Get It Together, Weirdo

It's Ok to Change Course...or to Even Make Your Own Map

• Sarah Bowser, That Weird Nerdy Mom • Episode 4

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Do you ever feel like once you've committed to a path you're stuck with it forever? 

In this episode of Get It Together, Weirdo, Sarah takes us on a metaphorical journey to highlight the fear of the unknown and societal expectations that can make changing course daunting. 

What would the Fellowship of the Ring have missed out on if Frodo had refused to let Sam come with him or if Aragorn had insisted on sticking to the original plan no matter what? Only the real transformation that comes from adapting to whatever life’s journey throws your way, according to Sarah. 

Tune in for encouragement to practice self-compassion by embracing change and creating your own map.

What you’ll learn in this episode

  • The importance of embracing change and creating personal paths in life.
  • Recognizing the need for change is a strength, not a weakness.
  • Letting go of a path that no longer serves you is an opportunity for growth rather than a failure.
  • Practicing self-compassion and setting boundaries are essential to navigate life's changes.


Noteworthy quotes from this episode

“It's okay to change your mind, to change your path, to change your whole damn map if you need to.”

“Recognizing when it's time for a change isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. It means that you're in tune with what you need and brave enough to go for it.”

“Life is constantly changing. And if we cling too tightly to our plans, we miss out on the beauty of adaptability. And when things don't go as expected, we have a choice. We can see it as a failure, or we can see it as an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to become flexible.”

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Welcome to Get It Together, Weirdo, the podcast where we dive into ways to help you figure out how you can tackle your to-dos, keep track of your side quests, and manage your time in a way that works for your brain, so you can focus on nerding out on the things that make you do a happy dance. I'm Sarah Bowser, your get-your-shit-together coach and resident weirdo, here to guide you on your journey. So, let's get it together, weirdo.


Hey there, my wonderfully weird friend. Welcome to another episode of Get It Together, Weirdo, where we embrace our quirks, navigate the chaos, and create a life that works for us, messy bits and all. 

Today we're talking about something that can feel as daunting as climbing Mount Everest —  changing course. 

Do you ever feel like once you're on a path, whether you've committed to it for someone else or just to yourself, that you're stuck there forever? Like you can't turn around, can't take a different route, can't even stop for a breather.

Yeah, I've been there too, a lot. And it sucks. 

But what if I told you that it's okay to change directions, to pivot, to take a side quest, even to make yourself a whole new damn map? 

There is power in embracing change, experimenting with new ideas, and finding your own path, even when it feels completely, paralyzingly terrifying. So grab your metaphorical hiking boots, because today we're going on an adventure to explore how to navigate the winding trails of life on your terms.

But first, let's take a minute or two to chat about the Fellowship of the Ring, okay? 

The journey of Frodo and the original nine starts with one clear mission — take the One Ring to Mordor. But along the way, things don't exactly go as planned. They face the Balrog and lose Gandalf in the Mines of Moria. You've got Boromir's whole “give me the ring” moment ending with him dead, Merry and Pippin being taken by Orcs, Frodo and Sam leaving the others to head to Mordor alone, and Aragorn, Legolas, and Gimli going to search for Merry and Pippin. Each member of the Fellowship has to figure out their own journey, even if it means stepping away from the original plan. 

That's kind of how life works, right? We set out with these grand plans, these commitments to ourselves and others, but sometimes we need to change course. Life throws us curveballs that we need to dodge or attempt to hit away, and that's not a failure. It's part of the adventure. But it's also scary as hell.

So why is embracing change so hard? A lot of it comes down to fear. Fear of the unknown, fear of disappointing others, fear of being seen as unreliable or inconsistent. We get so weighed down by expectations, our own and those of people around us. And it's like we've been handed a map that someone else drew, and we're supposed to follow it no matter what. 

But guess what? You're allowed to make your own map, you're allowed to take a detour to stop for a break, to backtrack, to go on an exciting side quest if you need to. Let's go take the trip to the Big Peanut — if you've ever watched Bluey, you know what I'm talking about. 

