The start of a new year often triggers those feelings of reflection about what you’ve achieved over the past 12 months and what’s coming up in future, which can be exciting or, well, pretty unnerving – especially as 2021 has kicked off in lockdown. So, if you’re feeling a bit flat and unsure of what direction your life is moving in (don’t worry, we’ve all been there), take heed of this sage advice from Kiran Kumar, life coach and founder of Roar Coaching about how to take control and reclaim that inner roar.

What are the telltale signs that you’ve lost your stride?

These can be anything from feeling lethargic and drained, or a bit fuzzy headed (cotton wool head syndrome) to not wanting to get out out of bed at all, feeling lost and alone, or struggling to find joy in life.

So how can you plan to make changes?

A small change is better than none. Getting a planner can help you organise your thoughts by writing them out, so that you can analyse what you need to do or change. Secondly, it’s a good idea to produce a comprehensive long-term plan and set achievable goals that you can steadily work towards, starting with identifying the smallest changes you can make now. It might be taking up some exercise for example, but it needs to be something that feels significant to you personally. Finally, and this is a crucial one, find someone you can be accountable to, like a coach, friend or family member, to help you keep track of your progress.