In 1991, Reba McEntire released the hit song Is There Life Out There? This song became an anthem for women all over the world who didn’t want to leave the life they had – married, children, and all that comes with it – but they wanted to know if there truly was something outside of their family and their home.
Her lyrics go like this:
She married when she was twenty
She thought she was ready
Now she’s not so sure
She thought she’d done some living
But now she’s just wonderin’
What she’s living for
Now she’s feeling that there’s something more
Is there life out there?
So much she hasn’t done
Is there life beyond?
Her family and her home
She’s done what she should
Should she do what she dares?
She doesn’t want to leave
She’s just wonderin’
Is there life out there?
Can you relate to this?
If you are experiencing the pangs of what might have been or longing for something you know will make your life complete, it may be time to think about reinvention. Reinvention isn’t something to feel guilty about or set you into a depression. Reinvention is the letting go of what isn’t working and saying hello to every option in the universe.
Reinvention doesn’t require changing the things you love; it calls for changing whatever no longer suits you or beginning new things that better express who you are now.
It’s time to think about reinvention when:
- Your heart has a longing for something new and specific.
- You know that you need to start or stop a behavior for your own good.
- Your life shifts through divorce, empty nest, lay-off, health issue, etc.
- You find a renewed determination towards a purpose.
No matter the reason that sparks your reinvention, the key is to embrace that urge and get started towards the changes you want. You deserve all good things, and nothing has to stay the same. You can make dramatic changes in your life without threatening the most important things – family, friendships, and community.
