If you're craving something different, big or small, Dr. Lorraine Bennington, a Vancouver registered psychologist, shares her top tips for taking the leap.

Get unstuck 
If you feel like there's something missing in your life, it's time to figure out what adjustments you can make to improve your situation. Revisit the things that made you happy as a child, which Dr. Bennington says are part of your "life blueprint," to direct your first steps. That could mean taking jewellery-making classes if you've always wanted to be a fashion designer, or returning to university if you've long wanted to be a lawyer.

Visualize your future 
If the idea of change overwhelms you, imagine what your life will look like in five years if things remain the same, then visualize what it will be like if you take the plunge. "Usually, people will say it looks better with the change," says Dr. Bennington.

Don't listen to toxic people 
If you've found that a particular parent, sibling or friend doesn't believe you can succeed (in a new job, with a new partner or as a single parent), it's time to stop expecting that person to miraculously offer support. "Don't share your ideas with someone who is likely to respond negatively every time," says Dr. Bennington. Instead, seek people who are "consistently genuine and supportive."

Rewrite your story 
Even if a transition (like a divorce or a layoff) is out of your control, you can choose to see the situation through a positive lens. Maybe there's a part of you that was unhappy for years or secretly wanted freedom from a controlling husband or a nosy boss. "Reframe the change as something good, rather than as something awful that's happened to you," says Dr. Bennington.

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