Seth Simonds of Lifehack.org writes great uplifting blog articles on life. Heres one I’d love to share:
The quickest way to living a life you love is through learning to love the life you live.
You’re waiting for something to change in your life before you can be happy. You might think if only you had a different partner (or one at all), a better job, or kids that did their homework then surely you’d be happy. Surely then you’d wake each morning with the glow of one living a life worth loving. (Chris Voss’ Note: Thats all B.S., No one but YOU controls your happiness. You are responsible for your happiness in your perception of life. Its your choice in how your perceive it and how you choose to FEEL it. Grow up and get self-actualized.) Enough! Here are 5 ways to get started:
1. Be present – You must be aware of your current existence and that you have control over your perspective. Whether you’re willing away early morning grouchiness or seeing a messy house as a chance to teach teamwork, your choice of perspective will make all the difference between just living and loving.
2. Practice gratefulness – Every day, no excuses. Pretend to be grateful if you must. It’s one of those things that catches up to you quickly as life reciprocates your emotional generosity. Seeing the good in your life will allow you to keep your heart fed while you work to change the more unsavory parts. Try it. Live it. You’ll love it.
3. Pursue balance – As a person given to extremes this has always been a tough one for me. I’ll go from taking great care of myself and communicating well to abandonment and silence as I let work consume me. The pursuit of balance requires constant adjustment as your life shifts but every time I really try for the middle I end up happier about my life. And that’s truly the point.
4. Nurture friendships – You know the people who for some reason or other welcome you into their lives? Treasure them. Make time to spend with them. It is those relationships that you’ll look back on with satisfaction when you get old and begin to wonder what your life was worth. Many of us spend far too much time thinking about how some material possession will improve our lives. An iMac would be nice. A good friend is worth just about everything though!
5. Embrace simplicity – You don’t need to have all your gold-plated ducks in a row in order to love the life you’re living. You don’t need lots of stuff and relationships so driven by drama that you often wish just to be left alone in silence. Instead you might try for a simpler approach and enjoy things because they are useful and not because they are expensive. You might join a friend just to talk and not worry about all the expensive trappings we so often heap on get-together’s. Try for simplicity and if complexity sneaks up on you, so be it. In learning to love the basics you’ll find a wondrous appreciation for the nicer things that come along.
What have you found helps bring you back to the moment you’re in and really start to enjoy the life you’re living right now?
Source: Lifehack.org
I like your points but I would suggest a tweek to number two, gratefulness. Although being grateful is good, being appreciative is stronger and more powerful. Being grateful carries with it an energy of unworthiness as we are grateful for those things we don’t really feel we deserve. Being appreciative for what you have and deserve is much stronger. Try it! Stand centered with your arms in an embracing arc and say out loud “I am grateful for my life.” Now stand in the same posture and say “I am appreciative of my life.” Which feels stronger and more empowering? David
Great thought David
Thanks for a nice informative write up!
Great tip. To date, I have successfully practice 1,2,4,5 though as part of our new year resolution, we are actively seeking a more balance life. Been saying that for years, but never really manage to achieve it.
I am grateful I have a pulse.
My favourite to add is giving back. There is no better way to feel good about your life than giving back. The more you give the more you will great all of Chris’s points. It brings you balance, you are in the moment when giving, you appreciate others and what you are doing and are grateful for all you have, it helps you embrace the simple things in life as you give something big or small, and I always make new friends along the way. Thanks for reminding us Chris how easy it can all be every day. Jacqueline 365give.ca
I want to say I love “The Chris Voss Show.” I learn each time I read. I get inspired with each new article. Chris my hat is off.
One of the things I rant about all day long is the power of choice. We can allow it to swallow us up whole by engaging in poor choice that come with dire consequences or we can make a choice to do the right thing and reap the spoils of an abundant crop in life. In my own life I have seen this happen and it a happened only after I made a stand by screaming “no more” and made a choice to live happy, live in service to others, and live for happiness and not that illusive Maserati. Think about your choices and choose wisely you will be blessed.
Thank you I’m very honored…
Great points and good reminders! I loved the point you made in the intro paragraph. We live in a nation of “entitlement” mentality which is what Seth was describing. But when we make decisions like he points out in this post, we begin to get beyond entitlement and above our circumstances. I’m going to share this on twitter and on FB. Thanks.
I totally agree with your points! I am a believer of being in the present to enjoy what we have now instead of brooding over what we don’t. I would say for me it’s also about being humble and life is NOT all about fast cars. Great post!
Thank you for sharing.
Gratitude for so many blessings!
Enjoyed this. I am lucky in that I love my life and family, but which came first…the blessings or the contentment with what I had? Of course, it is nice to start the day off by seeing the (sometimes not so grateful) HS kids off to school and coffee with the wife. Wine and chocolates once a week for an inexpensive date…but one that is rarely missed over the last 11 years or so (and been married for almost 22). I liked all 5 of your points, the nurturing of friendships probably came later for me because I was always wife/family focused…and still consider her my best friend.
Great post, very inspiring! Finding balance is what I’m having the most difficulty with right now.