Over A THIRD of Brits planning radical life changes ‘after worst two years of their lives’

A landmark study from international memoir-writing service, StoryTerrace, has unveiled that over a third (37%) of Brits state that they will turn their lives around as the last two years have been the worst of their lives. Whether the source of this epiphany among the public has stemmed from a global crisis – which we haven’t had a shortage of – or a personal life flipped on its head, the past two years have critically changed people’s outlook on the course of their lives. CEO & Founder of StoryTerrace, Rutger Bruining, explains that it is often our most challenging moments that provide the most fertile ground for radical and positive change.

However, big decisions that define our existence are not usually made on a whim, instead coming to fruition following weeks, months or even years of thought and self-reflection. There are a variety of activities that can aid this process, with one of the most effective being journaling. Following the boom in this activity during the pandemic, data from StoryTerrace now shows that almost 1-in-5 (17%) Brits have taken up journaling over the course the past two years, particularly to help with their mental health. What is evident from the research is that self-reflection through this medium has helped people across the country gain clarity and helped them positively change their life trajectory.

The unique study from StoryTerrace also unveils what the nation intends to do following these ‘sliding door’ moments. Over 1-in-3 Brits stated that they will not be doing their current job in a year’s time, with a further 54% reporting they plan to make their 30s some of the most exciting years of their lives. Following two years of travel plans being disrupted, 1-in-10 respondents said they now have their sights set on travelling the world. As a result of making such life-changing plans, a staggering 39% even said they’ll have experienced enough by the age of 40 to write their life story so far.

Other key stats:
17% say that they have picked up journaling over the course of the past two years, particularly to help with their mental health
10% said they are putting their career prospects on hold so they can travel the world
39% feel that by the age of 40 they will have experienced enough to write their life story so far

Rutger Bruining, Founder and CEO of StoryTerrace, comments on what has caused this new wave of Brits to make radical life changes:

“One similarity I have come across in so many of our stories is that people with a seemingly clear-cut life path laid out before them often make a decision that completely changes the course of their lives. What is interesting is often this actually comes after a significant moment of hardship. With so many people experiencing such challenging times currently, I’m not surprised to see that such a large portion of the nation is reassessing what’s important to them, and their life trajectory as a whole.

“What I have learned from the stories I’ve been privileged to hear is that people who make conscious decisions around the turning points in their lives – at times breaking with the expectations of others and taking their destinies into their own hands to carve out a path for themselves – are often the people who are happiest when reflecting on their lives to date.

“There is power in writing to help people reach a sliding door moment – whether it is daily journaling or even writing a biography. It is one of the purest forms of self-expression and allows room for creativity, self-exploration and even just some fun to past the time. We have the pleasure of seeing exactly how writing directly benefits not just our clients but our amazing ghostwriters as well.”