Recognizing when it's time for a change isn't a sign of weakness. It's a sign of strength. It means that you're in tune with what you need and brave enough to go for it. But then there's the guilt. Oh, the lovely, lovely guilt. We think I've invested so much time and energy into this, how can I just give up now? I've been going down this path for so long — if I change course now, then what the fuck was the point of it all? 

But that's the thing. We're not giving up. We're choosing to let go of something that no longer serves us. We've learned something from trying to go down this path, and we're taking that lesson with us into our new journey. And that's a completely different thing than just giving up altogether.

Challenging those self-imposed obligations and the self-imposed perfectionism isn't easy. It's going to take time to figure out how our brain will respond to the challenge and what ways we can best support ourselves with that challenge. We have to practice self-compassion and remind ourselves that it's okay to not be perfect, to not have everything figured out. And it's also okay to set boundaries, to say no, and to change our minds. Because you know what? We're human, and humans are allowed to be messy. We're allowed to be in progress. We're allowed to not know exactly what we're going to do every second of the day.

Imagine if Frodo had refused to let Sam come with him or if Aragorn had insisted on sticking to the original plan no matter what. The Fellowship would have missed out on the real growth, the real transformation that comes from adapting to whatever the journey throws their way.

And the same goes for us. Life is constantly changing. And if we cling too tightly to our plans, we miss out on the beauty of adaptability. And when things don't go as expected, we have a choice. We can see it as a failure, or we can see it as an opportunity to learn, to grow, and to become flexible. Maybe that job didn't work out because there's something better waiting. Maybe that project didn't go as planned because you're meant to focus on something else.

Celebrate your progress, even if it looks different than what you imagined. Progress isn't always a straight line. It's more like a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey path. Yes, I know I'm mixing up my comparisons here, but I really don't care. It's a wibbly-wobbly, timey-wimey path that takes us through ups and downs, twists and turns, and sometimes an unexpected stop or two. 

So how do we really know when it's time to pivot to change course? it starts with getting clear on what really matters to you. What are your core values, what lights you up, what makes you feel alive? if you're spending your time and energy on things that don't align with those values, it's time to really dig in and reassess. 

You're creating your own personal roadmap as you go along. Instead of following someone else's path, you're drawing your own based on what truly matters to you. And yes, that can be insanely scary and messy when you're drawing the map as you go, especially if you have zero art skills like me. And yes, that might mean making some tough choices, but it's worth it just to know that you're living in alignment with who you are and you won't be living on the edge of burnout and overwhelm constantly. 

And while you're creating your own map, don't forget to build a supportive community around you. Find people who get it, who understand what it's like to be on this journey. Find people who are creating their own map as they go, too. Whether it's friends, family, or a community of like-minded weirdos online, having people in your corner can make all the difference. Share your experiences with them, exchange ideas, and support each other. It's amazing how much easier it is to navigate the twists and turns of life when you've got a few fellow adventurers by your side, whether it's a whole Fellowship or just Sam keeping you safe. 

So here's what I want you to take away from today's episode. It's okay to change your mind, to change your path, to change your whole damn map if you need to. You are not a failure for choosing a different direction. You're not giving up. You're growing, you're evolving, and you're figuring out what works for you in this moment. Take some time this week to reflect on where you are right now. Is the path you're on still serving you? Or is it time to take a step back and create a new route that aligns with who you are and what you need? Be gentle with yourself. There's no right or wrong way to do this. It's all about what feels true to you.

If you want to stay in the loop on new episodes, posts, and other tidbits I share, hop on my email list or join us for weekly co-working on Mondays. I'd love to have you in the community.


Thanks so much for listening today. You can find complete show notes, links to resources mentioned, as well as a link to our co-working community on our website, thatweirdnerdymom.com. Be sure to leave a rating or review and check me out on Instagram at that_weirdnerdymom. Feel free to shoot me a DM — I'd love to hear from you. 

Until next time, my wonderful weirdo, you've got this. Bring out your weird.