10 things to do to start really living your life

In today’s fast-paced, unforgiving world, we all want to live better lives. We want to be the best we can, as quickly as possible.

But, we all know how tough it can be to extract maximum potential, whilst pursuing happiness. Ultimate joy in life is down to some very simple things, and yet we often feel as though we are not truly finding the joy that we should, as though fulfilment is just out of our reach. All too often we are our own handicaps. We live in denial, we lie to ourselves, we desperately try to mould who we are to what we think society wants us to be. It is all too easy to get stuck in our daily routines by embracing complacency. But, the fact is: Happiness is a choice. You can live the life you want by being true to yourself.  This ethos is beautifully expanded upon by multi-talented, Lisa Davis, who if anything, has embraced the courage required to live a life of joy, without any excuses. Lisa is a media guru, a serious fitness fanatic, and she runs the inspirational blog, LifeTrain, where this article was first published. Thank you for sharing your wisdom with us, Lisa!  – LF

 By Lisa Davis

1. Get to know yourself

The journey of self-discovery and enlightenment is not an easy path. It’s difficult, challenging, scary and hard. But it is one I would recommend to everyone, the lows may be a lot lower but the highs in life are that much higher for it. We all walk around half asleep, so many people out there have no clue who they are and we wonder why the world is so messed up, why marriages become so easy to give up on. How are you supposed to make a relationship work if you don’t even know who you are? Get to know what makes you happy; what makes you unhappy, what are your fears? Start asking questions. Start Learning. Sign up for a course. Go on a retreat.

How many of you know the answer to this question… WHO ARE YOU?

2. Get Healthy

Start watching what you put into your body. Stop eating junk. Fill your body with nutritious, delicious food. Avoid preservatives, GMO food, and Saturated Fats. I have completely changed my eating habits and I feel like a different person. I don’t really get people who “ don’t care.” Don’t you want to live your life being the healthiest person you can be? Buy a Juicer. Eat from as close to the Earth as possible. Do your research as to where your meat comes from. What’s in that burger you find so delicious?  Stop following FAD Diets – first of all who wants to look like Tim Noakes – have you seen what the dude looks like? How many of you can actually follow that high fat diet for the REST OF YOUR LIFE? I’m sorry but the last time I checked so much fat wasn’t so good for your heart…It’s simple EAT A BALANCED DIET and cut out the rubbish.

Your body is your temple.  Treat it like one and it will be so good to you for the rest of your life.  Before you know it you will begin to age – start taking care of your body now. We get old and start to lose our minds because we begin to believe we are old. Stop using the excuse “ Oh Well, this happens to everyone after 30.”

THAT IS A LIE…

3. Do what you really LOVE.

So many of us are stuck in jobs we hate, we are miserable when we wake up in the mornings. Depressed. Sad, because we wake up everyday doing something we hate. Happiness is easy. Do what you REALLY LOVE. What ever makes you happy….just do that. Can you imagine how much more you would enjoy life  if you woke up everyday doing what you love? Stop being scared. If you are not happy…. MOVE (You are not a tree).

If you knew who you were you would know what you really loved.

4. Keep a Journal

Successful people take NOTE of their lives. Take time out even if its 2 days a month to keep a journal, write down your goals for that month and spend a day at the end of each month assessing those goals. I am a firm believer that if you write something down and look at it enough and BELIEVE it, It WILL come true. I met a guy a guy from Italy in whilst travelling last year – I told him to write down what he wanted in life, stick it up somewhere he can see it and I promise your dreams will come true. He told me I was being ridiculous and that was the stupidest thing he had ever heard. 6 months later I received a message on Facebook from him saying he couldn’t believe it… That after pondering over my piece of advice he finally did what I said and that all of his dreams had come true.

5. Take Time Out. Learn to Silence your mind.

Each and everyday find 10 minutes for yourself. Go for a walk. Play some Music. Dance in your kitchen. What ever makes you happy, DO IT!!!! Just that 10 minutes to reconnect with you. Go sit outside on the grass and ground yourself.  10 minutes is not a lot of time and we all need a little time to ourselves. You will see how much happier you will be, how much more focused. Learn to silence your mind. At least attempt to learn to meditate – it will change your life.

It’s a beautiful place, when it’s quiet up there….

6. Don’t Be Lazy. Start a sport.

There are some people I know who haven’t done any form of exercise since High School. I mean come on guys? You have this incredible, strong body capable of doing anything you put your mind to and so many people do nothing. Do you know what it does for your mind to exercise? It’s so empowering to feel your body getting stronger. Wake up earlier. The Best time of day is when the sun is rising, you feel like you are waking up before the world and getting a head start. Stop saying you are going to change your lifestyle. Stop being lazy.

GET INVOLVED. JUST DO IT.

7. Get over yourself.

Stop denying who you are. We all have a light and a dark side.  ‘Good and Bad’. Get to know yourself. Start being aware of what you project out into the world. Your negativity. Jealousy. Rage. Anger. Choose to be happy. Choose not to be depressed. Choose to love all sides of you. Choose to forgive yourself for the things you have done. There are so many people out there constantly causing havoc. Speaking about other people, putting others down. There is so much unnecessary animosity. Stop always blaming other people – we all need to take a good look at ourselves.

CHOOSE TO BE THE BEST PERSON THAT YOU CAN BE.

8. Stop being so concerned about the stuff that doesn’t matter.

Stop filling your head with useless crap. I paged through a gossip magazine the other day and I did not know who one of the celebrities were. A beautiful friend who does some amazing things wrote today and I couldn’t agree with her more :

Read books that make you smarter. Stop reading gossip magazines. Stop being obsessed with these people that add no value to society. Be able to hold a conversation about worldly things. Be able to speak to anyone of any age. Be Smarter. Be Wiser.

Everything that has ever happened to you or anyone else has been written about – learn from the lessons of others. There is a world of knowledge out there.

Start Learning.

9.  Travel

Plan a 4×4 trip into Africa. Visit the streets of India, Meet a Guru. Go dance up a storm at a music festival in Croatia. Whatever you do TRAVEL.

My mother use to say that the best form of education is TRAVEL. So get going, stop procrastinating. Book a Trip. Start Saving. I heard such a cool idea the other day – a group of boys started a “ Travel Savings Account” and each month they would deposit money into this account.

Next month they are traveling around Europe to attend a whole bunch of music festivals paid for by their savings. What a rad idea – get a group of mates together and start saving? Before you know it, it will be too late to live out your dreams of seeing exotic places and meeting inspiring people…

10. Be Grateful

Everyday wake up and be grateful. Even if you find it hard to find something to be grateful for, be grateful for being ALIVE. I truly believe that if you change your outlook on life and choose to be grateful more goodness will come your way. It’s just the way the universe works. Take 30 seconds out of your day to be FULLY PRESENT in your life. Stand or sit exactly where you are and STOP, LISTEN, FEEL.

You are ALIVE and that’s a wonderful thing to be grateful for.