Love your life, do you? Or do you occasionally feel unhappy, confident that you’d be much happier if you had a larger home, better relationships, more money, fascinating hobbies, and the admiration of your peers?

So many people continue to chase happiness, telling themselves that a new video game, wardrobe, raise in pay, or trip will somehow make them happier. Many associate success with happiness, and success with wealth. However, a lot of wealthy people are unhappy.

You frequently come across individuals who appear to maintain their happiness, brightness, and optimism despite their circumstances. Perhaps they have ongoing health issues, they lack funds for non-essentials, or they have suffered some terrible setbacks in life. Nevertheless, they never stop smiling and are inspiring to be around.

How then can you stop hating the life you have and start loving the one you do?

I have found that if you love life, life will love you back. ~ Arthur Rubinstein

The Grass Isn’t Greener

Many have the propensity to believe that other people have it better than they do or that their current situation isn’t as favorable as it once was. They are struggling with accepting what is. Do you ever have thoughts similar to these?

• I wish had my old job; I miss an income (even though I don’t miss commuting.)
• I wish I had a partner because I’m lonely (even though I have more time to myself.)

Recognize that sometimes it feels like the grass is greener on the other side. But you do not know what’s going on behind closed doors. You don’t know what traumas have occurred, generational patterns of behavior that are being overcome, or bad habits that are being worked on. Consider what you do have rather than focusing on what you lack compared to a former circumstance or what your friends or coworkers possess that you don’t.

Reflect and make a simple list of the wonderful things in your life. These could be large or little. Make a list of positive events from the previous week. Maybe you and a friend had a wonderful talk, or maybe you heard an uplifting podcast, like Soul Solutions. Perhaps you have some free time to read a book. Maybe you received kudos at work for a project you finished. Once you’ve identified some of the wonderful aspects of your life, attempt to emphasize these aspects more frequently.

Though nobody can go back and make a new beginning… Anyone can start over and make a new ending. ~ Chico Xavier

Ways To Love The Life You Have

I believe everyone can love the life they are living if they take time and reevaluate their priorities and change their perspective.  Here are twelve action steps you can take to love the life you have. 

1. Decide To Be Happy

Only 10% of your happiness depends on your living circumstances. Happiness is something you choose, not something that happens to you. Choose to think more positively if you want to love the life you have. It’s crucial to keep in mind that, even if you can’t always control what occurs to you, you always have control over how you respond to it. Try to find the positive side of things rather than following the egoic mind’s reaction. Consider keeping a gratitude journal in which you list all the things for which you are grateful each day.

Be in love with your life. Every minute of it. ~ Jack Kerouac

2. Be Fully Present To Love Your Life

Because you spend so much time thinking about the past and worrying about the future, you find it challenging to enjoy the moment. While reflecting on the past and making plans for the future can be helpful, attempt to ensure that you are focusing most of your attention on the present moment. Let go of regrets. Keep in mind that dwelling on your regrets won’t alter the past; rather, it will simply sour your present happiness. Make amends, attempt to learn from your missteps, let them go, and focus your attention on building a life you love instead.

I am not someone who is ashamed of my past. I’m actually really proud. I know I made a lot of mistakes, but they, in turn, were my life lessons. ~Drew Barrymore

3. Love Yourself

You must begin to love yourself if you want to fully love your life. When life isn’t going the way you want it to, especially, you see yourself in the worst possible light. However, it’s vital to avoid being hard on yourself and placing blame on yourself simply because you believe something in your life hasn’t worked out. Try constantly reminding yourself of all the positive traits you offer and all the victories and achievements you have made so far instead of focusing on harsh comparisons with others and all your perceived flaws and learn to appreciate the distinctive person you are.

True, we love life, not because we are used to living, but because we are used to loving. There is always some madness in love, but there is also always some reason in madness. ~ Petrach

4. Make Each Day Special

It’s simple to fall into a rut when you repeat the same actions daily, allowing your days to pass in a routine-filled blur. Why not shake up your daily or weekly schedule starting right now by committing to doing one simple thing differently? Try a different workout, wear something you wouldn’t often wear, or perhaps change the coffee you order. Additionally, avoid the temptation to put off being joyful by waiting until everything is perfect. Instead, liven up a dreary day by donning your favorite silk scarf or a special piece of jewelry, or by treating yourself to something special. Make every day count and stop waiting for exceptional events to live a flourishing life.

When you train your eyes to see the magic and miracles in the little things, you open the door for your whole life to shift. ~ Carol Woodliff

5. Love Life By Spending Your Time Wisely

Many frequently spend more time doing the things they should do than the things they want to do, which prevents them from doing the things that truly make them happy. Organize how you spend your time by mentally going through your week and noting everything you do and how much time you spend on it. This will prevent you from letting your valuable time pass you by. Once your week is laid out in front of you, you can consciously choose how to make the most of your time, what to give up, and how to make way for more worthwhile pursuits.

