How to Reinvent Yourself

Co-authored by Lucy Yeh

Last Updated: February 28, 2023 References Approved

Reinventing yourself doesn't mean taking baby steps to become a slightly different person -- it means diving into a new and improved version of yourself head-first. Truly reinventing yourself, whether you want to change your career, your outlook, or the way you view your relationships, is hard work, but it pays off tenfold. If you want to reinvent yourself, you have to make a game plan, address your flaws, and never stop learning.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Visualize Your New Future

1
Reflect on the changes you want to make. Before you jump into reinventing yourself, you need to slow down, reflect, and spend some time writing down your thoughts. Ask yourself why you want to reinvent yourself and what you want your future to look like. Make a list of all the things you want to change, and all the ways that you can begin to do so.^{[1]
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Expert Source

Lucy Yeh
Life Coach
Expert Interview. 21 November 2019.}
- Write down the big changes you want to make. Maybe you want to lose a considerable amount of weight; maybe you want to learn to be generous; maybe you want to go from working on Wall Street to being a scuba diving instructor. Whatever big changes you want to make, write them down, and make a list of how you can go about accomplishing those goals.
- Write down the small changes, too. Though reinventing yourself takes big leaps, Rome wasn't built in a day, and the new you won't be, either. Make a list of small things that can slowly help you build up to your new life. This could be learning to meditate in the morning, volunteering in your community for just an hour a week, or eating more fruits and vegetables every day.
2
Create a game plan for making those changes. Once you've written down the changes that will give you a new future, write down a reasonable goal for a time when you can say, "Yeah, I accomplished this thing." It could be months, or even a year or more away. But once you pick a date, you'll be closer to your goal. You can make goal dates for the small stuff; for example, you could say, "I will read three new books by the end of the month." Making a plan is a part of the commitment.^{[2]
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- Write your goal dates into your calendar, just like you would with any other commitment.
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3
Stay motivated. If you want to get closer to reinventing yourself, then you need to stay positive and motivated throughout this journey, even if you're not feeling energetic or hopeful on a particular day. Staying mentally strong means winning half the battle to becoming a better person. Here are some ways to motivate yourself:^{[3]
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- Surround yourself with images that remind you of your vision for your future. If your plan is to devote yourself to gardening full-time and to expand your property, then surround yourself with potted plans and images of beautiful gardens.
- Write about your goals in a journal. Take at least 10 minutes out of your day to write about how close you are to achieving your goals, and chronicling your process as you make the big changes. You'll feel more confident about your goals once you reflect.
- Write down at least three reasons why you want to reinvent yourself on an index card. Carry it around with you at all times so that you can pull it out and stay pumped in a moment of weakness.
4
Share your plans to reinvent yourself with others. Reinventing yourself will be much easier if your loved ones, coworkers, or any other people in your life know about your decision. Sit down with all of the important people in your life and tell them about the change you want to make, and ask for their support during this period of adjustment. They should understand that you're serious about changing and should help motivate and encourage you as you go through this process.^{[4]
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- If you're active on social media, share with your online community as well. The more people who know about your plans, the more indebted you'll feel to making this serious commitment.
- Make sure your loved ones take you seriously. They shouldn't try to draw you in to the "old you" that you want to shed.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Address Your Flaws

1
Improve the way you think. Reinvention starts at the mind. You won't be able to reinvent yourself if you're stuck in the same old thinking patterns. While you may have many healthy thinking patterns, you could always improve some of the aspects of your thinking as you move forward in your journey. Here are some great places to start:
- Think more positively. If you find yourself often picturing the worst thing that could happen in any scenario, thinking that everyone is mad at you because you've made a mistake, or convinced that nothing you do can improve your life, then it's time to make a concerted effort to be a more positive thinker every single day. Start by pinning down your negative thoughts and practicing positive responses to assure you that you're going down the right path.^{[5]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Lucy Yeh
  Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 21 November 2019.}
- Improve your thinking about the future. Many people are filled with anxiety and dread when they think of the future -- but not you! At least, not anymore. Make sure that any thoughts of the future, however uncertain, put you in a happy and excited place.^{[6]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Greater Good Magazine
  Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
  Go to source}
- Improve the way you think about yourself. Gain confidence and learn to love the person you really are, how you look, and what you do. Without confidence, you won't have the ability to change.
- Improve the way you view your situation in life. Learn to be more grateful for the things you do have instead of focusing on the things you want.^{[7]
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  Trustworthy Source
  Greater Good Magazine
  Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living
  Go to source}
2
Improve the way you interact with others.^{[8]
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Trustworthy Source
HelpGuide
Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
Go to source} Though you may think you're a model mother, significant other, or friend, there is always room for improvement. If you want to reinvent yourself, it's time to change the way that you interact with others -- whether it's the mailman or your husband of thirty years. Here are some things you can do:
- Be a better friend. Take the time to listen to your friends more, to help them with their problems, and to do little favors that will light up your friends' days. Work on being less selfish and more caring toward your friends.^{[9]
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- Be a better significant other. Take the time to be more romantic and more adventurous, and to tell your loved one how you really feel every single day.^{[10]
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- Be a better employee. Whether you're the boss, or working on the ground floor, take the time to get to know your coworkers and to be kind and helpful.^{[11]
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- Be a better citizen. Take the time to be generous and to volunteer in your community, whether it's to teach children how to read at your local library, or to clean up your community park every Saturday.^{[12]
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3
Improve your health. Unless you're a complete health guru, it's likely that you can take some steps to improve your overall health.^{[13]
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Trustworthy Source
Harvard Medical School
Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
Go to source} Improving your body will lead to major improvements in your mind, and you will be better equipped to deal with daily problems and will feel more positive and energetic along the way. Here are some great ways to improve your health:
- Find a new exercise routine.^{[14]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  HelpGuide
  Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
  Go to source}Take a yoga, salsa dancing, or karate class, and fall in love with the new activity as well as its health benefits.
- Take time for a few 20-minute walks a few times a week. Taking walks will not only improve your health, but it will give you time to reflect on your new vision for your future.^{[15]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  Harvard Medical School
  Harvard Medical School's Educational Site for the Public
  Go to source}
- Be a healthy eater. Learn to eat three balanced meals a day, filled with healthy carbs, lean proteins, and plenty of fruits and vegetables.^{[16]
  X
  Trustworthy Source
  HelpGuide
  Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
  Go to source}
- Do whatever you can to reduce stress in your life -- this will have numerous health benefits. Take the time to unwind for half an hour before you go to bed, minimize your extra commitments, reduce caffeine intake, and try to eliminate as many stress-causing factors in your life as you can.^{[17]
  X
  Expert Source
  
