20 Ways You Can Begin Living Your Best Life Now
Find useful ideas for living your best life, figuring out what makes you tick, and enjoying the life you’ve built.
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I recently came across a quote by Henry James: “It’s time to start living the life you’ve imagined.”
It made me think about conversations I’ve had recently with the amazing women in my life. These ladies have raised incredible kids, have successful careers, are always ready to be a good friend, and are often taking care of aging parents simultaneously.
Sometimes it feels like we’ve built these really great lives, and all the people we’re responsible for are thriving while we feel tired and a little burned out by the weight of doing everything.
As mothers and caregivers, our own needs are often the first to be nixed from the schedule. Whether it’s a night out with your friends, a quiet night in, or even your own annual dental exam, often the care of you doesn’t make the priority list.
This needs to change.
You deserve to live your best life, be your best self, and sometimes you do get to be at the top of your priority list. Living your best life means prioritizing your physical, mental, and emotional health. It means enjoying the life you’ve built and the family you’ve made.
Here is a list of 20 ways to start living your best life. If you’ve been ignoring #1, it’s a must-do right now. (Sorry to be bossy, but taking care of your health is an essential first step to feeling good and having the right amount of energy to keep up with the crazy pace of life.)
Read through the list and see if you find any ideas that resonate with you. Use them as a guide for creating the formula you need to create your own unique best life.
1. Take Care of Your Body
Have you felt tired, forgetful, or just not quite yourself recently?
If the answer is yes, and it’s been a while since you’ve been to see a doctor for a wellness check, get that on the schedule now.
Time flies, and it’s really easy, especially as we get older and our lives get more hectic; it’s not uncommon to realize that you had your last “annual exam” a few years ago or more. Take the time today, or when the office opens in the morning, to schedule the appointments you’re behind on – primary care physician, GYN, dentist, and vision (if necessary).
A few blood tests may reveal that some of your physical issues can be easily remedied by a diet change or adding a supplement. Taking care of yourself in this way is honestly the most important thing you can do to live your best life and getting on the right track – you might be amazed at how much better you feel after following a few “doctor’s orders” or having the peace of mind that everything’s working as it should be.
In addition to making sure you’re getting regular health check-ups, here are a few more ways you can make your body feel like it’s being treated with kindness.
- If you spend a lot of time sitting at a desk, looking at a computer screen, start adding a leisurely walk or gentle workout to your day.
- Be mindful of what you’re putting into your body – ensure you get enough water, eat healthy food, and avoid processed foods when possible.
- If stressful days have you reaching for a glass (or glasses!) of wine on the daily, it might be time to set boundaries with the cabernet sauvignon! I think wine is wonderful, but it’s always good to do a gut check to ensure you’re not overdoing it or relying on it.
- Make sure you’re getting enough sleep on a regular basis.
- Treat yourself to a massage, facial, or any treatment that helps your body relax and/or improves your skin.
2. Begin Living the Life You Imagined
What is your dream life? If you’ve already got it mapped out, you’re ahead of the game and can get down to the business of creating a plan to make it happen.
But, if you’ve put your own needs and wants on the back burner for so long, you may have trouble conjuring up an image of what a life tapped into your own happiness looks like.
A great way to get started is to pull out a notepad and do a brain dump as you contemplate the following questions:
- In what situations do you feel most like yourself?
- When and where are you most relaxed?
- What is your ideal vacation? What elements of that could you or would you want to bring into your “real life”?
- Is there a realistic financial goal you would like to reach to make changes in your life?
- What is your definition of a “happy life”?
3. Do Only the Things That Matter Most To You
When deciding how to live life and spend your time, think about what matters most to you.
Now, I know that being an adult comes with responsibilities we might not actually like doing, like paying the bills and mowing the lawn, that we can’t get away from. But, you do get a say in how you spend your free time. So choose where you work, what you do on the weekend and the people you surround yourself with.
