After a year that upset almost everything we know and love and then a sudden rush to return to warp speed in business and life, my suggestion to : ”live your best life” could feel totally unrealistic. That’s fair, but it also calls to mind how living better in the tough times makes the good times so much richer.

What if you challenged yourself to be capable of living well in every season?

The goal here is to operate with clarity and calm so that you can easily navigate the hard stuff and truly appreciate the beauty in the simple things. When you’re living this way then the good things will happen more often and you can take yourself to the next level.

1. Gratitude

Each morning take a few minutes to name five things from the previous 24 hours to be grateful for.

It’s a simple practice that lets you to see things through a lens of goodness. You can speak these to yourself or write them in a journal.
The little things like a delicious latte, comfortable sweats, or the sounds of nature in your neighborhood. And the key is to get specific.
I usually start the sentence with: I love my delicious latte because it brings me a smile and feels like a decadent way to start my day.
Or, I am grateful for my sister because every time I see, her I am in a fit of laughter on the floor.

When you actively pause and give thanks for all of the small things you will automatically attract more to be thankful for and not only are you are preparing yourself to receive the big things, but you are also retraining your brain to look for all the ways that your life is working instead of all the ways that it isn’t.  

2. Routine

Adopt rituals that serve you. If you need alone time to live as your best self but you live in a house full of people then get up earlier than everyone else to give yourself the necessary time to prepare for the day. Make bedtime ritual to wash your face and care for your skin.
Or my favorite is my morning meditation ritual. Just like I brush my teeth before I go to bed, every morning I wake, pee, sit, and then coffee.
My morning meditation is now a ritual.

Forget your vitamins? Make it a ritual to take your vitamins when you feed the dog. The less you have to think about what to do next, the easier it will be to make clear decisions. 

3. Movement

The body you are occupying right now is the exact same body that carries you through every single day of this life. And it is the only body that we have. So I would encourage you to honor it by moving every day. What you need one day may be high-intensity circuit training or it could be restorative yoga. The kind of movement you perform matters less than the recognition that a body in motion stays in motion.

4. Awareness

Get to know yourself well. There’s a deep risk of spending our lives chasing things that other people tell us matter. What actually matters to you? What are your triggers? When you really spend the time to understand what drives you and what drains you, it is much easier to make smart choices about how to spend your time. Great ways to build self-awareness include personality tests (Myers-Briggs, Enneagram, etc); freestyle journaling on your emotions, and mindfulness meditation. I believe that giving yourself time to connect with that stillness inside is the most important thing you can do.

5. Dream

Make the time to write a future journal entry from your life ten years from now. This is a snapshot of your dream life. Be very specific about where you are, who you’re with, what you’re doing for work and for pleasure, what you eat, what you wear, and how you feel. You can only know that you are working for the right things when you know what you want most. Living a dream life begins with getting very clear on the actual dream.

6. Intentionality

Know exactly what you want from each day and live in the way that honors that. If your ten-year dream includes you being retired then it may not be the right time to buy a new boat. If you want a high vibe day then don’t bring home a dozen donuts. If you need to cultivate some calm, be sure to prioritize meditation and a peaceful outdoor walk. This focused success happens day by day and turns into living a life of purpose.

7. Connection

Be fully engaged with others in many different ways. This doesn’t always have to be in person, but it does mean connecting beyond likes and social media or technology. Join a book club, chat with your neighbors in the front yard, text someone the minute you are thinking of them and tell them “just because”. The more you have in common with others in the world, the less alone you will feel when you are having an off day.

8. Learning

Trying new things and learning as an adult can enhance your understanding of the world and improve your quality of life. Developing new skills builds confidence and increases the likelihood of professional promotion, accepting new challenges, and improved cognitive functioning. All of these are winners in my book! Read new stories, take a language class, take a painting class, learn about wines. Whatever you are passionate about!

9. Adventure

Much like learning, there is deep value in being adventurous. This isn’t exclusive to physical adventure – you definitely don’t have to jump out of a plane to feel excitement – but what can you do to get out of your normal comfort zone and get inspired?

Safe and simple ideas include hiking new trails in a neighboring town, taking a train trip instead of driving to a destination, or booking a solo weekend somewhere you’ve never been. Each time you surprise your brain and break out of the monotony of the day-to day you are forging new paths for creativity and joy.

10. Rest

Living your best life means that you are healthy and consistently nourished. Every suggestion here is irrelevant if you are burned out and exhausted. Make rest a top priority in your schedule. If your new routine includes getting up earlier then you need to go to bed earlier.
If you have a vigorous workout regimen you need to build in days for your body to recover.

The ten year dream is the best version of you and she knows that all good things flow from wholeness. Prioritize your rest and watch your waking hours become more productive and vibrant.

Your best life is within your reach and always in your control. A little shift in mindset, the adoption of some simple practices, and a commitment to yourself can get you there quicker than you can even imagine.

And if you are struggling with all the to do’s of the day and you wished you had more time, check out my freebie on how to find one more hour in your day!