  Lucy Yeh
  Life Coach
  Expert Interview. 21 November 2019.}

Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Never Stop Learning

1
Improve your education. If you really want to reinvent yourself, then you need to understand that reinvention is a never-ending process. Though you may reach your set goals, if you want to be an improved, well-rounded person, you should recognize that there is always more to learn. This will keep you from being complacent and will continue to drive your hunger for knowledge. Here are some traditional and non-traditional ways to get an education:
- If you've been thinking about going back to school for the last few years, it's time to put down your reservations and apply, no matter how old you are or how insecure you feel. You should enroll in courses at your local community college or a university to improve yourself, especially if you need a more formal education to reach your career goals.
- Read works by experts on subjects you want to know about. You can learn a lot about almost any given topic by getting the information straight from the horse's mouth. You can make a goal of learning about one completely new subject each week.
- Travel. Seeing the world in all its glory can help you change your perspective and will help you become more open-minded and learn about how other parts of the world function on a daily basis.
- Learn a new language. Taking a language class in person, online, or through a textbook can help you expand your brain and learn to think in more than one set way.
2
Read more. Reading is the key to expanding your learning. If you don't read, you won't be able to gain knowledge and work to become your best self. You can read a variety of materials, from newspapers, fiction, historical nonfiction, memoirs, or science journals. Anything you read, as long as it comes from a credible source, will help you build knowledge and become a more well-rounded person. Here are some great things to read:
- Read philosophy. Philosophy will expand your worldview and will show that the world is more complicated than it seems. It will also open up more ways of viewing your daily life, and will help you improve the vision you have of the future you.
- Read international fiction. Reading works by authors from different countries will help you gain an understanding of how people live on the others side of the world. Reading about other countries is also a great way to travel without moving from your couch.
- Read the newspaper. Make a goal of reading the newspaper for just 10-15 minutes a day, so that you feel more complete as you follow current events and have a stronger sense of how the world works.
- Read the classics. Indulge in Tolstoy, Dickens, or Poe, and you'll feel like you have a more well-informed knowledge of the history of literature. And after all, literature can teach you a lot about how to live, and many classics are about a central character who is trying to reinvent himself.
3
Learn from others.^{[18]
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Research source} The people around you can be just as useful of a resource as a college class or a classic novel. Take the time to talk to the people around you to see what valuable knowledge they can impart, and how they can give you the skills you need to fully tackle your reinvention goals. Here are a few ways to learn from others:
- Ask a close friend to teach you a skill. If you have a friend who cooks like a world-class chef, dances like a professional, or just really loves watercolor painting, ask if the friend can spend an afternoon with you to teach you the ropes.
- Ask your colleagues for work-related help. Talk to people who have been working at your company longer than you and ask a few questions that can help improve your productivity or the way you approach your work. And if you're looking for a career change, talk to some people who are experts in your new career of choice, and see what advice they can give you.
- Talk to your older relatives. Take the time to talk to your older relatives, not only for life advice, but to learn more about your family history. You don't want to be left with tons of questions about your family's past when it's too late.
4
Learn to focus like a laser. Almost every person has trouble focusing at one point or another, and the better you are at focusing, the more equipped you'll feel to gain knowledge and to work towards achieving your goals. No matter what you may think, any person can improve his focus if he just puts in the hard work. Here are a few ways to do it:^{[19]
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- Be more organized. Keep a clear work space, a logical filing system, and a decluttered home. If you know where everything is all the time, it'll be easier for you to concentrate on any given tasks.
- Learn to avoid distractions. Spend less time browsing the Internet, watching shows that don't matter, or texting your friends nonstop instead of just making one phone call. Push away all of the things that are keeping you from accomplishing your goals.
- Let yourself take a break. Part of focusing means taking breaks after every hour of intense work. If you don't let your mind rest from time to time, it will be harder from you to accomplish your goals, whether it's to finish writing a paper or to change your entire outlook.

