There are certain times it doesn’t just make sense to change your life; it’s expected: the new year, birthdays, after a significant life event like a move or divorce.

But who says you have to wait? If you’re looking for a fresh start to reinvigorate – or entirely reinvent – your life, you can start any time, even today. Even small changes can bring about meaningful results or, at the very least, inspire other changes.

Read on for some tips to change your life right now.

Shake Up Your Routine

It’s way easy to get stuck in a rut, doing the same things day in and day out. Shaking up those routines is the first step to changing your life.

You don’t have to mix up your whole day, just pieces of it. Take a different route to work. Pick up a book instead of turning on the TV. Visit a new restaurant or coffee shop or change up your usual order. 

Little changes like these are often just enough to freshen up an old routine, creating the space for something new.

Give Yourself a Chance to Be Different

Remember back in school when we all wrote “never change” in our friends’ yearbook and genuinely thought that was a good thing? Yeah, it’s not.

You’re not required to be and do the same thing forever. Honestly, it wouldn’t be great if you did. 

Change is part of life and part of being human. You can either let it happen to you or own it, but owning it is the key to building the life you want. Acknowledge who you are today, honor the idea that you want to be different, and then give yourself space to do it.

Let Go of the Past

Regret is real, and it is heavy. But you’ll never be able to move forward unless you let go of the past. 

Letting go sounds easy, but we all know it’s not. Acknowledge what has happened and forgive yourself or those who hurt you. When bad memories pop up, don’t dwell on them. Separate who you are from what you did or what happened to you. Focus on where you are now and where you’re headed.

Figure Out Your “Why”

According to author Simon Sinek, our “why” is, or should be, at the heart of everything we do. It gives us purpose and motivation and makes us unique. In one video, he says that our why is the thing that we bring to the world. 

Before we get to the what and how of change, we have to figure out the why. Who are we at our very core? How does that drive and shape our ideas and goals and decisions? 

Sometimes we find our why through trial and error. Other times, our friends and family help to point us toward it. Often, we already know our why deep within our souls. We just have to be brave enough to embrace it.

Set Goals to Change Your Life

If you don’t know where you’re going, how will you know when you get there? Goals give us a clear target and direction for our change. 

Goals can be big or small. The important thing is that they support our “why” and the vision we have for ourselves. Good goals are clear and measurable and have purpose behind them.

Once you know your goals, you can create the systems and strategies needed to achieve them. At that point, the only thing left to do is to begin.

Take a Deep Breath and Go

Ready to change your life? Good. Take a deep breath and make a move. 

Your fresh start might require a life-changing event like a move or a career change. It might also be as simple as a new outlook on your current situation. Big or small, it doesn’t matter; just do something right now to move you one step closer toward your goals.

Change won’t be easy, so surround yourself with people who love and support you. Embrace the journey, messy as it may be, and keep your eye on your goals. Take time to care for your mind and body.

Remember: you don’t have to wait for New Year’s Day for a fresh start. With the tips we’ve outlined, you can start to change your life today.