Be Your Own Wake-Up Call
Put up your hand if there’s something you’d like to do, try, or start, but haven’t done it yet.
Ok…put your hand down. (You look ridiculous.) :)
The idea of trying something new (big or small) is something we often wrestle with but rarely act on. We feel that too. So we wanted to explore why, in spite of a desire to do or try something different, we don't take action on that "thing” (however big or small it might be).
Barriers to change
After some digging, we arrived at three barriers to action. This list isn’t exhaustive but these three cover most of what prevents us from making a change or taking action on something we feel drawn toward.
1. Fear and Familiarity
Even if life isn’t great, at least it’s familiar. There’s a strange comfort in routine (even a disappointing one). Fear of the unknown, fear of failure, or fear of losing part of who we are are all powerful anchors. We stay stuck, because stepping out of familiarity means stepping into uncertainty (which we've literally evolved to be afraid of).
2. Exhaustion and Overwhelm
All the little decisions we make daily drain us, from how to handle a challenging client to what to make for dinner. By the end of the day, even deciding what show to watch can feel exhausting. Add in perfectionism, the opinions of others, and a lack of support, and taking action feels like just another thing. We get overwhelmed, so we stay on autopilot.
3. Inner Narratives
This one’s the most troubling. A big reason we stay stuck isn’t external, it’s internal. It’s the quiet voice that asks, “Who do you think you are?” There isn’t a person we spend more time with than ourselves, and those internal conversations can quickly become invisible walls keeping us from building a more meaningful external life.
What Finally Sparks Change?
The good news is that although there are barriers to change, we do find a way to overcome them all the time, just not always for that one nagging thing we keep thinking about. You’ve absolutely overcome something in your life. You've done it before...and maybe making change felt easy at the time. Why was that?
Catalysts for Change
1. Wake-Up Calls
Loss, breakdowns, or "near-misses" are moments that shake us. They pull us out of autopilot and make us see life differently. Think about how carefully you drove home after seeing someone run a red light. Or how tightly you hugged a loved one after hearing a story about someone losing a person they love. When you get a 'wake-up' call, suddenly change doesn’t feel like a risk. It feels like survival and action comes naturally.
2. The Slow Burn
Sometimes it’s not dramatic. It’s a quiet knowing that the life you’ve built no longer fits who you’ve become. Eventually, the cost of staying stuck becomes too high. But reaching that breaking point can take a long time. Long enough that it might be too late to make meaningful change like recovering an important relationship, learning to surf, or starting that new career.
3. Milestones and Mirrors
Milestones, like turning 30, 40, or 50, becoming a parent, or reaching another major life marker, can prompt reflection. Other experiences, like attending a retreat, reading a powerful book, listening to a podcast, or having an authentic conversation, can act as mirrors that make us ask ourselves, "Is this the life I want to live?" While powerful, milestones only come around occasionally, and those 'mirror' moments are rare unless we're not just looking for them but willing to let them impact us.
Can you CREATE a Catalyst Event for Yourself?
All of these catalysts are often events that happen to you and are outside of your control. Unfortunately, they’re often big, even traumatic experiences that can derail you completely. Yes, they might push you into action, but the fallout can make doing that 'thing' impossible. The impact might change your reality entirely.
Unfortunately, we’re no strangers to having these ‘big’ life events strike us.
There is a concept in psychology called Post-Traumatic Growth. It describes how some people report meaningful change after a traumatic event. Rather than being trapped in the aftermath of trauma, research shows that some individuals experience real growth. In spite of something terrible happening, the experience can drive people to finally do the 'thing' they've been putting off for weeks, months, years, or even decades.
This led us to explore an important question:
Can you get the benefits of post-traumatic growth without the trauma?
The answer is yes. But it takes intention. And that's what all of the work we do at Vienna Waits this has been, and will continue to be about.
A wake-up call can shake you into action, but it’s a risky game. You don't know what the event will be, how it might impact you, or if you'll even be in a place to respond.
Instead, you can choose to take yourself off autopilot and become your OWN catalyst for change. You can make life happen for you instead of letting life happen to you.
One Final Thought
If you’ve been stuck with the idea of a 'thing' sitting on the back burner of your brain…knowing you want to change but not quite knowing how to start…know this:
You don’t need a breakdown to begin.
You don’t need to hit a milestone.
And you absolutely don't need permission from someone else.
Sometimes, awareness is enough. A little discomfort. A gentle nudge. A story that hits just right.
If you’ve felt one of those nudges lately, follow it. Step toward the thing you’ve been quietly craving.
Creating a catalyst for change is something you can do for yourself. That’s what living with intention is all about. Living on autopilot blocks all of us (yes... us too) from creating our most fulfilling lives.
If something in this post stirred something in you, take the step. Move toward that 'thing'.
If you know someone who needs this message, share it with them.
You don’t have to wait for a wake-up call to build something meaningful.
You can start now. On purpose.
Let’s get to work.
“Change before you’re forced to change.”