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After a year that upset almost everything we know and love and sudden rush to return to warp speed in business and life, the suggestion of living your best life could feel artificial.
That’s fair, but it also calls to mind how living better in the tough times makes the good times so much richer.
What if you challenged yourself to be capable of living well in every season?
The goal here is to operate at a frequency so high that you can easily navigate the hard stuff and truly appreciate the beauty in the simple things. When you’re living this way then the good things will happen more often and you can take yourself even higher when it’s time.
1. Gratitude
Each morning take a few minutes to name five things from the previous 24 hours to be grateful for.
It’s a simple practice that allows you to see things through a lens of goodness. You can speak these to yourself or write them in a journal. The little things like a delicious latte, comfortable sweats, or the sounds of nature in your neighborhood.
When you actively pause and give thanks for all of the small things you will automatically attract more to be thankful for and you are preparing yourself to receive the big things.
2. Routine
Adopt ritualistic behaviors that serve you. If you need alone time to live as your best self but you live in a house full of people then get up earlier than everyone else to give yourself the necessary time to prepare for the day.
Forget your vitamins? Make it a ritual to take your vitamins when you feed the dog. The less you have to think about what to do next, the easier it will be to make clear decisions.
3. Movement
The body you are occupying right now is the exact same body that carries you through every single day of this life, honor it by moving every day. What you need one day may be high-intensity circuit training or it could be restorative yoga. The kind of movement you perform matters less than the recognition that a body in motion stays in motion.
4. Awareness
Get to know yourself well. There’s a deep risk of spending our lives chasing things that other people tell us matter. What actually matters to you? What are your triggers? When you really spend the time to understand what drives you and what drains you, it is much easier to make smart choices about how to spend your time. Great ways to build self-awareness include personality tests (Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, etc); freestyle journaling on your emotions, and mindfulness meditation.
5. Dream
Make the time to write a future journal entry from your life ten years from now. This is a snapshot of your dream life. Be very specific about where you are, who you’re with, what you’re doing for work and for pleasure, what you eat, what you wear, and how you feel. You can only know that you are working for the right things when you know what you want most. Living a dream life begins with getting very clear on the actual dream.
6. Intentionality
Know exactly what you want from each day and live in the way that honors that. If your ten-year dream includes you being retired then it may not be the right time to buy a new boat. If you want a high vibe day then don’t bring home a dozen donuts. If you need to cultivate some calm, be sure to prioritize meditation and a peaceful outdoor walk. This focused success happens day by day and turns into living a life of purpose.
7. Connection
Be fully engaged with others in many different ways. This doesn’t always have to be in person, but it does mean connecting beyond likes and digital impressions. Join a book club, chat with your neighbors in the front yard, text someone the minute you are thinking of them and tell them “just because”. The more you have in common with others in the world, the less alone you will feel when you are having an off day.
8. Learning
Trying new things and learning as an adult can enhance your understanding of the world and improve your quality of life. Developing new skills builds confidence and increases the likelihood of professional promotion, accepting new challenges, and improved cognitive functioning. All of these are winners in my book! Read new stories, take a language class, or swap in one documentary before you binge Outer Banks.
9. Adventure
Much like learning, there is deep value in being adventurous. This isn’t exclusive to physical adventure – you definitely do not have to go skydiving – but what can you do to exit your comfort zone and get inspired?
Safe and simple ideas include hiking new trails in a neighboring town, taking a train trip instead of driving to a destination, or booking a solo weekend somewhere you’ve never been. Each time you surprise your brain and break out of the monotony of the known you are forging new paths for creativity and joy.
10. Rest
Living your best life means that you are healthy and consistently nourished. Every suggestion here is irrelevant if you are burned out and exhausted. Make rest a top priority in your schedule. If your new routine includes getting up earlier then you need to go to bed earlier. If you have a vigorous workout regimen you need to build in days for your body to recover.
The ten year dream is the best version of you and she knows that all good things flow from wholeness. Prioritize your rest and watch your waking hours become more productive and vibrant.
Your best life is within your reach and always in your control. A little shift in mindset, the adoption of some simple practices, and a commitment to yourself can get you there quicker than you can even imagine.