Have you ever noticed the cycle of a human life?
A child gets so excited for his first day at school. Then, he wants to finish college so he can have a job. When he already has a job, he wants so bad to be in a relationship. Then, he hurries to get married and have kids. Later on, he wants his kids to go to school, too. When his kids are already in school, he wants them to finish faster so he can retire from work. And when he retires, he has nothing more to look forward to but the dead-end of his life.
The reality is that — we are so busy desiring to be at the next stage of our lives. But the question is, have we ever lived? Or are we just going through life and having never really experienced what it feels like to live?
If you are still trying to figure out how you can live life to the fullest, here are 10 Secrets that can help you make the best out of life.
1. Know Who You Are and Love Yourself.
Cliche as it may sound, knowing who you are is very important for you to be happy. Many people lose themselves because they are too busy pretending to be somebody else they’re not. And instead of finding happiness, they end up becoming more unhappy each day of their lives.
Instead of looking at other people, why not focus on you? — What are your interests? Your preferences? What are your ideals? Your dreams? What are the things that scare you or the things that excite you?
Always remember, YOU are not THEM, YOU are YOU.
So, don’t be afraid to show the no-filter side of you. Celebrate your strengths, accept your flaws, develop your skills and nurture your craft. Most importantly, love the real you inside. For only then will you be ready to share that love outside.
2. Spend Quality time with your Loved Ones.
Let’s admit it, our definition of ‘’socializing’’ has changed over the years. We have more time now online, on social media, than being physically present with the people we love. Sad to say, when we go out and meet our friends, the first thing we ask after ordering food is the wifi password.
Life is meant to be shared. Not that “SHARE” button on Instagram and Facebook but shared physically with our loved ones. Make authentic conversations happen and enjoy quality time with the people that matters.
Before you post that #atm status, wouldn’t it be nice if you’re really into that moment?
A late post wouldn’t do you harm. 😉
3. Choose Your Inner Circle of Friends Wisely.
Don’t get me wrong, I don’t mean you should become less friendly. In life, we have two circles of friends – the outer circle and the inner circle.
The outer circle includes acquaintances who usually come and go. We know them, greet them but don’t really talk to them as much. The inner circle are those who really have significant chunks in our life. We talk to them oftentimes be it personal or in chat. We call them, travel with them, celebrate milestones with them and ask for help when we are in need.
The question is — Are they supporting you in your endeavors? Or are they stopping you to become a better version of yourself? Are they there when you need them or do they leave you at your lowest times? Are they happy for your successes or are they showing envy of your accomplishments?
Your inner circle of friends will either make you or break you. So, choose them wisely.
4. Don’t Let Other People’s Opinions Bring You Down.
You can’t please everyone.
Whatever you do – be it good or bad – there will always be that somebody who will say something about you. It’s ok to listen to their opinions but don’t let their words get into you.
Keep in mind that what they say about you doesn’t necessarily define who you are, instead, it defines who they are – what their personal beliefs are, their preferences and convictions are in life.
So, don’t let their criticisms bring you down. Instead, use them to help you push yourself up.
5. Set Life Goals to Achieve Your Dreams.
DREAM BIG.
We’ve heard of this countless times. Ever since we are young and even as we grow older, dreaming has always been a part of our lives. The problem is that many of us just dream, then we stop there. Instead of putting those dreams into action, we just think about them passively hoping they’ll come true.
Yes, dream big dreams but don’t stop there. Turn it into a vision. Dream big but start small.
While dreams happen when you’re asleep, goals kick you out of the bed and push you forward.
So keep working on your goals. Be patient enough and in time, you can finally say, “Dreams do come true”.
6. Shift to a Healthier Lifestyle.
I can’t stress how important eating healthy and creating a fitness routine is in life. It does not only makes you stronger, it also clears your mind, makes you more productive, helps you deal with stress, shifts your perspective about life and makes you happier.
Sadly, people look at healthy eating as a punishment rather than a reward. They look at working out as an expense rather than as a personal investment.
Take a look at successful people and notice what they have in common – they have a fitness routine be it running, going to the gym, swimming or playing their favorite sport. Everyday, no matter how busy they are, they spend time to work on their fitness because they see how useful it is. They look at their food intake seriously, understanding that it’s about nourishing and not punishing.
Having a healthy lifestyle will not only help you have a happier outlook. It will also help you achieve more and do more in life.
7. Travel not just for Photos but for Experience.
We’d all agree, #TravelGoals is one of the most widely used hashtags across social media today. Unlike before when travelling was very expensive, there are already lots of affordable ways to travel now. I wouldn’t even be surprised that travelling is already included in every millenial’s #lifeGoals.
They say travelling is beneficial. It truly is. Aside from exploring other places and experiencing different culture, traveling teaches many life lessons. A person who travels, learns more about one’s self, becomes more open-minded, understands people better and develops a happier perspective in life.
Travelling is beneficial. It truly is. But if you only travel so you can have photos to post on social media, then you miss the “learning” part of it. Don’t get me wrong, travel photos are essential. They freeze your moments so you can have a lifetime of memories to keep. But more than those picture-perfect captures, it’s the authentic experience that will help you become a better person. So, invest in experiences – talk to the locals longer, swim more, scream more, eat more, climb higher and hike farther. Travel while you’re young, travel while you can.
8. Learn Personal Finance.
They say, do anything and buy anything you want because you only live once. I say, you only live once, so don’t get broke.
Allow me to share my primary spending principle:
“If I cannot afford it, then it is not the will of God for me.“
I’ve been applying this in my life for the last 4 years and it made a huge difference in my spending decisions.
Never empty your pocket for the sake of keeping up with the trends or social media hype. Instead, learn the value of personal finance and budgeting. They say money can’t buy happiness. Definitely, true. But money can help you buy the things essential for living. So live below your means and plan your future ahead.
9. Follow Your Passion.
Passion comes from the Latin root word “Patior” which means to suffer.
We’ve always known that passion is doing something we love. But I like how Francis Kong defines it, “Passion is something that you would be willing to sacrifice for and work for knowing that the end result would bring you the result you wanted.”
Passion isn’t really just doing what you love. It’s about finding that one thing that would keep you grinding even how difficult it can be.
Try different things, find what you like and hone your skills — then find your passion and follow it.
10. Practice Gratitude Everyday.
The reality of human being is that the things we desire are never enough. Once we achieve something, we tend to neglect it and pursue the better thing. We are experts at looking at what we don’t have rather than being grateful of everything that we already have. It’s a very painful cycle and the only way to escape it is to practice gratitude everyday.
Contentment is the key to happiness. While achieving for the better things in life, never forget to celebrate and thank God for everything He has already blessed you with. Gratitude will not only make you happy and content. It will also fuel you to keep going and achieve more in life.
Well, these are not really secrets.
In fact, all of us already know these things. But more than just knowing, take the time to put them into practice.
You only live once. Might as well, love it, enjoy it, learn it and live it to the fullest.
Life will never be perfect. But how you choose to view life dictates the kind of life you live.
Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with all your might, for in the realm of the dead, where you are going, there is neither working nor planning nor knowledge nor wisdom.
Ecclesiastes 9:10
New International Version (NIV)
