In today’s post, I am going to discuss how to live your best life. I am not talking about living a perfect life as there is no such thing.
However, I am talking about living your life in such a way that at the end of your life on earth you can smile and say I did my best. I lived life to the full and enjoyed every bit of it.
You only have to look around you to realize that there is a lack of balance in our lives today. There are some who are overworking themselves to death. According to the New York Times Americans are the most stressed people in the world.
That is definitely not a way to live your life. What benefit is it to acquire all the finer things of life and lose your life in the process. That is because stress can cause all sorts of diseases.
And there are a few who live a life without any goals and have given up on living a fulfilling life.
Table of Contents
Ways to Live Your Best Life
Below are some of the ways that can help you live your best life in this world. A life that is full of happiness and satisfaction.
1. Don’t Live In The Past
Some of us are prisoners of our past. We obsess about mistakes that we have made in the past to the point that it affects how we live now.
It is alright to review what happened in the past and learn from it but being obsessed about it is not good. It will prevent you from taking advantage of the opportunities that are presenting themselves to you now.
I remember after failing an exam I was so disappointed about it that it affected my studies. I somehow could not get that fail out of my head such that I could not manage to pick myself up and study again.
This is what I am talking about when I say don’t live in the past. Your mind should be on today and its opportunities. The past is gone and you cannot undo it but you can control what happens now.
2. Live Life as If There Is A Tomorrow
Sometimes in living in the present we forget that there is a tomorrow. Most people live as if there is no tomorrow.
Those who live like this are only concerned with immediate gratification. They spend all their money on expensive vacations, cars, high-end restaurants. They live nothing for the future.
If you think I am joking just look at the millions of people that were forced to go to food banks as the economy tanked in a recession. Very few Americans have any savings worth talking about.
Most of their income is now being used to service debts for the finer things of life. It is fine to enjoy the finer things of life but not at the expense of the future.
This world has its ups and downs, so we need to prepare for the so-called, “rainy days”. When our income dries up.
We should also not forget that there will come a time when we will all retire. A time when we will not be earning any income.
If you prepare well for retirement, you will be able to enjoy life doing things that you like and not have to rely on your children or government.
So for me living your best life means living for both the present and the future.
3. Live a Healthy Lifestyle
There are people who think that living your best life means abusing your body with alcohol, drugs, “binging” on some movies and other unhealthy lifestyles.
That is farther from the truth as you will pay for such a life with your health.
Noone who has abused their bodies with drugs will look back in old age and fill that it was worth it. How can it be worth it when your brain is all messed up and you are dependent on drugs to do anything.
Some have abused their bodies with alcohol that they are a danger even to their families.
I have known people who are sometimes so drunk that they fail to take care of their little children forcing the social welfare guys to intervene.
That is definitely not living your best life.
If you want to live your best life you need to start living a healthy lifestyle. Increase your intake of vegetables and fruits.
Our diets nowadays are mostly meat and fewer vegetables when it was supposed to be the opposite. As a result of lifestyle diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks, some cancers are rampant.
If we all ate more vegetables than the meat we could see a lowering of medical bills and as a consequence, we will live a more fulfilled life.
We live in a world where diseases cannot be avoided but most of these diseases are because of our lifestyles.
Exercising your body at least once every week is another thing that you can do to live a good life. In that way, you will make sure that you avoid lifestyle diseases and will strengthen your body’s immunity.
Another thing you can do is to make sure that you have enough rest. I know that this is difficult in a world where we are always competing with others.
Recently I read somewhere that Elon Musk said if you are to be successful you need to put in more hours than your competition. That you should be working while they are sleeping.
Unfortunately, such a lifestyle will have significant adverse consequences for your health. Your body needs rest and if it doesn’t get rest it will tell you through various diseases and ailments.
If you don’t rest even your immunity suffers. The body is like any machine, you cannot use if without stopping. Otherwise, it will burn out.
4. Live a Simple Life
Some people think that to enjoy life then you have to make it complicated and have the most expensive stuff out there. That could not be further from the truth.
One can live a frugal life and still be happy. Having all the gadgets you need does not always equate to happiness.
There are so many millionaires out there who are so miserable even though they have too much of this world’s worth.
In fact the simple your life the better. Then you don’t have to have a heart attack every time the stock market tanks. This is because you will be satisfied with what you have.
If you took the time to look at the type of gadgets we have in our lives you will agree with me that most are just for show.
We end up buying gadgets like an expensive phone just to fit in with the who is who of this world. When we would still be alright with a budget phone.
