Have you ever wished you could figure out how to reset your life? Simply hit the reset life button and make a completely fresh start?
A few years ago, I did just that.
Back in March 2020, as the world shut down for COVID-19, the fashion company I was working for at the time had to temporarily close up shop and like many others, I found myself suddenly unemployed and stuck at home during lockdown.
Honestly, this was the best thing that could have happened to me professionally and personally.
With more time at home and without the distractions of work, social life, places to be, all of the outside noise, I was able to connect with myself in a way I had never really done before.
The “pause on life” during the initial weeks and months of the pandemic led me to reevaluate how I had been living my life up until that point. I experienced a significant shift in my mindset, and gained a new perspective on how to “do life” in a way that felt more fulfilling and joyful.
I was able to “reset life” and start a new chapter in which I embrace the things that bring me joy and purpose on a daily basis and prioritize what matters most to me.
This new lease on life has been the impetus for Little Voice Big Matter and I’ve yet to look back!
Are you yearning for a reset in your life? In this post, I will give you 10 ideas for how to reset your life and make a fresh start.
Related: “Spring Awakening: How to Begin a New Chapter in Life”
What does it mean to reset your life?
Sometimes we feel stuck, stagnant, or discontent with the way things are going in our lives. Maybe you’ve gotten off track or made some bad decisions.
Whatever the case, many times it’s within your power to wipe the slate clean and start again. You can give yourself a “do-over” and reset your life in whatever way you feel is needed.
When you reset life, you choose to make improvements in your life in any shape or form, at a pace you can comfortably commit to.
This may mean setting new goals, clearing your head of any unfinished to-dos, changing careers, or simply giving your daily habits a bit of an overhaul.
Related: “5 Legit Reasons You’re Feeling Stuck in Life (+ 25 Affirmations for Motivation)”
How do you reset your life?
While my life reset may have been kind of a big deal, it doesn’t have to be. Sometimes all you need is a little refresh.
I’ve got you covered with the ideas below.
10 Ways to Reset Life
1.) Set new goals
Setting some new short-term and long-term goals can help give you focus and direction.
I like to set larger goals at the start of the year and then break them down into tasks for a few months at a time. This feels manageable to me, especially since I know my priorities and schedule can change.
If you’d like help with goal-setting, be sure to check out my post “New Month, New Goals: How to Set Monthly Goals and get the FREE Monthly Goals Worksheet. ⤵️
2.) Create a clean to-do list
When endeavoring to reset your life, it’s wise to scrap your old to-do list and create a clean one that is based on the new goals you’ve set.
Break down your new goals into actionable tasks and use these to inform your monthly, weekly, and daily to-do lists.
Don’t be tempted to look at the old to-do list you might already have running, perhaps with tasks that you never got around to completing! If you haven’t done something after months of it being on your to-do list, maybe it’s just not that important or is no longer aligned with what you want.
The idea here is to start fresh – with your new goals top of mind.
Related: “How to Plan Your Week to be Productive (9 tips that really work)”
3.) Set your intentions
Along with your new goals and to-do list, it can be helpful to set your intentions for how you want to start showing up as you reset life.
An intention is not tangible or measurable like a goal. Rather it is more about defining how you want to be.
For example, as we’ve just welcomed the new year, I’ve set some new intentions for myself. These include being more present with my kids, being more open to new things, and being more social.
How I’m going to fulfill these intentions will be more specific.
In order to be more present with my kids, I might set aside 10 minutes before bed each night to snuggle and talk with each of my children. To be more open to new things, I might aim to try 1 new activity each month.
Whatever your intentions are, they should reflect your values. You will find that being intentional in your choices will help to focus your time, energy, and mindset on what truly matters to you.
Related: “What You Need To Know About Setting Daily Intentions”
4.) Establish healthy routines
Healthy routines and habits that make us feel good are key to our happiness and overall sense of well-being.
A thoughtfully crafted routine that includes things that nourish our minds, bodies, and souls can also help us find more fulfillment in our lives.
I don’t know about you, but I feel a lot happier and more stable when I stick to my routines. Recently, my normal routines had fallen to the wayside due in part to the holidays and other schedule changes and I truly did not feel like my best self.
I’ll let you in on some of the healthy routines that work in my life. Maybe you’d like to try some and see what works for you.
Early wakeup time during the week
- I wake up 1 hour before my kids so I have some time to myself before the hustle of the day begins.
- If you want to learn how to create a morning routine that works for your life, check out my post “How to Establish a Morning Routine That Will Make You Love Waking Up”
Daily movement
- I try to incorporate some type of physical movement each day, as I’ve seen the benefits, especially to my mental health.
- Daily exercise doesn’t have to be rigorous if that’s not what you want, but some type of movement each day will truly help you feel good.
- If you’d like to read about how I was able to finally make a lasting commitment to fitness and some tips on how you can too, click on over to “The #1 Secret You Need to Commit to Fitness in the New Year (plus 4 bonus tips!)”.
Meal prepping
- Having healthy foods prepared helps me make nutritious food choices throughout the week, rather than reaching for what’s easiest, because that’s often junk food!
- Nourishing my body with healthy food choices makes me feel strong and is a way to love my body.
- Read more about how to love your body in these posts: “How to Love Your Body Just the Way It Is” and “160 Positive Body Affirmations (for Body Confidence, Acceptance, and Love)”.
Journaling
- Writing in my journal each morning gives me clarity and helps ground me.
