How I Improved My Life in the First 6 Months of This Year
An important part of self-improvement and creating the life you want is reviewing what is working, what isn’t, how far you have come etc.
Before planning for the second half of this year, I wanted to reflect on what I did right and give some insight into how I am building the foundation of my new life.
In the past 12 months, I had a baby, turned 41, spent time overseas with family, moved across the country and had to set up life in our new area.
Nothing seemed to go as planned, so the first half of this year was mainly about giving myself grace, healing and doing the small things to create the future I want.
1. Boundaries
We started the year in Vanuatu with extended family (my 3 youngest children are ni-Vanuatu).
That trip was eye-opening and life-changing.
It was meant to be a chance for me to heal after 3 pregnancies in 5 years, significant traumas and no time for myself.
That didn’t happen so we adapted, created some boundaries and have stuck to them since.
Learning to create and stick to boundaries has been difficult for me due to how I was raised but it is something I have been working on.
Boundaries are about what I can control and will allow, not about controlling others.
Adjusting my expectations, doing what I could for myself and not allowing others in my life if they are going to behave certain ways has improved every area of my life.
My kids even commented on the difference it made for us.
How Do You Set and Stick to Boundaries?
Be clear, concise and concrete when it comes to your boundaries.
What are your needs in the situation? How can you ensure they are met without relying on the behaviour of others?
Are there things you can do to help reinforce them?
As an example, I have been hurt in the past with people who are drunk. We prefer not to be around people who drink excessively.
If someone wants to drink heavily, they can but we won’t be around them when they are. I can control if we are around people like that, I can’t control if they choose to drink or not.
You do not need to explain or go into detail.
Decide what your boundaries are based on your need. Be clear so those who need to adhere to them can. Take action if needed to enforce the boundaries.
Read how to define your values and create boundaries that stick.
2. Moved Across The Country
We decided to move to Perth at the end of 2024 but it got delayed multiple times, for amazing opportunities.
Finally, after the various opportunities, the birth of my fifth child and months in Tonga and Vanuatu, we moved.
Living here is amazing and has been the only place we have felt at home and can see us being long term.
We tried to settle in other areas but it never felt quite right.
Now, we feel definite we are where we are supposed to be and it is making other aspects of life easier.
3. Tried Something New
Trying new things keeps life interesting.
We have always explored, loved travel and new experiences.
In Vanuatu, we went to some places we had never been despite having visited numerous times.
Moving from Sydney to Perth, we stopped and explored as many places as we could.
Then once in Perth, I finally got to try wrestling. This is something I wanted to do since I was 15 but didn’t back then due to how Australia and my family viewed wrestling.
Being 41, it is not the usual sport women my age go into but one of my daughters inspired me to do it and we have an incredible coach.
I only got to go twice and then childcare became an issue, I had to get my wisdom teeth out etc. But I have a new babysitter and can start at the end of August again.
Push yourself outside your comfort zone and try something you have always wanted to.
4. Started Dental Repairs
Too many people I know put off going to the dentist and end up with costly repairs.
My issue was that I kept putting everyone before me, despite how much I hated my smile.
It was more cosmetic, so I didn’t prioritise it.
To get the smile I wanted required wisdom teeth removal (I had 2 on my top left side), then sorting out the rest.
Recently, I had some dental issues and amazingly, my new dentist was able to remove both those wisdom teeth.
Previously, I had been referred to a surgeon and quoted a high amount, so I put it off.
This was the first step. Now, I have my other appointments booked to sort out my smile so I am happy with it.
5. Focused on my Mental Health and Healing
My postpartum issues this time were extreme and terrifying. It took a lot of time and work to get to a place where I am somewhat ok.
I won’t go into details other than it was severe.
Getting help felt impossible due to being overseas, then moving and all that required.
After going beyond my breaking point, I made my health a priority.
Physically, it is still a work in progress and there will be a surgery in the near future.
Mentally, using a growth journal, online therapy, trying new activities, improving my environment and taking it a day at a time helped me get to a better place.
I am by no means completely better.
I am able to start working and building my life again and my kids have noticed a significant improvement.
6. Rest
Instead of trying to push through on everything, I prioritised rest.
Even though getting up at 5am and doing my ideal morning routine is great, I needed more sleep.
So sleep and recovery was my focus until I had worked enough on my mental health that I was sleeping better.
In the first half of this year, my sleep suffered due to kids, changing timezones, a few disasters and my mental health.
Getting those things sorted so I recovered when I rested was crucial.
Allowing myself to rest instead of having to finish everything on my to do list and giving myself grace enabled me to heal.
By June, I was in a position to get up earlier and do my full routine again instead of only doing each thing for a minute or two.
7. More Outdoor Time and Social Time
I tried to like where we were in Shellharbour, but I hated it.
Living there, I spent less time outside and only went out when I had to take my kids where they needed to go or occasionally for walks.
Our neighbours were amazing, but they were the only people I wanted to get to know there.
There was a lot of drama and a mentality that did not align with me in the area.
Once we left, I immediately felt better, got outside more and made new friends. So did my kids.
In Tonga, Vanuatu, moving from Sydney to Perth and now living in the Fremantle area, I have been more active, gotten more sunshine and made more friends.
In the Illawarra area, I felt stuck.
Now, every day I get outside, see friends, enjoy the sun and feel good.
What to do in the Next 6 Months?
Rather than tell you everything I am doing, here are some articles for you to choose what to do in the next 6 months to improve your life:
17 changes that helped me get out of a rut and increase my happiness
How to know what you need and meet those needs
How to do a life audit to improve everything
How to have more travel and adventure in your life
10 ways to improve your health and wellness
Getting 1% better: how to improve in every area of your life
10 books that improved my finances
11 habits for a more productive life