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Truly Change Yourself

1
Change the way you look. If you want to reinvent yourself, then changing your physical appearance can help you feel more like a completely different person. You won't feel completely reinvented if you look in the mirror and see the same old thing you always see. Here are some ways to change the way you look:
- Consider a dramatic change to your hair. If you have long hair, why not chop it just above your chin? Sick of the same brown hair you've had since the beginning of time? Go blonde.
- Change the way you dress. Have you always gone grungy? Go for a sleek look. Have you always been preppy? Try the hipster trend.
- Improve your body language. Your body language is a big part of your appearance, so you can work on standing taller, keeping your arms at your sides instead of crossed over your chest, and making eye contact when you talk.
- Smile more. Smiling will give you a healthy glow and will make you look like a more positive person.
2
Change the way you talk. The things you say and how you say them can say a lot about you, so you should reinvent the way you engage in everyday conversation to be your best self. If you speak differently, you'll begin to feel like a different person. Here are some ways to change the way you talk:^{[20]
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- Change the amount of talking that you do. If you're a big talker, take the time to listen more and talk less, and you'll find that you'll learn a lot more. If you're shy, try to talk more often in everyday conversation, and you'll find that you have more to contribute than you think.
- Change how you talk. If you're a fast-talker, take the time to slow down and articulate every word. If you talk softly, work on talking louder and with more confidence.
- Change the things you talk about. If you spend more time grousing or complaining than you'd like, work on talking about the positive things in your life, and the things that make you happy.
- Gossip less. Though it's tough to stop gossiping completely, try to avoid saying bad things about people behind their backs, making fun of people, or just generally being not nice. You'll feel much better about yourself if you find yourself saying nice things about people when they aren't there.
3
Change what you do. If you really want to reinvent yourself, then you have to change many of the things you do on a daily basis. This can be anything from your work to your eating routine. Here are some ways to change the things you do as a way of reinventing yourself:
- Change your career. Part of reinventing yourself can mean to change your career path into something that makes you more fulfilled and happy.^{[21]
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  Trustworthy Source
  HelpGuide
  Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources.
  Go to source}
- Change your hobbies. Pick up a completely new hobby or interest, such as bird watching, surfing, writing poetry, or training for marathons. Do what you have to do to make yourself feel new.^{[22]
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- Change who you hang out with. Try making new friends, turning new acquaintances into friends, and getting to know complete strangers. This will make you feel even more like a new person.
4
Change your environment.^{[23]
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Research source} Changing your environment can help you feel like a completely new person, get in a new headspace, and just feel closer to achieving your goals for your future self. Here are some great ways to change your environment:
- If you really want to reinvent yourself, consider moving to a completely new place where you don't know anybody. This may be scary, but this will make it easier for you to disconnect from your old self.
- Move into a new home. If you're sick of your old apartment but have been too lazy to move to a new place, now's the time. Living in a place that makes you feel comfortable and different can help you transition more smoothly into your new skin.
- Go on vacation. Though a vacation isn't a good permanent solution to any problem, taking a week or two to travel in a new place, whether it's a foreign country or a national park a few hours away from home, will help you clear your head and better complete your vision of your future.
- Renovate your space. If you can't move and don't have time for a vacation, try painting your walls a new color, moving your furniture around, and throwing out or donating any furniture or clothes you don't need. You can change your space enough to make it feel like a new environment.
- Consider working abroad. This is a dramatic move, but it will certainly help you reinvent yourself even faster.

Expert Q&A
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Question

How long does it take to reinvent yourself?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

There are no hard and fast rules here. What works for you may not work for someone else and vice versa. Focus on the journey, not the outcome. If you can make minor adjustments to your habits and attitude over time, you'll get where you're trying to go.
Question

What if it's hard to change myself?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

For some people, change is just naturally hard. You don't have to go about this on your own. Enlist the help of a colleague or mentor who you trust and respect. You can even hire a life coach to help you on your journey.
Question

Is it possible to reinvent yourself at 50?

Lucy Yeh
Career & Life Coach
Lucy Yeh is a Human Resources Director, Recruiter, and Certified Life Coach (CLC) with over 20 years of experience. With a training background with Coaching for Life and Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR) at InsightLA, Lucy has worked with professionals of all levels to improve the quality of their careers, personal/professional relationships, self marketing, and life balance.

Lucy Yeh

Career & Life Coach

Expert Answer

Support wikiHow by unlocking this expert answer.

Absolutely. It's never too late to change. There are no prerequisites when it comes to making adjustments in life. All you need is the will to change and the motivation to stay at it.

Warnings

You don't have to reinvent yourself alone. If you're reinventing yourself in a particularly difficult way, such as coming out of the closet, or breaking from a religious community, make sure that you have the support of a friend or family member during this difficult time.

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