Are you looking to start something new? Ready to take something to the next level? Or maybe you've been offered an exciting opportunity?

It can be very exciting to take steps toward something fresh and new. We will all have times in life where we receive or create a chance to embark on a new journey. In fact, it's important for our spiritual well-being to do new things every so often. You can't grow when you spend too many years in the same, stagnant energy.

However, when forging ahead on a new path, we need to be prepared. Of course, not everything can be prepared for. There will be some new things that pop up that we've not encountered before.

So here are 3 ways that you CAN and should be prepared.

1.) Gather resources and knowledge. You know what your end goal or destination is. What you don't know beforehand, is all the specific steps that you'll be taking along the way. We live in a time where we have access to almost infinite knowledge and information, so this is a time to take advantage of that.

It's likely that the path you're taking, has been taken by others, or similar paths. So you can research for information and experiential knowledge that has been recorded. You don't have to feel obligated to learn every little thing along the way. It's ok to borrow from others' experience.

2.) Be prepared for the unknown. So, you've done your research and you feel pretty prepared. You should. But no two experiences are the same, so there may be some unknowns that pop up on your particular path.

These are going to be your learning experiences. So be prepared to pull from your inner strength and intuition for guidance on how to work through it and move forward. These uncertainties will help you obtain knowledge, wisdom, and experience that you can share with others in the future.

3.) Be prepared to adopt a new mindset. When you first begin your journey, you're going still have the "old" mindset. You will still be familiar with past beliefs, morals, conditioning, routines... Part of what makes up your mindset are those same things. Once you are well on your new journey, your new routines and surroundings will trigger your subconscious to get rid of the pieces that don't fit anymore.

This can be the hard part. You may start to miss the past. You may crave the familiarity. However, if you are determined to reach your goal, you have to find the strength to keep going. Keep trying new routines until one sticks. Keep exploring the new, until you don't miss the past anymore. Find comfort in the unknown, until the unknown begins to become familar. Before you know it, it won't be so hard to appreciate where you are and for it to be a part of you.

All of this is not to say that things can't be done on a whim. They certainly can, but unless you already have adequate knowledge, resources, and a perpetually open mindset, you're likely not going to enjoy or succeed in reaching the goal you have in mind. It may even discourage you from trying new things in the future.

Preparation can take as long as it needs, but it need not take a really long time. You'll know when you're prepared and ready.

So prepare first, then forge ahead!