What To Do When It's 'Not The Right Time'

Do you ever believe it’s not the right time to pursue your big dreams? 

Maybe you’d love to be married one day. But after years of failed relationships, you’ve decided it’s not the right time to date. 

Maybe you’d like to write a book. But you can’t find the time around your full-time job. 

Maybe you’d like to have a child. But with your bills taking up a huge portion of your income, you can’t imagine ever being able to afford to raise one. 

I’ve certainly been there, my friend. 

Just a few years ago, I wanted to go back to school to earn a degree that would help me land a higher paying job. Well, it was never the right time. 

I had to continue earning money so I could afford my lifestyle. I had a luxury apartment, a car, and a child to feed. Going back to school would mean that I couldn’t work enough to keep up with my bills. 

It wasn’t the right time. 

But I also grew weary of my lifestyle. I had to work three jobs to pay for all my items. I wanted a different life entirely. So, even though it wasn’t the right time, I had to take the leap. 

There might be a book you’ve been thinking about for years, a degree you want to pursue, a shot you want to take…

But you’re still waiting for “the right time.”

In this post, I want to share how you, too, can make the big leaps in your life right now.

A few things to know about ‘not the right time’

What does “it’s not the right time” mean?

“It’s not the right time” is an excuse that people use when the change they want to make is big and scary. It is what people say when they don’t want to prioritize that big scary change. 😳

Here’s the thing. It doesn’t have to be a limiting thought.

Let it encourage you to drive into that thing you’re planning on, to be creative and move through the blocks and challenges that come up.

“It’s not the right time” is an opportunity for growth.

When you make that mindset shift, the thing that it’s “not the right time for” can be a lot less overwhelming and scary. 

Related Content: 7 Signs You Need A Mindset Reset

What happens to your dreams when “it’s not the right time?”

The more you cling to the idea of the ‘right time’ to make a change or to work on your goals, the more time you’ll spend stuck and not making any progress. 

The perfect time might feel good, it might look good in your head, but it just might be what’s holding you back.

That’s not supposed to happen, right? 

The “perfect timing” mindset

When it comes to making big changes in life, people often have a mindset that tells them it’s not the right time.

The thing is that’s just going to keep holding you back. There truly is no “right time” to make a big life change.

You simply must take the leap and see where life takes you. 

And you’ll probably be surprised where you end up.

How to Leap When It’s Not the Right Time

 

Understand it’s never the right time

One thing to know and to always keep in mind with this kind of change is that your brain will tell you it’s “not the right time,” no matter what your heart says.

But, when you’re getting the urge to make a big change and that leap could be incredible and powerful, that’s when you must tune out that voice in your head.      

Believe that you have everything you need to build your dreams

This is the time to listen to your heart and believe in yourself.

That belief, along with the urge to leap, is what will help you power through as you build your dreams.  

We all have a purpose. And the things that we’ve been through in this lifetime have perfectly prepared us to live our purpose fiercely and successfully.

You have everything you need to live your dream.

Surround yourself with the right community

Almost as important as belief in yourself, and not listening to the little voice in your head that’s going to dissuade you - is the community you have around you.

The right support can make ALL the difference in the world.

Supportive friends and family can help you stay strong when you’re nervous. They can help you get back on track if you lose your way, and cheer you on when you’re excited.

Make sure you surround yourself with people who lift you up, not hold you back.

Find the right mentors

A mentor is an important part of your community, and the journey you’re taking to change your life.

Mentors have gone through similar things to what you’re going through.

They’re building the lives of their dreams, and they can help you to map out your transformation. They’ll help you to spot the potential complication and work out solutions when roadblocks come up.

They can remind you that “the right time” doesn’t exist. And that falling down just means that it’s time to get back up.

Related Content: How To Win At Peer To Peer Mentoring

Commit to the journey

It will be a journey full of ups and downs, and that voice in your head that screams about the perfect time will be there too.

But, if you’re truly committed and ready to create your dream life, that little voice will lose a lot of its power.

A vision board is a fantastic tool to use to guide your journey and to help you move on from the “right time” thought track that can keep you stuck.

Related Content: Everything You Need To Know About Creating A Vision Board

Two steps to change this mindset

1. Write down all the reasons this is not the right time for your dreams. (Ex. I have a full-time job and don’t have enough time.) 

2. For each reason, write a counterpoint that uses your reason as an opportunity. (Example: I can take more risks in my journey because I have income that can support my learning, trial, and error.)

There will never be a right time to have a baby, start a new relationship, or build a business. Your dreams will disrupt your life, guaranteed. 

BUT, if you believe that the disruption will bring positive things, you’ll fare far better.

Believe that the disruption will be the great change that brings you joy, new challenges, and greater confidence. And that’s exactly what you’ll find happening in your life.  

Have you been waiting for the right time to act on one of your big dreams? Tell us one step you’ll take today in the comments below. 

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

1. Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.

2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts. 

3. Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!

Five Ways to Stop Negative Self Talk in 60 Seconds or Less

I’m too bubbly, too joyful. 

I don’t talk like a professional. 

Those good jobs weren’t made for “people like me.”

For years, I refused to look for a job. There was no point - I knew no company would want me. 

After poking, prodding, and convincing from my grad school’s career services office, I gained enough confidence to start applying for jobs. 

