How To Enjoy Life More

We all learn what’s expected of us in life, as we grow. We get into the daily routine of life as we mature. We pay go to work, pay bills, do some things we like (if we can afford it), eat, sleep, and repeat. If we’re lucky we’ve found a way to live this life with joy. We make friends that give us laughter. We chose partners who make us smile. We have children that make us cry tears of joy and allow us to experience love like never before. We find jobs that fulfill us. We find coworkers we get along well with. We make good money and take lots of vacations.

These are all things that add up to an equation that equals a HAPPY LIFE, right? I mean we all have different definitions of what is enjoyable. There are cultures who don’t have a bathtub and a good tv show to cuddle up to at night, but find joy in a good campfire and dance ritual with the village. I, personally, would describe America, as quite spoiled. But I digress. Even if we (Americans) need more or different things to give us joy, so be it.

The point is, we must find a way to access those things. While tangible things can be more challenging to experience, it is also all in perspective. Yes we have good morning coffee, medication, love, and material things to add to our joy in life. BUT WE MUST LEARN that enjoying life is more than anything tangible. This seems to be one of the hardest concepts for people to grasp. We have witnessed depression, anger, and war for so long, over things we don’t TANGIBLY have, that we think we can’t be happy without them. But the most enlightened people in the world have claimed to find the answer to happiness and inner joy without any of these things. So isn't it possible for you to do the same?

You don’t have to be some meditation guru to experience the sense of peace and joy that they do. You don’t have to have life figured out, to enjoy it. It is completely 100% possible to enjoy life without a cent to your name, without a roof over your head, without a car, without anything. I know the concept seems so foreign, guys. I know.

But when we think of people like Deepak Chopra, Oprah Winfrey, Byron Katie, Tony Robbins, Iyanla Vanzandt, and the likes, we have to look at the common denominator. All of these folks have found the answer to inner happiness. They have found the key to living an enjoyable life. Do these people still encounter challenges like you and I? Yes. Have these people been in broken places before? Yes. However, they got to their current state of being, and now life in joy, because they changed their perspective.

Instead of thinking that my life is pitiful the way it is, or that thing would be difficult to change, they all decided that they can change the way they view the world. Instead of focusing on things they didn’t have, they have chosen to focus on things they do have. They have seized opportunities and faced fears they would have never imagined they could overcome because they chose to view life differently. They chose the courage to move past pain, and not wallow in it. They chose to experience true joy, regardless of what may have happened to them.

And that, my friends, is what it will take from you. You will need to change the way you think about things. I would never say that tangible interests aren’t important, because they are. However, the way you think is much more important in this. One key element I’ve found in every happy lifestyle expert has been gratitude. That again, is focusing on what you do have, and being grateful for them, instead of focusing on what you lack.

In addition to practicing gratitude, relinquishing fear would be one of the next great things that contribute to happiness. There are so many things in life that we desire to do, but we don’t because of fear. It paralyzes so many of us, and causes us to complain about what we don’t have because of it.

Of course, we never say it so blatantly. “I’m afraid I’ll never be good enough to be an engineer, so I just won’t try”. No, we never say that out loud, or even in our heads, to ourselves. We make up excuses that sound so rational, and blame it on those for why we don’t do the things we fear. “I really can’t afford to go to school right now, but when I get a better job, I will”. “I really am too tired to work full time, go to school, and raise a family”.

These are things that are perfectly acceptable to everyone you explain it to, and yourself. So we are more likely to go with that rationalization, than to admit we just are afraid we won’t do well in school and won’t become an engineer. Meanwhile, we come home everyday complaining about how our job is not challenging, or interesting. We complain about the amount of money we make, and become depressed or bitter about it for years, attached to those excuses. When the truth is, we could give up other temporary comforts in order to make our desires happen. But we refuse to when we are truly afraid.

So what do we do about this? We take a good look at the things we are unsatisfied with in life. We start to make a list of things we can change, even if it is uncomfortable. We start to put away the excuses we have been living with for so long. We start to practice gratitude to help us appreciate life more. We also use that to help us get through the uncomfortable phases we may need to endure to change our lives. Take a look at my Conquering Fear post, and see what you can do about shifting your life for the better.

Lastly, remember that it’s the way you think –your attitude that determines how you enjoy your life. Whatever circumstance you are in right now, you can choose to change the way you think about it. You can choose to smile and laugh, despite your dissatisfaction in your circumstance. It may take some practice. It may take some time. But it can be done. It has been done. I can testify from experience.

If you want any tailored help in overcoming fears, or changing your mindset, please don’t hesitate to contact me. I’m here to help, and would love to get you started in the right direction.

Happy Life-ing!

The [BOG].

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