You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.
– Mae West
You know you’re on the right track when you can repeat each of the following headlines to yourself, honestly. (And if you can’t, this list gives you something positive to work on.)
1. I am following my heart and intuition.
Don’t be pushed by your problems. Be led by your dreams. Live the life you want to live. Be the person you want to remember years from now. Make decisions and act on them. Make mistakes, fall and try again. Even if you fall a thousand times, at least you won’t have to wonder what could have been. At least you will know in your heart that you gave your dreams your best shot.
Each of us has a fire in our hearts burning for something. It’s our responsibility in life to find it and keep it lit. This is your life, and it’s a short one. Don’t let others extinguish your flame. Try what you want to try. Go where you want to go. Follow your own intuition. Dream with your eyes open until you know exactly what it looks like. Then do at least one thing every day to make it a reality.
And as you strive to achieve your goals, you can count on there being some fairly substantial disappointments along the way. Don’t get discouraged, the road to your dreams may not be an easy one. Think of these disappointments as challenges – tests of persistence and courage. At the end of the road, more often than not, we regret what we didn’t do far more than what we did. Read Quitter.
2. I am proud of myself.
You are your own best friend and your own biggest critic. Regardless of the opinions of others, at the end of the day the only reflection staring back at you in the mirror is your own. Accept everything about yourself – EVERYTHING! You are you and that is the beginning and the end – no apologies, no regrets.
People who are proud of themselves tend to have passions in life, feel content and set good examples for others. It requires envisioning the person you would like to become and making your best efforts to grow.
Being proud isn’t bragging about how great you are; it’s more like quietly knowing that you’re worth a lot. It’s not about thinking you’re perfect – because nobody is – but knowing that you’re worthy of being loved and accepted. All you have to do is be yourself and live the story that no one else can live – the story of your own unique life. Be proud, be confident, you never know who has been looking at you wishing they were you.
3. I am making a difference.
Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.
Is it true that we all live to serve? That by helping others we fulfill our own destiny? The answer is a simple ‘yes.’ When you make a positive impact in someone else’s life, you also make a positive impact in your own life. Do something that’s greater than you – something that helps someone else to be happy or to suffer less.
You are only one, but you are one. You cannot do everything, but you can do something. Smile and enjoy the fact that you made a difference – one you’ll likely remember forever.
4. I am happy and grateful.
Happiness is within you, in your way of thinking. How you view yourself and your world are mindful choices and habits. The lens you choose to view everything through determines how you feel about yourself and everything that happens around you.
Being grateful will always make you happy. If you’re finding it hard to be grateful for anything, sit down close your eyes and take a long slow breath and be grateful for oxygen. Every breath you take is in sync with someone’s last.
5. I am growing into the best version of me.
Judy Garland once said, “Always be a first rate version of yourself instead of a second rate version of somebody else.” Live by this statement. There is no such thing as living in someone else’s shoes. The only shoes you can occupy are your own. If you aren’t being yourself, you aren’t truly living – you’re merely existing.
Remember, trying to be anyone else is a waste of the person you are. Embrace that individual inside you that has ideas, strengths and beauty like no one else. Be the person you know yourself to be – the best version of you – on your terms. Improve continuously, take care of your body and health, and surround yourself with positivity. Become the best version of you.
6. I am making my time count.
Time is the most valuable constituent of life. Make the time for what does matter today. Really being in the moment, finding passion in your life, seeing the world and traveling, or just seeing the world that’s around you right now, being with great people, doing amazing things, eating amazing food and savoring life’s little pleasures.
Remember, your time is priceless, but it’s free. You can’t own it, but you can use it. You can spend it, but you can’t keep it. Once you’ve lost it you can never get it back. You really do only have a short period to live. So let your dreams be bigger than your fears and your actions louder than your words. Make your time count!
7. I am honest with myself.
Be honest about what’s right, as well as what needs to be changed. Be honest about what you want to achieve and who you want to become. Be honest with every aspect of your life, always. Because you are the one person you can forever count on.
Search your soul, for the truth, so that you truly know who you are. Once you do, you’ll have a better understanding of where you are now and how you got here, and you’ll be better equipped to identify where you want to go and how to get there. Read The Four Agreements.
