10 Things That Happen Right Before Everything You Want Starts Showing Up
Be ready for the next chapter of your life, because it's here.
Drazen Zigic / Shutterstock Everyone knows that life is hard. No matter how often we hear it or say it, we still grapple with hardships that feel insurmountable at every turn. But there are things that happen right before everything you want starts showing up that can set your heart and soul at ease.
The beauty, relief, and strength we feel on the other side is invaluable. By living in the present moment, soaking up the discomfort of newness, and leaning into change in our lives, we could find confidence and power even in the hardest of times. If you notice these things happening around you, even if they are sometimes uncomfortable and frustrating, lean in. Something (or many things) good is headed your way.
Here are 10 things that happen right before everything you want starts showing up
1. You drift away from certain people
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Distancing and outgrowing friendships and relationships is a natural part of human life, yet the experience is incredibly misunderstood. When we feel disconnected from people we’ve known forever or subtly irritable around friends, it can feel wildly uncomfortable, but sometimes these relationships are no longer meant for us.
It’s okay to leave people who were important in different stages of your life but don't serve you well now, especially to save time, energy, and emotional space for what’s truly meant for you in the next chapter.
2. You feel overwhelmed
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It’s not uncommon to fear the unknown, which is why feeling anxious and uncertain before a big life change isn’t necessarily a surprise. Right before everything you want starts showing up, things feel uncertain and changing, and probably much faster than you’re used to grappling with, which causes our body to immediately resort to panic.
However, leaning into this discomfort can make embracing the next chapter in your life that much easier. You’ll be present to embrace newness, able to learn from the hardship, and ready to persevere through it all.
3. You lean into solitude
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Rather than making superficial connections with people or socializing for the sake of validation, one of the things that happen right before everything you want starts showing up is a preference for solitude. When everything is about to align, you’re likely in a space emotionally where you’re ready for it, which often comes from spending time with yourself, embracing solitude, and investing in personal growth, passions, and education.
You can’t embrace and secure the things you want if you don’t know who you are or what you truly want. By leaning into the benefits of alone time and solitude, you can be ready to live your life to the fullest and be present when the things you want start showing up.
4. You start seeing synchronicities often
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When we’re embracing the right energy and on the right track to accepting change or newness, the universe awards us with synchronicities as a way of communicating that we’re going to be okay and that everything will work out.
From having consistent dreams to seeing angel numbers like repeating numbers or sequences, these synchronicities send us messages that can be comforting when you’re dealing with the overwhelming nature of life changes.
5. Old relationships pop back up
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Whether it’s unresolved fears, an old ex partner, or a friend you haven’t talked to in a long time, oftentimes our past comes back to remind us of where we’ve grown right before everything you want starts to show up.
You not only have a chance to reconcile with people, apologize, and learn from your past mistakes, you have a chance to find closure as you enter into a new chapter in your life.
6. You meet beautiful strangers
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According to a study published in the Journal of Experimental Psychology, people who are open to connecting with and speaking to strangers are generally happier and more fulfilled in their lives. While engaging with strangers is certainly a behavior of truly empathetic and thoughtful people, it’s also one of the experiences that happens right before everything you want starts showing up in your life.
Sometimes, we need people to remind us of where we’re headed. At other times, we’re looking for support, empathy, knowledge, or a humbling reminder. These strangers that pop up in our lives before a big change happens can be representative of all of those things, giving us the confidence and self-awareness to thrive.
7. People question your choices
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Right before you enter a new chapter in your life, it’s quite possible that you’ll run into a skeptical person who challenges your ideas or even dismisses your goals. While it can be frustrating to navigate conversations with this person, especially if they’re someone you have an existing relationship with, they do prompt you to get clarity.
You’ll not only consider things about your future that you never thought about organically, you’ll learn how to advocate for yourself, even if you’re unsure or overwhelmed by the potential of change.
8. Your identity shifts
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When you’re building goals and crafting a future for yourself, there’s often a subtle reevaluation of your identity, values, and beliefs taking place. But when you’re on the edge of a big life change, everything can feel different.
You may feel like your old self or past identity no longer resonates with you. This is because you’re essentially shedding the past to make room for a new version of yourself, with new opportunities to try, new people to meet, and new goals to achieve.
9. You feel deeply present
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When we’re finally at a place where we can be present in our lives, whether we’re facing adversity or riding the wave of a joy-filled comfortable life, it’s a sign that something good is on the horizon. According to psychiatrist Dimitrios Tastiris, being present isn’t an easy practice in our chaotic world.
Slowing down, de-stressing, and being mindful can feel impossible, but, when you’re ready for the next chapter, you may notice that you’re feeling more grounded and present in your life. You feel ready to take on the next chapter, and you're still open to soaking up everything your current one has to offer you.
10. People start treating you differently
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Whether it’s your friends, your parents, or strangers you meet in public, one of the things that happen right before everything you want starts showing up is a change in conversations and interactions. People start treating you differently. In some cases, your identity and energy has already shifted to make room for change, and people notice the shift in a way that influences their language and behavior.
In some cases, it’s exciting and fun. You’re connecting with people, having conversations, and bonding in a more fulfilling way. However, it can also be uncomfortable if people in your life that you’ve built a relationship with start resenting you for changing or criticizing your new identity.
Zayda Slabbekoorn is a staff writer with a bachelor’s degree in social relations & policy and gender studies who focuses on psychology, relationships, self-help, and human interest stories.
