Go For It

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Have you ever found yourself up at night, tussling with a voice that's urging you to make a radical life change? Maybe it's saying, Adopt a child. Or Leave your husband. Or maybe Quit your job and move across the country.

Whatever the message, you might want to listen: It could be your intuition commanding you to take a leap a faith, one of those decisions that can't be made just by using logic or reason, but by trusting your gut. To figure out if you're ready to make a major life change, here are some insights from Dr. Eva Ritvo, Miami-based psychiatrist and co-author of The Beauty Prescription: The Complete Formula for Looking and Feeling Beautiful.

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Pay Attention To Your Inner Voice

Don't discount whatever is keeping you up at night. Listen to what that voice inside of you is whispering (or shouting!)—no matter how crazy or unsettling the idea might be—write it down in a journal, and think about it. The voice could be articulating a goal or dream you didn't realize you had or never believed you could achieve. "Sometimes you can't, and shouldn't, ignore an inner call for change," says Ritvo.

After you've listened to this voice, ask yourself if this potential life change rings true to you. Consider who you are and what you really want out of life. Will taking this leap of faith bring you closer to the things you truly want to accomplish and the person you want to be? "It's important to consider your core values. Ask yourself if the proposed change honors your true aspirations and life goals, and not the simply the ones of those around you," says Ritvo. "Think big picture and be brave. If we want to reach our highest places, we will have to take some risks."