Summary: Want to live your best life? Follow these seven rules.
It’s amazing how years can go by and you suddenly think, what happened? You wanted certain things in your life but they never happened. Why? Because you weren’t being intentional.
Time isn’t going to stop so that you can sit down and figure out what you want. You need to take a little time each day and focus on living your best life. What do you want out of life? Who do you want to be and how do you want to feel?
If you don’t know where to begin, look below at these seven rules to help you live your life to the fullest. Start with one, then add another. Use them to help you create more intention in your day to day life and then in a year or two you might actually notice how much of a difference those little actions have made.
- Be present. It’s so easy, especially with our TVs, smartphones and other electronics, to be focused on what’s happening on the internet, in our emails or in our work that we completely forget to stop and take a look around us. Pay attention to what’s happening around you. Pay attention to the people around you. Take moments throughout your day to stop, look around and appreciate what is happening right now in your life.
- Learn to say no. Your time and energy are valuable. Don’t worry so much about making everyone else happy and focus more on making yourself happy. You don’t have to volunteer to bake cookies for the bake sale. You don’t have to organize the team retreat in your free time. It’s okay to simply say no, without explanation.
- Take action. It’s easy for us to dream about what we want, but how often do we actually act on those dreams? More often than not, we are paralyzed by fear or overwhelmed by where to begin taking action. Ditch the dream boards and make actionable goals. Take your big dream and break it down into steps. Take the first step and break it down into even smaller actions that you can do now.
- Invest in yourself. You are your greatest asset. You will be with yourself – your body and mind – for your entire life. You can’t say that about anyone or anything else. Take the time to learn new things that you’re interested in and grow your mind. Also take care of your body. Exercise and eat healthy foods, but throw in the occasional treats as well.
- Spend time with people who matter. Human beings are social creatures. No matter how shy you are or how much of an introvert you are, being around others simply brings you more joy. Take time to be with the people who matter to you. Whether that means family game nights or traveling across the country to see someone, make it a priority.
- Take risks. Sure, playing safe may mean that you never fail, but it also means that you don’t move forward in life. If you want to live a big life, then you’ve got to take big risks. Remember that most successful people failed hundreds of times before their effort paid off. Get out there and try, and when you fail—pick yourself back up, learn your lesson, and try again.
- Throw out the rules. There are so many rules in our lives, ones that are clear and noticeable, and others that we’ve picked up through social cues and experience throughout our lives. It’s important to remember to trust your instincts and follow your heart, even if that means tossing all the rules (including these!) right out the window. If that’s too much, break one rule this week because you want to and see how it feels.
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