When it comes to our personal lives, we often put so much pressure on ourselves to be productive and perfect. We build up a mountain of expectations that we can’t possibly meet, and as a result, we end up feeling overwhelmed and less than happy with ourselves. Luckily, there are ways you can simplify your life and make it more enjoyable. After all, life is meant to be lived rather than worked at. Let these seven tips help you live a little bit happier so that you don’t feel so driven by the weight of the world hanging on your shoulders.
1. Live a minimalist life
It’s so easy to get sucked into the rat race in our daily lives. It’s so easy to feel like we’re failing at life if we don’t have an insane amount of things to do every day. But a minimalist lifestyle isn’t about reducing your life to a certain point; it’s about simplifying everything you do until you’re left with just what’s important. It might sound like a pipe dream in today’s world, but a minimalist life is possible. All you need to do is take a little time out of your day to think about what’s really important to you. Once you’ve got a handle on that, you can start to simplify your life.
2. Learn to say no
One of the biggest hurdles to simplifying our lives comes down to self-preservation. If you’re constantly saying yes to every single request or invitation you receive, you’re going to feel overwhelmed. You need to learn how to say no. Don’t feel like you’ve done a bad thing by refusing a request from one person. If you want to simplify your life and prioritize your health, you need to learn how to say no to stressors in your life.
3. Limit your social media
Social media can be a fantastic way of connecting with friends, family, and others around the world. However, it can also have a significant impact on your mental health. The constant comparisons you see between people and the pictures of the lives others post on social media can leave you feeling like you’re not doing well enough. If you’re constantly comparing yourself to other people online (and you probably are), then you need to cut down on how often you log onto social media.
4. Set Yourself Short-Term Goals
You need to set easily attainable short-term goals. For example, if you are trying to save money, make sure you are realistic. You don’t need to set the goal of saving $10,000 or $20,000 a month if that is a goal that will stretch you too thin or possibly set you up for failure. Instead, set a more realistic goal, like saving $5000 a month. Challenge yourself, but also put yourself in a position to be successful.
5. Celebrate Every Small Success
Few things will make you feel like you’re on the right track in life than celebrating every little thing you do well. Whatever it is, celebrate that success. You need to remind yourself that you’re improving as a person, and when you do well, it gives you that extra boost you need to keep going.
6. Don’t Compare Yourself to others
We’re social creatures, and as such, we’re constantly comparing ourselves to other people. But that’s not the only way to feel good about yourself: You need to appreciate the things you have and the person you are right now. Too many of us focus on the negative in our lives and spend too much time beating ourselves up for things that don’t really matter. You might not have a perfect life, but you do have something that counts for something: your health. Make it a point to celebrate that and appreciate every small thing you have in your life. You don’t need to be on the top of the social ladder or have the biggest house in the neighborhood to feel happy and content.
7. Always be grateful
Gratitude is a far more fulfilling way to live your life than worrying about what you don’t have. In fact, one study found that people who are more grateful are happier and healthier than those who aren’t. This might seem like something that’s beyond your control, but it’s not: You can always choose to be grateful. You don’t need to wait for things to come to you, and you don’t need to spend your days wishing for something to be different. Instead, make gratitude a habit.
Conclusion
The only way to truly simplify your life is to have a clear goal in mind. Take time to think about what you want out of life and what you want out of work, and then create a plan to get there.