A few months ago after my phone contract expired I got a phone call from the provider asking me if I can go for an expensive brand.
After reviewing my needs I decided to go for an old version as it met all of my needs. If I had gone for the expensive phone I would be paying twice what I am paying with no incremental benefit to me.
This also reminds me that soon after leaving college, my dream was to find a big house. This was more of a status symbol rather than a question of what I needed at that particular time.
As one preacher said most young people want things now. They want a car, a big house, expensive tv immediately they start working. Things that took their parents a few years to acquire.
We are all under this pressure to measure up with the rest of our friends. Nobody wants to be left behind in terms of fashion and other finer things of life.
People stay in a three-bedroom house when they only need a one-bedroom house. It is time we lived according to our needs and not to show off.
The result of all this is that most of us are now deep in debt. Such that any financial crisis will heavily impact us negatively.
Living a simple life will enable you to spend your resources on the things that really matter. You will be able to save money for rainy days and for your retirement.
It is possible to live a simple and uncomplicated life and be happy.
5. Be content With What You Have
Trying to be someone else is the cause of so many heartaches in this world. Your friend has a new car and you want that too.
A church mate buys a house and you too immediately feel the need to have a new house too.
This type of behavior will just make you feel restless and miserable. You should first think of what you need and make a reasonable time table within which to achieve them.
Forget what everyone else is doing and concentrate on what you really need. No point going into unplanned debts when you can take time and save until you raise enough money.
It is very important that you live within your means. If you cannot afford a three-bed house then go for a two-bedroom house that you can afford.
No neeed to worry about things you cannot afford.
On the subject of savings, I have an article where I address the issue of sinking funds, where you set aside money for some big purchases in the future.
It is such kind of thinking that will keep your heart content and satisfied with the things that you have now.
6. Take Advantage of The Opportunities Before You
In saying that you need to learn to live a simple life, I did not mean that if opportunities avail themselves before you should not take them.
That would not be a good thing for you. If you do that you will in the future look back at your life and regret it.
If there is an opportunity for a promotion at your workplace, you need to take advantage and of this and progress. You will look back with pride in the future.
Some doors may only open once in life. Therefore if a door opens, go through it.
We have all regretted the time when we had an opportunity to learn things but somehow we did not. And now we look at our friends who took those opportunities with both hands prospering.
However, in taking these opportunities do not overstretch yourself to the point that your wellbeing suffers. That will not be a good idea. There is a need for a healthy balance between work and rest.
That is why even in the bible, God called on the Israelites to have one day of rest. He knew that our bodies need rest, once every week.
7. Be Focussed
In this world it is easy to be all over the place, moving from one project to the other, not focus on one thing. As a result, we end up not accomplishing anything or producing mediocre results.
If for example, your goal is to be an Accountant, then work on that until you finish your studies. Unless you are a very gifted student doing other things will not help your goal of becoming an accountant.
Another example would be where you want to buy a new house. if that is your goal then focus on that by setting aside money in your budget. That money could be either for a deposit or for buying a house outright.
For most average Americans buying a house outright might seem not to be a good idea but it is possible.
One can save money for a number of years and be able to accomplish such a feat if you invest these savings wisely.
If you want to live your best life then being focussed is one of the keys to that goal.
8. Quit Complaining
Some people spend most of their time complaining about things instead of forging ahead with their lives. No amount of complaining will improve our lives.
If one door is closed, look for another door and do not waste time complaining about the closed door.
I recently read a story where a driver was driving in a road that passed through a mountainous area where sometimes rocks would fall into the street.
The writer made an interesting statement that made me think deeply. He said that no amount of anxiety by the driver would stop the stones from falling.
In other words, why be anxious about things you have zero control over. The same advice could apply to those that are always complaining instead of being positive about life.
9. Be More Confident In Your Abilities
A lack of confidence in your abilities is the leading cause of failure in most peoples’ lives. Without confidence, there are very few things that you can accomplish.
Lack of confidence will force you to take advantage of opportunities that present themselves before you. And if you cannot take advantage of opportunities there is no way you are going to live a fulfilling life.
Think of the jobs that you let pass by just because you felt that you were not capable of doing. How a few years later you regretted having not presented yourself as a suitable candidate for a role.
And most employers want someone who is confident in his abilities. They do not want someone who underrates himself and his abilities.
it is therefore not just important that you be confident but you also have to be seen as a confident person.
This world is a cruel place for insecure people. It is unfortunate but that is the realities of life.
By the way I have another post that I would like you to read, Why Should We Save Electricity?
About Author
