so you..." With that being said, can I finally say that I have fully-reinvented my appearance? Maybe one could say that there is a huge change in comparison from before to now but because I see myself as constantly open to new things and ideas that I see myself in constant change, continuously evolving and ever-growing. There is a quote that I always lived on by, The quote says
" Change is the only constant thing in life"
Now, I know people personally and I have been in their shoes before where I am very reluctant to change. A part of it is due to complacency, comfortability and a part of it has to do with the fear of taking risks and fear of the unknown. When you change a personality trait, will people like your more? Will people like you less? When you change your appearance, will they find your more attractive? or if you totally shift and change career paths, would you be more successful in it? These are only some of the questions we pose ourselves as to why we find reinvention a little bit more complicated. Those questions and fears are valid. It is in our nature to like having control especially in our own lives. But at some point, we have to ask ourselves a question and do a self-analysis; weighing the pros and cons and advantages and risks of doing a change: whether big or small in scope. By doing so, it will eventually be a defining factor should we be ready to reinvent ourselves. An article in Psychology Today made an important point about it by stating that:
"It's in our nature, for example, to spend our energy primarily on today's immediate concerns, to hold a distorted perception of our future, or, even if we're future-focused, to keep chasing after what turn out to be the wrong dreams. Too often, we give up just when we need to push harder, and persist when we actually should quit. Yet without a more clear-eyed assessment of our present and our future, and a more effective approach to setting, pursuing, and achieving goals, we can end up with a future we really don't want—in which we are sick, broke, lonely, or just plain unfulfilled."
Now, when is the right time to say "Let's do it" or when it is the time say "Stop and slow down"? That is the task that each one of us is to face. Another personal example I can give is that in my corporate life, I used to work in the fashion industry for years, in which I found myself being bored out of doing the same things over and over again without being able to call the shots. Then, I shifted to marketing which allowed me to tap into my creative ideas in a business manner. Years later, I made a big decision to go back to school and pursue my MBA that paved a way for an opportunity to work in the financial services. Years ago, I was also a performer and a singer which I still do from time to time when the opportunity allows me to and I have taken the risk of launching my own online jewelry brand, L'AMOUR A PARIS, which will be going on for four years now! Let alone this new fashion and lifestyle blog project in which you are reading one of my posts. That for me, is how I constantly reinvent myself year after year.
Of course, I have challenges and hurdles that I had to tackle and face along the way and I am sure that there will be more in the future, but finding and knowing what my passions and interests in life and diving into it is very well worth it. Not only I reinvented myself in the end but I got to know myself more. I was able to pinpoint my strengths and weaknesses during the process. If i succeed, then that means I made the right choice and decision in moving to that path, if not, then there is always a chance to restart, rebuild and another reason to reinvent yourself. That is the beauty of life, we get another shot at it while we are living and as long as we are willing to restart. While most people fear failure and starting from scratch, we should start seeing it in a different light. The only way you will really know if you will be happy, successful and content in something is by taking the risk and trying it. Otherwise, like the good old cliche goes, we end up doing the "should've, could've, would've" and that is something that we could avoid only if we are brave enough and be more open to taking risks in reinventing ourselves. Of course, it is always easier said than done, but the sheer fact that you are already thinking about it or welcoming the idea while reading this post is already a good sign.
So whether your "a-ha moment" arrives sooner or later in life; or whether you decide to change in your own little way or a more substantial form, what matters at the end of the day, is to consider if these changes will make you happy. Being able to say "I am happy about it" is what is vital and paramount and it will truly change the trajectory of how your future will look like.
Tomorrow, August 11th, is my 34th birthday and I am looking forward to another chapter and year of making memories, reinventing and getting to know myself a little better. I am also very thankful and grateful to have the opportunity and the right team of people who support and motivate me, no matter how unconventional or crazy my ways are at times, to be the BEST VERSION OF ME, one bamboo a time!