- If you’re curious about the different types of journaling, check out “Types of Journaling: Which Is Best For You?” and be sure to get my FREE Journaling Guide, which includes the exact template I use for journaling and steps for how to create your own journaling practice, along with 50 journal prompts you can use.
Related: “How to Create Routines and Habits that Stick”
5.) Refresh your space
Another important idea for how to reset your life has to do with your physical environment, i.e. where you physically spend your time – your home, workspace, car, etc.
Ideally, you want your physical space to encourage growth and create a sense of peace in your life. When it’s not in order, it can create havoc in your mind.
Have you ever heard the expression “a cluttered space leads to a cluttered mind”? When my house is a mess, it certainly makes me feel anxious and scattered!
Right now, thoughts of the unruly collection of toys that has gotten out of hand in my basement is weighing heavily on me. 😫
Thus, doing a little “spring cleaning” where you organize and get rid of unnecessary “stuff” that has collected around your physical space can do wonders for your mental headspace.
Taking it a step further and actually changing your physical environment, like rearranging the layout of your bedroom, getting new furniture that better suits you, or going to a different coffee shop to work, can most definitely be the “refresh” you need.
6.) Do a digital cleanse
If you want to do a reset on life, an integral part of that is evaluating how you’re using your time each day and making an effort to tune out distractions in your life in order to focus on what’s important to you.
One of the greatest sources of distraction for most of us is our phones or our dependence on digital devices and media.
Consider creating healthier boundaries with the digital world by turning your phone off or setting it to do not disturb mode during certain times each day. I also suggest limiting the time you spend scrolling social media, as well as unsubscribing from emails lists and social media accounts that do not add value to your life.
Related: “7 Ways to Find Time to Unplug (and Take Back Your Life)”
7.) “Reset” your social circle
Take a look at the people you’re spending your time with. If you’re not surrounding yourself with people who make you feel good, it may be necessary to “reset” your social circle a bit.
Put energy into those people and relationships that make you feel uplifted and supported in life. If there are certain people who consistently drain your energy or impact your mood negatively, reconsider the boundaries you have with them.
You can’t necessarily eliminate all “negative” people from your life, but you can limit your interactions with them to a level that feels more manageable.
Related: “How to Set Boundaries with Family and Make Them Last”
8.) Try new things
Trying new things helps you maintain a sense of curiosity about the world around you and gives your confidence a boost when you’re able to master a new skill or hobby.
Be open to ideas and try new things like –
- Take a gym class that you’ve never done before
- Give your wardrobe a makeover
- Explore a new town or city
- Get a fresh new haircut or color
- Try making a new recipe at dinner
- Take a different route to work
By changing things up a little and getting out of your comfort zone, you’ll also get out of that “same old same old” slump and be ready to reset life in no time.
You might even discover a new interest or passion along the way.
Related: “5 Surprising Books on Finding Your Passion In Life”
9.) Make your self-care a priority
As moms, we often feel that prioritizing ourselves and our self-care is selfish, unproductive, or taking something away from our families.
But the truth is that expending all of your time and energy on everything BUT yourself will only lead to feelings of resentment and eventual burnout.
Reset life by adopting the mindset that true self-care does not involve large amounts of time, nor does it take anything away from your family. Rather it is simply prioritizing and meeting your needs, and making space for yourself in your life.
Give yourself permission to set aside time for YOU each day, doing the things that make YOU happy and everyone in your life will benefit.
Related: “Fall in Love with Taking Care of Yourself”
10.) Establish daily check-ins (with yourself)
It’s important to take some time during the day to shut out all the outside noise in order to reflect on your goals and priorities, the choices you’ve been making and whether they’re aligned with what you truly want.
Set aside some quiet time each day to check-in with yourself and reflect.
You can do this through journaling, yoga, meditation, a nature walk, or you might prefer to simply sit quietly and think while you sip a cup of tea or coffee.
Interested in some self-reflection journal prompts? Get yours by clicking the image below⤵️
Related: “10 Major Benefits of Self Reflection (+ FREE Questions to Get Started Today)”
I hope you found these ideas for how to reset your life helpful.
Resetting your life can be challenging, but sometimes it’s necessary in order to make your best true self a reality and to create the life of joy and purpose that you desire.
Did you like this post? Check out some others along these lines:
How To Glow Up Mentally: 25 Essential Tips
Spring Awakening: How to Begin a New Chapter in Life
Finding Purpose as a Stay at Home Mom
Are You Making Time for What Matters Most in Life?
Carly is a wife, mom, and former NYC fashion industry executive turned writer and life coach. Through her writings on littlevoicebigmatter.com, she shares practical advice, heartfelt insights, and actionable resources to inspire and support women in motherhood, relationships, wellness, and life. Carly also helps women create better balance in their lives and live with more joy, purpose, and connection every day through her coaching.
Carly’s writing is truly motivating and inspirational. As her mom I am probably her best fan, but I have to say in an objective way that she has given me many ideas and techniques to be my best self. I am now at a time in my life where I have the time to practice so much of what I’ve learned from my daughter. However you younger moms must make the time to incorporate these suggestions to be your best self. You will feel like a better mom and a better you. Thank you Carly.
This is such a beautiful read with so many helpful ideas. I know I can take away many from this and I am sure so many others could as well. Thank you so much.
A great list! I feel inspired to refresh my space now! Thanks for sharing.