Life is about accepting the challenges along the way, choosing to keep moving forward, and savoring the journey. ~ Roy T. Bennett

6. Make Mundane Time More Productive

You lose a lot of time because of protracted commutes, boring lunch breaks, and repetitive morning routines. Try to maximize these hours to get the most fulfilling day. For instance, read or listen to a good book on the way to work and during lunch, exercise, or engage in creative activities like writing or sketching. Make the most of your mornings as a priceless window of time for some me time. Get up early and luxuriate in your favorite TV show, a decadent breakfast in bed, or a luxury bubble bath instead of the shower. You can begin loving your life from the time you wake up if you spend your mornings doing something you enjoy.

In the long run, we shape our lives, and we shape ourselves. The process never ends until we die. ~ Eleanor Roosevelt

7. Love Your Life By Solving Issues

People have the bad habit of talking and whining about their problems but rarely consider how to resolve them. Instead of seeing yourself as a victim, reinvent yourself as a problem-solver and consider how you may improve your life. Write all the things that upset you or that you would like to pivot in a new direction, along with any potential fixes. Then devise a strategy to address each issue separately.

If there are things you don’t like in the world you grew up in, make your own life different. ~ Dave Thomas

8. Recognize Your Limitations

Although accepting challenges and being active can be excellent ways to improve your life, taking on too much can have the exact opposite effect. Even if you are someone who appreciates a lot of responsibility and thrives under pressure, everyone has a limit, and taking on too much will cause tension and anxiety. Know your boundaries and develop the ability to say no, whether you need to outsource a task at work or decline an invitation to a social function if you want to enhance your happiness.

Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become for it. ~ Steve Maraboli

9. Push Yourself

You frequently go through your days doing things that don’t challenge you or make you feel alive. Step outside of your comfort zone, and create some goals and objectives for yourself.  Add excitement and a feeling of adventure to your life if you feel you need to get out of a rut. Determine what you want to do and create a plan to make it happen, whether you want to take on a physical challenge, aim higher, meet a short-term aim, or realize a long-term desire.

I tend to say faith is believing in life, and as I love life, I try to do the best with it and make it as serene and joyous as possible. ~ Sandrine Bonnaire

10. Be Grateful For The Little Things

You frequently spend your time anticipating the next big event in your life and waiting for your next burst of joy. To fully love your life, though, you must begin to appreciate each day and the little things that bring you joy. Make a note of the little things you enjoy doing every day, such as eating your favorite meal, listening to your favorite music, or having breakfast in bed, and be sure to schedule one of these pleasures for each day.

Perfect happiness is a beautiful sunset, the giggle of a grandchild, and the first snowfall. It’s the little things that make happy moments, not the grand events. Joy comes in sips, not gulps. ~ Sharon Draper

11. See The Awe Around You

You were born with a sense of wonder. It faded as you grew up, as your egoic mind shifted into adult roles.  Awe is the emotion you feel when something astonishing happens. When you are open to seeing magic in the world by embracing each moment of peace, you can find the wonder you had as a child. See, you weren’t supposed to lose that feeling of awe and amazement.  It’s meant to be a part of your life. When you allow awe back into your life, you question your perspective, and the mind shifts from me to we.

Appreciate every little beautiful moment in every day of your life. Give it a try and you’ll see the world from another perspective. ~ Thea Kristine May

12. Love Your Life By Authentically Connecting With Others

The most important possibilities, lessons, and blessings in life are found in your relationships with other people. When you’re going through the craziness of life by yourself, it’s simple to believe you have everything under control. You’re called to practice the skill of giving and receiving to maintain healthy relationships. However, the greatest benefits come from your bonds with other people. Every relationship is about cherishing each other despite living in a selfish world. Because love is something that you need to nurture so it can grow.  Life without the ability to share it with those we cherish becomes meaningless. You need others and they need you.

In the sweetness of friendship, let there be laughter and sharing of pleasures. For in the dew of little things, the heart finds its morning and is refreshed. ~ Khalil Gibran

Moving Forward Loving Life

So, do you love your life? If not, what will you change now to make your life one you love to live? See, you have the power to alter your current view. Accept what is, adjust those things you can change, and consciously choose to love your life.

Too often we underestimate the power of a touch, a smile, a kind word, a listening ear, an honest compliment, or the smallest act of caring, all of which have the potential to turn a life around. ~ Leo Buscaglia

Do you need help seeing your life from a new perspective? Are you looking for support to empower yourself to move forward? Do you want a strategy to help you create an extraordinary life? If you believe you cannot proceed alone, think about seeking my coaching services by getting in touch with me, at TerriKozlowski.com, and we can put together an action plan for you to accept what is and love the life you have.

To discover how I learned to accept what is, you can do so by reading my book, Raven Transcending Fear, available on Amazon or you can go to RavenTranscendingFear.com for more information.

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Article Name

How To Love The Life You Have And Live The Life You Love

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When you love the life you live, you're happy. So how do you change how you feel about your life? Here are 12 steps to love the life you have.

Author

Terri Kozlowski

Publisher Name

Kozmic Soul Solutions LLC

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