Life is full of choices, and they all impact how much happiness and fulfillment you feel. Sit in the driver’s seat and decide where you want to go, with who, and when.
4. Do More of What You Love
Piggybacking off of #2 on this list, start making a list of things you truly love to do.
Pull out a pen and paper and come up with as many things you love to do. Make sure to get really specific and list the things you loved before motherhood, career, and adulting took over your life.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Sports and physical activity
- Outdoor activities
- Spending time with your best friends
- Arts and crafts
- Playing a musical instrument
- Hobbies you enjoy
- Reading
- Writing
- Watching movies
- Having a lazy Sunday afternoon doing nothing
- Visiting new places
- Going out for ice cream like you did when you were a kid
Once you have your list, start going through it and find a way to fit some of these things into your life. This is also a great time to think about the things you’re doing that you don’t really love and try to find ways to get them off your plate.
You only have so much precious time in a day – make sure that you’re doing things that contribute to living the life of your dreams.
5. Find Joy In the Small Things
When you stop to think about your life, it’s usually easy to see the great big amazing blessings that have been bestowed upon you. But finding joy in simple things is also important if you want to live your best life.
When you find joy in the small things, not only will you have a more positive attitude, but you’ll see the world as a better place.
Read this post on simple pleasures and little luxuries you can add to your life today.
6. Prioritize What is Important
As you start to think about what you really want in your dream life, learning how to prioritize these things is the next big step.
You won’t be able to do all the things all of the time. There will be times when you need to pick and choose based on what your priorities are at the moment. As the seasons of your life change, so will your priorities, and that’s totally okay.
One of the hardest parts of prioritizing what’s important is learning to say “no”, but it’s super important if you want to create time in your schedule for the things you really want to do.
7. Know What is Keeping You From Living the Live of Your Dreams
If you don’t feel like you’re living your best life, what is stopping you? Most of us have things that keep us feeling stuck, or like we can’t move forward into the life we’d really like to live.
The odds are that there is a situation, fear, worry, financial concern, or even someone you love dearly who is stopping you. Find clarity on what that blockage is.
8. Give Yourself Permission to Feel Your Emotions
As moms, we experience a wide range of emotions. And while it might be easier to try to hide from emotions like sadness, anger, guilt, and fear – these are exactly the places you need to explore to get the most clarity and insight into your life.
Suppressing your emotions is rarely good for your mental health, and sometimes the negative feelings help you sort out who you really are and what you actually want from life.
9. Be Yourself
“Being authentic” is currently a buzzword all over social media. There’s validity to this idea – the best way to be your best self is to simply BE yourself.
Give yourself permission to let the real you shine, quirks and all. Once you start to accept yourself, flaws, and all, others tend to follow.
10. Don’t Be Afraid of Change
Yes, change can be uncomfortable and sometimes even scary.
But, often, embracing change is where we start to experience our best lives.
The next time you have the opportunity to step outside of your comfort zone, do it! Don’t assume it will be scary or the outcome will be bad. You might actually find that it’s not even uncomfortable at all once you’re in the midst of it.
Some of the best moments in our lives are often brought about by changes we were initially skeptical about embracing.
11. Become Self-Aware
One of the best things you can do on your journey to living your best life is to get to know your inner self. Being self-aware will help you better understand who you truly are, what you really want, what’s important to you, and where you want your life to go next.
Do you really know what you want out of life? Or do you just know what you’ve been told? Being honest with yourself about who you are and what you want is essential for living a fulfilled life.
12. Be Adventurous – On Your Own Terms
A lot of the time, when people talk about being adventurous or taking chances, they might be talking about things that have no interest to you whatsoever. (Jumping out of an airplane or mountain climbing – big “no thank you.”
Being adventurous doesn’t have to mean partaking in death-defying activity. It should mean doing what feels right and exciting in your own life.