8. I am good to those I care about.
In human relationships distance is not measured in miles, but in affection. Two people can be right next to each other, yet miles apart. So don’t ignore someone you care about, because lack of concern hurts more than angry words. Stay in touch with those who matter to you. Not because it’s convenient, but because they’re worth the extra effort.
When was the last time you told your family and close personal friends that you loved them? Just spending a little time with someone shows that you care, shows that they are important enough that you’ve chosen — out of all the things to do on your busy schedule — to find the time for them. Talk to them. Listen to them. Understand them.
Many times it’s our actions, not just our words that really speak what our heart feels for another.
9. I know what unconditional love feels like.
Whether your love is towards a child, a lover, or another family member, know the feeling of giving love and not expecting anything in return – this is what lies at the heart of unconditional love. Life through unconditional love is a wondrous adventure that excites the very core of our being and lights our path with delight. This love is a dynamic and powerful energy that lifts us through the most difficult times.
Love is beautiful and unpredictable. It begins with ourselves, for without self-love, we cannot know what true love can be. In loving ourselves, we allow the feeling to generate within us and then we can share it to everyone and everything around us. When you love unconditionally, it isn’t because the person you love is perfect, it’s because you learn to see an imperfect person perfectly.
10. I have forgiven those who once hurt me.
We’ve all been hurt by another person at some point or another – we were treated badly, trust was broken, hearts were hurt. And while this pain is normal, sometimes that pain lingers for too long. We relive the pain over and over, letting them live rent-free in our head and we have a hard time letting go.
Grudges are a waste of perfect happiness, it causes us to miss out on the beauty of life as it happens. To forgive is to set a prisoner free and discover the prisoner was you.
11. I take full accountability for my life.
Own your choices and mistakes, and be willing to take the necessary steps to improve upon them. Either you take accountability for your life or someone else will. And when they do, you’ll become a slave to their ideas and dreams instead of a pioneer of your own.
You are the only one who can directly control the outcome of your life. And no, it won’t always be easy. Every person has a stack of obstacles in front of them. But you must take accountability for your situation and overcome these obstacles. Choosing not to is choosing a lifetime of mere existence. Read The Road Less Traveled.
12. I have no regrets.
This one is simply a culmination of the previous eleven…
Follow your heart. Be true to yourself. Do what makes you happy. Be with who makes you smile. Laugh as much as you breathe. Love as long as you live. Say what you need to say. Offer a helping hand when you’re able. Appreciate all the things you do have. Smile. Celebrate your small victories. Learn from your mistakes. Realize that everything is a lesson in disguise. Forgive. And let go of the things you can’t control.
Photo by: Esparta Palma
YogiCrystal says
Love this list – I need to work on them for sure. Can’t wait to reach a point in my life where most (or all) of these are true!
Mika says
Love this, I got a few more things to work on!
Amelia says
True it’s really grateful to experience new things ahead in life.
Karen says
This article is great! Although I do believe life is a work in progress & we can never be ‘perfect’ (and maybe we shouldn’t want to be). But these are still really good reminders for things to aim for.
Sr. Maria Theresa says
Thanks for the great summary for ways to love life better.
Hudson B.Walukha says
Thanks a lot for sharing these precious ways to live the best life.
Am going to live by these ways and I will make sure that I say them everyday of my life-and DO them.
Kosy says
I feel so elated and close to tears. Thank u for inspiring me. Now am ready to make ma dreams come alive…to inspire the world. Thank u soo much for this site
T says
Thank you from the bottom of the heart. #10 and # 12 are perfect for me. Never, ever, ever give up.
FREEZY says
All Your Words Help a lot of people here .. it’s all about balance! I’m so glad I’m here, thank you so much Angels ( MARC & ANGEL ) .
raj says
Love this. Very helpful advice.
scoobs.du says
Wow! This was truly inspirational and enlightening read.
#6 is so overlooked as we all know life is so short.
Lily says
Wow! What a great list. I’m going to read this many times over because this is wisdom I don’t want to forget.
