For this article, I've rounded up all the things that I believe lead to living your best life. I hope you enjoy!
Experiencing genuine happiness at the news of your friend's success.
Believing that your dreams will come true, no matter the path you have to create. There isn't just one path to the level of success you want to reach -- when a door closes, break down the damn wall.
Listening wholeheartedly to people will bring them closer to you and leave them feeling light and happy. |After all, how often is it we find someone who will truly listen to what we are saying without interjecting with their advice? Not often. Be that person and reap the benefits.
Offering advice that has their best interests at heart, not yours. In my experience, many young women give their girlfriends advice, particularly that which relates to the love life, and it reflects on their current situation rather than on their girlfriend's situation.
Cooking for yourself -- it deepens your sense of self-confidence and broadens your life skills.
Paying yourself first before the stores. Seeing your money grow creates a calmness that cannot be bought.
Having a period of quiet every morning and evening, even if it is literally just five minutes to sit down and be calm. Your hard-working brain deserves it.
Making a list of goals and then creating steps to get to those goals. Reward yourself when you reach each goal. (I like to treat myself to a Peanut Buster Parfait at Dairy Queen when this happens, although this works against my workout goal and then I have to spend double the time on the treadmill. But no matter, I got my reward.)
Reading. You'll be so impressed with yourself when your vocabulary naturally betters, and so will those around you.
Smiling. It'll immediately boost your attitude and it'll also make you look prettier.
Giving yourself permission to fail. Again, easier said than done, but imagine the breadth of opportunities you could be passing up for fear of failing. (I'm downright scared of failing at a latest venture, but if I do, I do and that's it. And then I know that that isn't for me, but I'll have to find out first and I will not go down without a fight. That's the stubborn side of me.)
Being creative. There is something magical in allowing your mind time to wander freely. Perhaps it's drawing, painting, cooking, sewing or building that does this for you. Please give yourself the time to do this; it's like a chocolate soufflé for the soul.
And finally, give yourself a reason everyday to be proud of yourself. I'll bet your hair looked fabulous today, or you gave yourself a great manicure, or even better, you did something for somebody else or expressed true happiness for somebody else. Let these little things serve as reminders of how great you are and leverage that good feeling into an even better attitude. Wait for it, I'm going to get a little cliche here... Life is an open book and it is up to us to write our chapters. I want mine to be as inspiring as can be.