What would you like to do that feels a little outside of your normal boundaries? Here are a few ideas to consider:
- Meeting new people
- Taking on a new project at work
- Going on a road trip to someplace you’ve always wanted to visit
- Creating a bucket list and starting to check off items
- Taking a class or learning a skill you’ve always been intrigued by.
13. Be Intentional About Your Day
Start each morning by setting the intention that today will be your best day ever!
- Make it a priority to do something that’s going to make you feel good such as:
- Working on a healthy habit or routine
- Practicing a self-care activity
- Spending time with friends
- Relaxing
- Tackling items on your to-do list, you’ll feel good about accomplishing
- Really – anything that will make you feel content and gives you more joy.
Think of your intentions as not just being about being productive but about filling your day with things that make you happy.
14. Understand What You Really Want Out of Life
Living your best life isn’t about pleasing anyone else or living anyone else’s ideal life. It’s about YOU.
But, before you can start living your best life, you need to know what you really want out of your life. Not what your spouse, parents, kids, or even what you USED to want. It’s about what YOU want and needs exactly where you’re at today.
Journaling is a good way to discover what you want in life, what is currently missing, and what will bring you the fulfillment you’re looking for.
15. Declutter Your Life
Sometimes, the first step to living your best life is to get your act together on the organization front. Often, when life feels chaotic, clutter and disorganization are somehow at the root of the issue.
By decluttering your schedule and your surroundings, you create more structure and stability. This makes it much easier to relax and find enjoyment.
16. Take a Chance
Have you heard the phrase “paralysis by analysis”? It’s where you spend so much time THINKING about something (and, to be honest, usually overthinking) that you never actually get it done.
There is nothing wrong with being cautious and researching. But if it keeps you from following through with actual action, it’s time to change your mindset. If overthinking trying new things or setting out on your next life adventure keeps you from moving forward to your best life, it might be time to dive headfirst into something you’re passionate about.
17. Be Mindful and Stay in the Now
Being mindful simply means being present and appreciating all of the moments in your life for what they are.
It doesn’t mean that everything is perfect or that every moment of your life is positive. But, rather, it’s acknowledging that every moment is meaningful because it helps shape who you are and the kind of life you will live.
Many people overlook moments that could have an impactful effect on their lives because they are rarely (if ever) in a mindful state.
Stop rushing through the movements and start paying attention to even the little moments.
There are so many joys, blessings, and even sometimes “aha moments” that can come out of even the most seemingly mundane moments of our lives.
18. Allow Yourself to Be Uncomfortable
Change can be uncomfortable. Taking a risk and putting yourself out there can be uncomfortable. But, a lot of the time, it’s in that discomfort that the best things happen to you.
So think about the things you’ve been putting off that are doable but you’ve been avoiding because the idea of taking that first step gives you anxiety.
Maybe it’s that solo trip to Italy, going back to college at 40, or even learning to sail at 45.
Try to do those things you just know you’ll look back at in 25 years and think, “I still can’t believe I really did that.”
19. Cultivate Happy Habits
Usually, you think of creating habits as adding something to create a healthy lifestyle or being productive to your day. Totally important, yes, but you also need to create “happy habits.”
Happy habits often don’t make it onto your to-do list because they may seem frivolous or like something you just don’t have time for. But, if you want to live a more fulfilling life, you start by being intentional about the small choices you make along the way.
Really think about the different things you believe would make your days happier and contemplate how you can start adding some of them into your routine. This is how you develop happy habits.
20. Practice Gratitude
The art of practicing gratitude has popped up on social media and in the press quite a bit in recent years. And for a good reason – taking the time to reflect on the blessings in our lives is important for our happiness. Whether it’s keeping a list or writing in a journal, the physical act of writing down the little things (or big things!) you are grateful for greatly impacts how you view your life.
The truth is, you are already living an amazing life; you just don’t always realize it.
Find more ways to appreciate it, love every moment, and experience the joy in the small things.
Take advantage of opportunities, go on adventures, and just truly live in the moment.
This is how you will live your best life.