Two of the most significant periods of transition in your life will be when you move from high school to college and from college into the real world.

Here are five of my top go-to strategies for being happy and successful and making smooth transitions at any stage of life.

#1 Stand up for yourself and what you believe in — and know what you believe in.

Standing up for yourself and what you believe in educates the world on what you will and will not accept in regards to how they treat you, and it can arm you with tools to set a situation straight when it doesn’t feel right to you. Sometimes, this is simply about making a choice — saying “no” to something that doesn’t feel right or takes you off your desired path, even if saying “no” is scary.

And in order to stand up for what you believe in, you have to know what you believe. Start paying attention to what matters to you and really get curious about it. Make sure that the beliefs you are standing up for are your own and not just something you inherited or copied from someone else.

#2 Realize that life is about choices — make choices that ring true to your soul, every time.

There is so much power in realizing that life is about the choices you make. We can make good choices and bad choices, and yes, you will make both.

Own all of the choices you make and do the best you can to always make the best, most true choices for you. Oh, and let’s not forget that not making a choice is, ultimately, a choice, but when you don’t choose, you just may be leaving the door open for someone else to choose for you.

Your soul will ALWAYS help you make good choices. Listen to your soul and then follow it — as often as you can.

#3 Don’t wait for tomorrow — be an active participant in your life TODAY.

Make every today count. Be awake and aware to the things and people that are present in your life right now. Or as I like to say, “Live in the what-is.”

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If you spend every today thinking about how you can make tomorrow better, your life WILL pass you by. So be aware of tomorrow, but live in today — make all of your actions conscious and intentional.

My life coach once said something to me that made so much sense when it comes to being present and fully engaged in the present. This is what she said,

“If every choice you make today is authentic for you,
then why do you have to worry about tomorrow?
Won’t it just take care of itself?”

#4 If it’s not working, change it — as soon as possible and whatever it is.

Large or small, whatever it is, if it’s not working, stop. And I mean now, as soon as it starts to feel bad or off or just wrong. If it’s not working now, it’s not likely to start working simply because you give it a little more time or just one more chance.

Let. It. Go. Whatever it is for you. That thing that you are hanging on to, settling for, fighting to change — even though no matter what you try it just doesn’t fit or isn’t getting better. Start looking at your options and considering what other choices may be available to you.

It’s really pretty simple. If what you’re doing isn’t working, do something different. It’s your choice. Choose to stay? Stop complaining — about how bad things are or how hurt you are or how unfair things are.

And if you’re not sure, yet, imagine Dr. Phil standing in front of you and asking, with a smirk on his face and sarcasm in his voice, “How’s that workin’ for ya?”

#5 Be completely honest with yourself — always, no matter what.

In all areas of your life, always look at the whole truth of every situation, every encounter, every relationship and every choice — even (or maybe especially) the parts of the truth you don’t want to believe.

We lie to ourselves all the time about things that are going on in our lives. We make all sorts of excuses for the things and people in our lives rather than telling ourselves the truth about them, because we don’t like the answers that the truth will tell us. But the lies don’t help us. They trap us.

So know the truth, embrace the truth, live the truth, because as it has been said, the truth will set you free.
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Featured image credit: Ordinary Abundance