So as I have already indicated several times, I've spent a huge amount of time growing and changing over the past several months. And as my time here is drawing to a close I thought I might reflect on my secrets to happiness and share them with you all. I think it’s incredibly important that we all be the best versions of ourselves. I also think every once in awhile people need reminders and a kick in the pants to make sure we don’t get too lazy. I wish I could say this list is quick and easy, but the best I can do is call it short. Because really, change can be hard sometimes. But it’s worth it, trust me.
1. Make sure that you have healthy diet and exercise habits. I know this might not be what you were expecting but seriously when you eat healthy and you exercise not only will your mind feel better due to endorphins and lower levels of chemicals and toxins in your body, but your body will feel better and look better. You’ll have more energy and you’ll be more confident in yourself. What I like to do is make a playlist of upbeat music that I enjoy, and I set it for a specific length. Then I make sure that I exercise the duration of the playlist every day.
2. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Seriously. Don’t put so much pressure on yourself that you spend more time worrying about living up to your own expectations than enjoying what’s going on around you. If there’s one thing the Spaniards have learned to do well it’s relax and live in the moment. I thank God for bringing me here and showing me that not being an overachiever and not worrying about every little thing can actually be a good thing. Which brings me to my next point…
3. Spend more time doing what makes you happy. Because why not? Not to get all preachy, but for real, we only have this one life and it is such a temporary thing. And I’ve come to discover that we really are the ones who choose how we live it. As I have started to take my education classes and get out and see the world I realize that really to succeed in life and to exceed at life one of the most important things is that you’re doing what you love. It may not be the number one thing in your life, I mean not everyone can be a professional athlete, but it adds another dimension to who you are. You aren’t just a student, an employee, a parent, a citizen. You have something that you can do to forget the stress of everyday life and relax and be yourself. This is super important.
4. Are you unhappy with something in your life? Change it. Quit complaining, everyone is tired of hearing about it no matter how much they pretend they aren’t. Whether it’s a job, bad relationship, friendship, lifestyle, anything. I’ve learned that it’s 1000x better to push yourself out of your comfort zone and risk change and failure than to continue in the same rut that you’ve been in for however long it’s been. Sure it might be easier to stay on that route, but are you happy? Are you confident? Can you look at yourself and honestly say that you couldn’t do any better? Chances are that the answer is no. So what are you waiting for? Sit down and write a list of how you are, and write down how you want to be. Then start making changes until you have one list. It might be really hard at first but the benefits of challenging yourself and making changes are invaluable.
5. Forgive. Forgive yourself and forgive others. I personally have had a hard time learning how to forgive myself for things and I think that lead to me having a hard time forgiving others. But it is SO FREEING when you learn how to cut yourself some slack and cut other people slack too. When you hold bad feelings or resentment it hurts you just as much as it hurts others. Having said that, forgiving isn’t forgetting, and I think everyone sets their own standard for what’s worth forgetting and what isn’t. But for real if you want to be at peace and you want to have better relationships with others you have to forgive.
So this is my short list of ways to be the best version of yourself. I realize that it might not apply to everyone, but I've found these to be some of the most important lessons I've learned in my whole life. I mean think about it. In the end if you aren't happy and you have regrets in your life, what does that say about anything you ever did? We only have this one life and we should spend it doing things we care about and working to be the best versions of ourselves. So quit reading my blog and go be awesome!
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