Living a truly great life seems impossible. Days and weeks go by and is just feels like we’re stuck in this never ending world of mediocrity. I don’t know. Maybe we’re all defining ‘great life’ the wrong way. What does it mean to live a truly great life?
I can tell you one thing. It’s different for every person, and each one of us has to come up with our own definition. It’s not up to society, our friends, or our family. And – it’s certainly not up to me or some guy on the internet. I can list 40,000 things that make ME happy, and perhaps we’ll have a few in common, however, it’s up to you to decide how you live.
With that, I can surely give you a handful of ideas that may help in your quest. Let me know what you think.
- Go After Your Dreams
Go after your dreams and follow your passion. It’s easier said than done but no matter what, if you put off your dreams, you will regret it.
It may feel hard, or scary to do what you love, but in the end, isn’t it one of the most important things in life? It doesn’t have to be radical. You don’t have to quit your job, but you do have to get started, and get creative.
Do not succumb to excuses.
- Be Lazy
I love being lazy, but I have many ingrained beliefs that say that I have to keep pushing myself; I have to keep working. I’m still very young, but throughout the years I’ve learned to relax. I’ve discovered that being in a hurry, accomplishing goals, and being successful isn’t the #1 priority for me, although it is still up there.
This isn’t about being lazy all the time and never getting anything done. This is about being strategically lazy and allowing yourself to relax.
Besides, if you’re passionate about what you’re doing, you will feel too inspired to stay still for long periods of time.
- Be Kind
Being kind infuses my soul with happiness. Sounds cheesy, but it’s true. I am often kind for selfish reasons; it makes me feel great to imagine other people being happy because of me.
It’s easy to put off making other people’s days better when we have so many problems to worry about. But in the end, we will always have more problems, so why not help others with theirs?
- Cherish Relationships
Being connected, being in love, and having people around us is what makes us human, and it’s something we all value more than we know. Making money is nice, but in the end we want money because we think it will improve our social status.
Instead of going after money, go after relationships directly. Happiness is possible now, so why use money as the middle-man?
- Take Risks
Have you ever just gone after something you initially thought was scary and later been happy that you did it?
Our minds have an uncanny ability to stop us from doing anything that isn’t safe or secure. We avoid risks. We avoid being bold, and we do our best to avoid anything new.
Now, I’m not advocating being stupid and jumping off a cliff. Use common-sense, and take risks that have a high chance of having a positive impact on your life.
- Fail
Failing is another obstacle we have to overcome. We’re taught in school that failure is bad. They use red-markers and those that never fail are endlessly praised.
But in the real world failure is what teaches us what works and what does not. Failure is a stepping stone to success, not a death sentence like so many believe.
- Be Aware of Your Thoughts
Be an observer of what is going on in your mind, and remember that you are not your thoughts, but the observer of them.
Notice what your patterns are. If you’re like me, you’re a worrier. I want to plan, make things perfect, and avoid any surprises in the future. But in reality, there’s no way I can control my future. Even with all the money in the world, something unexpected could happen to knock my world upside down.
- Kill Your TV
Don’t waste away in front of the TV. Occasional TV watching is cool; in fact, I like to watch TV from time to time, but I don’t have a TV at home. The best way to cut down on your watching is to get rid of your TV.
When you sit in front of that hypnotic box, it’s easy to get stuck there like you’ve accidentally sat on a pool of superglue. You get passive, and your mind shuts off.
- Face Your Fears
Our fears are there for a reason. Overcoming fear is a skill anyone can learn, and facing your fears helps you grow. Look at your fears as challenges. Each one you face you receive experience points, and when you’ve got enough of them, you level up.
The scarier the fear, the greater the reward.
- Say Yes!
Say yes more. Simple, yet very powerful. You cannot know what will happen. We try to predict what will occur if we say yes to a trip, to an invitation, or to a meal with a friend, but it’s impossible.
You are not psychic, and neither am I (at least not yet). Instead of trying to analyze everything, say yes more, right now!
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Written on 4/09/2012 by Henri Junttila. Henri writes at Wake Up Cloud, where he shares his personal tips on how you can live the life you know you deserve. When you feel ready to take action, get his free course: How to Find Your Passion (And Build a Business Around It). | Photo Credit: mikecogh |