Through applying, and going through multiple interviews, I found a company that would appreciate me as I am.

Someone who works hard and brings laughter and joy that simply doesn’t exist anywhere else in the workplace. Someone who can deal with high-stress environments with grace. Someone who communicates simply and clearly so everyone can understand. 

I was never too bubbly, too unprofessional, or too dumb. 

The only thing holding me back from a high-paying job in a demanding career field was my negative self talk. 

What is negative self talk? 

Negative self-talk is the inner voice inside you that holds you back from saying and doing the things you really want. 

Some examples of the negative self-talk are: 

• I’m too fat, skinny, old, young, (fill in the blank with your insecurity). 

• I don’t deserve it. 

• I’m not fat, skinny, old, young, (fill in the blank with your insecurity) enough. 

• They wouldn’t like, want, appreciate or approve of me. 

It’s that voice that says you’re not good enough, you won’t be accepted, you won’t fit in and you don’t have what it takes to do or become something you want.

Related Content: Why Every Struggle You Overcome is a Gift

Where does negative self-talk come from? 

This voice comes from your insecurities based on your personal experiences or fears. 

When I got hired for my first professional job in a doctor’s office. I was so excited to purchase my first pair of scrubs and walk behind the desk to help people. 

The doctor fired me in less than two weeks. I didn’t pick up the skills fast enough, made too many mistakes and the patients complained that I didn't take them seriously.

Since then I told myself I wasn’t made for an office. 

How does negative self-talk affect your life? 

Negative self-talk will keep you from starting on the path towards your dreams. No one has to keep your dreams from you because you won’t even try. 

You won’t have the confidence to apply for that job, put your picture up on that dating app, start that workshop, or ask for that opportunity because you’ll be too busy telling yourself why you’re not good enough.

After my first job experience, I refused to apply for any jobs. I wasn’t good enough, I wasn’t smart enough, and I was too silly for a professional setting.

Those limiting beliefs kept me playing small, unable to see what I could become if I allowed myself to move forward.

Related Content: 7 Signs You Need a Mindset Reset

How does negative self-talk affect self-esteem? 

Imagine waking up every day knowing you were meant for more, but talking yourself out of anything big. 

Imagine saying to yourself day after day that you’re not good enough for more. That you weren’t created to succeed. 

After a while, you believe those negative stories and those stories will shape your life. You can’t find confidence in yourself because you can only see the reasons why you’re incapable. 

The honest truth is, if you find yourself constantly talking down to yourself and talking yourself out of your destiny, it’s time to do something about it. 

Related Content: 6 Simple Steps to Quieting Your Mind and Finding Inner Peace

How to stop negative self-talk? 

Replace Your Negative Thought with a question

Instead of simply saying I’m not good at that, ask yourself how you can do it better. 

Instead of saying no one will hire me, I started to ask “how can I become someone companies would love to hire?”

Notice the thought… and change it into something positive.

Pay attention to your negative thoughts, and spin it into something positive about yourself or the situation that you’re in. 

I never had a job before, but that lead me down a creative path. I started to freelance where I was able to find my own clients, bill them, and make money without the help of a company.

That showed my tenacity and grit. 

Validate your feelings. 

Negative self-talk is normal. The worst thing you can do is judge yourself for having a negative thought in the first place. 

Imagine if every time you thought you’re not good enough, you also thought “look at me, always thinking negatively. I’ll never get out of this rut.”

That’ll only send you into a negative feedback loop that’s more difficult to get out of. 

Instead, when you do have a negative thought, remember that everybody does it. It’s normal and human and you can always hit the reset button. 

Related Content: If You Want to be Happy, Try Journaling

Take some serious action.

A lot of my negative thoughts are based on natural insecurities I have. 

For example, I know that I do not like to be caught off guard. As a matter of fact, my mind will go blank sometimes and it makes me feel like less of a professional. 

One day this happened to me and I thought “there you go again, looking like an idiot!” I realized that this is a problem I’ve had for a while so I looked for classes that would help me better navigate those experiences.

I enrolled in an improv class. 

This gave me better tools to navigate moments that I wasn't expecting. With those tools, l gained more confidence in myself because I know I put in the work to become better. 

Give yourself some grace.

We are all human and no one is perfect. You don’t have to expect perfection from yourself. Trust me, no one else does.

We all have negative thoughts that arise throughout the day. That is normal.

You don’t have to let those negative thoughts control your actions or spiral out of control. Practice noticing your thoughts, accepting them, and finding a way to see the opportunities that will infuse positivity into your daily life.

What’s the number one negative thought you have and how will you change it in the future? 

Want To Start Planning Your Vision Board Party? 

1. Download the FREE vision board party planning checklist.

2. Craft your inspiring vision board workshop talk with our FREE High Impact Storytelling Journal Prompts. 

3. Plan, promote & host your first (or next) professional & profitable vision board workshop with our signature course, Sold Out Vision Board Parties.

---

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Cyrene is a fun and accomplished workshop facilitator, learning and development guru and Human Resources professional. Being at the helm of Thrive Lounge has been a long-time dream. Through vision board workshops she plans to accomplish two-way learning. Sharing her vast years of knowledge to motivate and encourage others; while simultaneously getting the reward of great energy, ideas and questions to ponder back from each group. A super win-win. Please join our Thrive Lounge community so you too can benefit!