ANGIE says
I LOVE IT!!! FROM NOW ON I’M ALWAYS GOING TO READ THIS SITE!! THANK YOU..
I FEEL SO ALONE .. BUT NOW FEEL BETTER !!!!
Mirta Sanchez says
Have now made your site a must visit at the start of every day….thank you!
taiwo says
This article is superb…
Francis Jane Mejias says
i love your site ! it is so simple yet it contains a lot of information and sense. continue sharing your knowledge to others and may God bless you always. 🙂
Braja Patnaik says
It is by doing these things, when we reflect back and draw the balance sheet of our life at the end of the day, we will be able to tell the world and the new generation that we lived our life fully, extracted all juice that life had to offer, spread all the fragrance that we could and made at least a small part of the world a better place to live in.
Thanks for the great post.
Marol says
When I am feeling down articles like this just uplift my spirit. Thank you for posting!
just another guy says
Really inspiring article. 😀
Muna Saeed Musa says
I feel grateful to have had the privilege to read your article. Thank you!
Vincent says
Thank you for this post. I know I am my own person. I will never let peoples’ opinions upset me. I love who I am now and NOBODY can change that.
Kat says
Have such a long way to go. It seems an impossible task but I am working on it and as the saying goes you eat the elephant a bite at a time.
Linnea says
Thank you for this amazing site! After reading these posts it’s easier to really feel love towards myself, people around me and finally towards the whole universe. Bless you!
Lindsay M says
Great advice. Loved this short read.
Sudibyo M. Wiradji says
Life through unconditional love is a wondrous adventure that excites the very core of our being and lights our path with delight.
–It’s really great and inspiring advice. It does speak to me much!
DAMMA says
This has really given me a new life perspective and a positive focus. Thank you.
Donetta Sifford says
I am so glad I found this site!! I wish I had time tonight to read every post. I read and have practiced challenges on Personal Excellence. I find this just, if not more, inspiring. Beautiful read.
cheri says
I love this site so much! Great read!
chee says
It could be a calling that I stumbled onto your website on the new year’s day… awesome!!
Sunshine says
so inspiring.. 🙂
Jenna says
This makes me realize some things I need to correct in my life…
You are the best, thanks.
Teresa says
Marc for marvelous and Angel you are an Angel.
I have 4 children and am proud of them. I have always been a very healthy person, however I have been diagnostic with reumatoide arthritis 2 years ago. Now, I have more free time to think about myself and I truly believe ‘When the student is ready, the teacher appears’. I know, I will be healthy again and with more wisdom thanks to my free time and your help. Thanks a lot!!
Mitchell says
I wanted to add a really important addition, which I thought of when reading #8. I am good to those I care about.
I think perhaps change it to 8. I am good.
We should remember to be good to EVERYBODY.
Be kind to everybody. You are not better than anyone else. If someone is having a bad day, be kind to them, as you also have a bad day.
Paula Briggs says
This was a fabulous article. I sent it to Facebook and LinkedIn. So true, everyone should follow these things in life!
Kajal K says
Thanks for sharing such a beautiful list with us.
jonna says
Love it!
Rinku Chainani says
Really enjoyed this article. I have read both the books, The Four Agreement and Road Less traveled and both are my favorite.
But your article summarized it all.
Thank you for inspiring!
Laura says
I wish so much I could think/feel this way. Something so simple seems so hard to do, but I am determined to fight all that is preventing me from feeling this way. I hope to get there someday.
Tunji Bankole says
I love everything about your blogs & Archives. I am glad I am a member of your fan page. Reading your posts helps me think more positively about myself!
Nazmi says
First and foremost thank you for sharing this wonderful and inspiring article. I feel that this post can bring the best out of life if followed. I’m going to print it out and read it at least every week so I shall be inspired to be myself and live an inspiring life. After all our life is the best message we can give to the world. Best live an inspiring one. Kudos to you.
mona says
Just love this article… I’m a jolly n bubbly kind of gal…and things written here, especially #12, resonate so much…
tejal patel says
Very nice article. I love these tips.
Thanks.
RAMAN KUMAR says
I feel grateful to have had the privilege to read your article. Thank you.