Quality of life and our own personal happiness are what most of us strive for. What else is the point? But what is it to live a good life? Is there a blueprint of some kind? After some thought and less research, I came up with the following list of six things that I believe help toward leading a wonderful life.
1. Set Goals And Strive To Attain Them
We won’t achieve anything by sitting still. Set a goal, any goal, and put some effort into making it a reality. From the mundane to the complex, it doesn’t matter what, but make it so that you have something to look forward to at any given time when you need inspiration to keep yourself going. By working toward goals, you’ll feel like you’re actually doing something besides passing time, which will give you a sense of fulfillment and, in turn, lead to feelings of contentment and happiness. It also often means that you’ll find an interesting career to work in, as goal-oriented people are always in demand in the workplace.
2. Learn
To achieve goals you need to learn new skills. Although sometimes this can be a bit of a chore, it is in the end a very good thing. By learning new things, we are keeping an open mind and ensuring that we don’t get caught up by society’s rapid pace unaware. An open mind is also more receptive to new ideas, giving you the ability to be inspired by even the most mundane of objects and occurrences, making you an all-round happier person. Also, by keeping in touch with what’s happening in your field and outside it, you’re helping your career; inquisitive people are good assets for any company.
3. Live Below Your Means
While you’re building a career, something that is probably going very well thanks to your habit of setting goals and attaining them through hard work and self-study, make sure that you spend less than you earn. By not saddling yourself with debt like some did before 2007 (fast-food workers owning $250,000 homes!), you are taking a massive stress factor out of your life and increasing your overall happiness. By needing less, you are increasing your own potential for contentment, never forget that.
4. Invest
By living below your means, you’ll have more income left over at the end of each month. Were you to invest that into a mutual fund or even more risky stocks you could find yourself being very wealthy indeed in a decade or two. It may seem far away, but by being smart with money you could be heading for a cushy and early retirement. Investing doesn’t have to be risky, talk to someone you trust about these issues and you’re guaranteed to find something that works for you.
5. Stay In Shape
A successful career and money put away for later are of no use if you keel over from a heart attack at age 50. By staying in shape, you’ll ensure that not only will you be happy and better off you’ll be healthy and longer-lived as well. As a bonus, by working out regularly you’ll find yourself in a better mood most of the time and with more energy to tackle daily tasks. A few minutes a day is all it takes to start feeling a whole lot better quickly, so start today!
6. Develop Relationships
Last, but not least, it always pays to think of your loved ones and build relationships with whomever you find in your life. When all else fails and you lose all your money and you’re in hospital, these people will be there for you to comfort you and help you out. It is the people around you who make life worth living; never neglect them and you’ll have a wonderful life.
