We’ve all thought about leaving everything behind to change our lives. In fact, sometimes our lives are so unlike us, and everything is going so wrong, that we don’t know where to start, so the idea of ditching everything and starting again appeals to us. Before you give in to that call, I invite you to ask yourself these 7 questions first, to get a clearer picture.

1 – Do I give myself the right to do things that make me happy?

Before we leave everything behind to change our lives, let’s ask ourselves if we know the difference between things that are useful and urgent, and things that are important.

Useful and urgent things satisfy our physiological needs: hunger, thirst and our need for security: having a roof over our heads, being able to pay the bills… These are things that are indispensable to our happiness.

What are important things? They’re the things that nourish you, that thrill you and make you happy.

They’re things that may seem pointless to others. For example, Elisabeth Gilbert wants to learn Italian. Does that seem useful when she’s in the middle of a divorce? To others, maybe not, but to her, of course it does. And why is that? Because learning Italian makes her heart beat with pleasure and joy, because a smile spreads across her lips when she hears Italian spoken.

The things that make us happy are as useful as the work we do to pay our bills.

It’s up to us to give ourselves the right to do these things. What do you think?

Are there things you don’t want to do because you’re afraid of how others will look at you? Because you don’t think it’s “useful”?
Before you leave everything behind to change your life, give yourself the right to be happy here and now!

2 – Before leaving everything behind to change my life: do I take the time to talk to myself?

When you feel anguish, fear, sadness and anger, what do you do?

Maybe you’re like most people: you judge yourself harshly.

Too often, we think it’s not normal to be sad and angry, so we talk down to each other.

It’s not our fault, because we haven’t learned to talk to each other, reassure each other and accept each other as we are.

As children, we learned very quickly to please others, to cut ourselves off from our own emotions to take care of what others think and feel.

When was the last time you reassured yourself, said nice things to each other? When was the last time you were polite to yourself?
When we feel bad, really bad, to the point of wanting to leave everything behind and change our lives, those around us won’t know how to react, let alone support and reassure us.

Let’s become that person who can be counted on at any hour to speak to us with gentleness and compassion.

Elisabeth Gilbert writes in a journal when she’s distressed and tormented by thoughts that make her suffer. Why don’t you give it a try?

Before you leave everything behind to change your life, learn to be kind to yourself.

3 – Is my mind my best friend?

Our brain processes around 60,000 thoughts a day. The vast majority of our thoughts today are the same as yesterday. In other words, we rehash.

This wouldn’t be such a problem if we didn’t listen to our thoughts.

By attaching importance to our thoughts, we create emotion. And it’s this emotion that makes us suffer.

“We are, after all, what we think. Our emotions are slaves to our thoughts, and we are slaves to our emotions.”

Did you know that you don’t have to listen to your every thought, that you don’t have to “live” them through an emotion?

If there’s anything you should listen to, it’s your heart. Your heart knows what’s good for you. The only problem is that it doesn’t brood. It needs calm and silence to express itself.

When was the last time you sat down alone with yourself? When was the last time you walked just for the sake of walking?
Before you listen to your thoughts and attach too much importance to them, think about calming yourself so you can access your true best friend, the one who means you well: your heart!

4 – Do I know how to let go and move on?

Everything in life is destined to disappear. Even you.

The same goes for your emotions, your relationships, your memory, your health, the objects that surround you… and you know what? Even your suffering is destined to disappear.

In life, we have two choices: enjoy or accept.

Yes, let’s make the most of our good fortune. And if, unfortunately, we’re not lucky at the moment, let’s accept it.

Let’s enjoy it, because everything is destined to disappear, and for the same reason, let’s accept our suffering, because it too is destined to disappear.

This new state of mind will help us stay calm. Today, we’re like weathervanes, constantly reacting to everything around us.

So why not calm down?

What’s on your mind today? Can you accept all the aspects of your life that don’t depend on you?
What makes you happy today? How can you enjoy it more?

5 – Before leaving everything behind to change my life: do I know what I want?

Do you really know what you want? Have you taken the time to think about what you really want to live, experience and embody in your personal, professional and family life?
We often grumble and despair about not getting what we want. But what exactly do we want?

“If I want a transformation, but can’t be bothered to express exactly what I’m aiming for, how can it happen?

So, before you leave everything behind to change your life, take a few moments each day to dream your dream life.

6 – Do I build and maintain my happiness?

“People, universally, tend to think of happiness as a stroke of luck, a state that perhaps falls upon them without warning, like good weather. But happiness doesn’t work that way. It’s the result of personal effort. We fight, we struggle to find it, we chase it, and sometimes even to the ends of the earth.”

Happiness doesn’t fall from the sky.

It’s found in action, in each small step we take to feel more serene, more aligned, more passionate…

Happiness is an intention that must be translated into concrete action. Praying and dreaming are just the first step. Next, we need to put ourselves into action.

And finally, we need to nurture that happiness.

“And once you’ve reached this state of happiness, you have to make it last without ever giving in to neglect, you have to make a tremendous effort and swim relentlessly in this happiness, ever higher, to float on its crests. If you don’t, the contentment you’ve earned will drip out of you, drop by drop.”

And this last stage is not the easiest, quite the contrary.

Happiness must be translated into habits of happiness.

What makes you happy? Can you do it every day? Look for small actions that make you feel good, and do them as often as possible?
Go in search of your happiness and never give up on what makes you feel good.

7 – Do I know how to make choices and decisions?

Do you know that we are both masters of our ship and subject to fate?

This strange mix is both formidable and dangerous.

How many of us “let ourselves be fooled” by life? I don’t mean that life sometimes puts a doubt in our path, a turning point, an obstacle. And, rather than making a clear choice, we let ourselves fall into doubt, confusion and say to ourselves: “But if I’m facing this situation, it must be so…”.

Yes, of course, it’s fate. But you’re also the master of your own ship.

Decide what you want to do with what life gives you.

Don’t let life lead you down a path that doesn’t suit you. Decide what’s right for you and stick with it.

Now you can leave everything behind and change your life!

Once you’ve asked yourself these 7 questions, you’re free to leave it all behind. From now on, you have in your hands real questions that will accompany you whatever you decide, and everything you do will be just like you!

Find out more:

I invite you to read these 2 complementary articles:

Discover How to overcome your fears: 10 powerful exercises
Discover How can you achieve serenity even in times of crisis? 4 tips

I recommend this inspiring book:

The 4-Hour Workweek by Timothy Ferriss
Timothy Ferriss’s book is a guide for those considering leaving everything behind to change their lives. It introduces the concept of lifestyle design, encouraging readers to question conventional norms and take unconventional paths. The book provides an overview of the automation and outsourcing of work, enabling individuals to devote more time to their personal activities. It’s a practical guide for those looking to escape the 9 to 5, redefine success and design a life that matches their aspirations and values.

It was a revelation for me. With a bold new perspective on productivity and lifestyle, Ferriss challenges conventional work norms and offers practical strategies for living more and working less. He has inspired me to rethink my priorities and lead a more balanced and experientially rich life. An essential book for those seeking to break away from routine and live life to the full!

Thank you very much for reading this article.

If you liked it, let me know in the comments.

Take care of yourself