When you're unhappy, it's time to make a change.

Are you waiting for things to get worse?

For many people, things need to get worse before they can get better.

Are you unhappy enough with some things in your life to want to make a change, or are you going to wait until things get a little worse before you make a change?

How much worse do things need to be before you're ready to make a change?

• Many times, people have to get sicker before they go to the doctor and get the treatment needed to get better.

• They have to hate their job a little more before they get another job and quit the job that's making them so unhappy.

• A relationship has to get worse before some people make the decision to fix the relationship or leave it if it can't be fixed.

Consider this

What would you do to be happy if things got just a little bit worse?

Would you be happier . . .

• With a different job?

• Living and traveling in an RV?

• Being a digital nomad and living part-time in a different country?

• Living in a different place?

• Living on a boat?

• Traveling more?

Dr. Daniel Gilbert came up with a concept back in 2004 that he called the Region-Beta Paradox. The paradox basically says that things have to get worse before you take action and make changes.

Does this paradox describe any parts of your life at the start of 2024?

Are there things in your life that are not good but not bad enough to cause you to make changes?

Think about what would make you happy. Then, make a decision and make it happen. If things don't work out, change again.

Bottom line: The start of a new year is a great time to make decisions and change things in your life. Don't get stuck in the Region-Beta Paradox. It's your life. You can change it.