I’ve grown a lot over the last few years, and I like to think I am still growing and becoming the best version of myself.
Moving countries and continents and living away from my family, I’ve made new friends and also lost some people who I thought would be in my life till the very end.
Just like most people, I’ve experienced so many changes and it has been an amazing and fulfilling journey.
Of course, as I’ve gotten older, I’ve had to learn and unlearn a lot of things. But by adopting certain rules and principles, I have guided myself into living a much happier and more fulfilling life.
This article explores some of these principles that continue to shape my life daily. I hope they can also help you!
5 Ultimate Life Principles That Changed My Life for the Better
1. Be grateful.
This one had to make it to the top of the list because it’s been a big one for me.
I’m constantly working on living by it because of course I fall off the wagon. The power of gratitude has been widely discussed and written about so I won’t go over the details again.
I try my best to live by this method and start each day by writing down the things I am grateful for.
My life is not perfect, and sometimes I find myself focusing more on the parts I wish I could change, rather than those that feel like answered prayers. I have to constantly remind myself to be grateful, especially when I’m going through a hard time.
There is always something to be grateful for. Gratitude really feels like an endless source of happiness, and anyone can benefit from practicing it regularly.
2. You are responsible for your life.
Quite early in life, I learned that the only person responsible for my life is me.
This is unfortunate for me because I don’t always like to be in charge. Some of the people I’m surrounded by can help or contribute to a future version of me, but ultimately, I am the one responsible for how my future turns out.
The statement, “you are responsible for your life,” suggests the idea of personal responsibility and accountability for one’s actions and choices. It emphasizes that individuals have the power and control over their own lives and the outcomes of their decisions.
Taking responsibility for your life also involves acknowledging the consequences of your choices, even the negative ones.
Every morning, you need to remind yourself that your actions, behaviors, and mindset shape the person you become and how your life turns out.
3. Call people by their first names.
I know that most people have a hard time remembering names. I am one of those people.
However, somewhere along my way, I realized that if someone remembers my name and addresses me by it during a conversation, it makes me feel good.
I feel like they’re actually engaging and making an effort to know me and what I have to offer.
So, I started doing the same to others, realizing that people like to hear their names. It helps cultivate and promote good relations. Moreover, I also realized that calling people by their first names helps me remember them easily!
4. Comparison is a thief of joy.
I grew up in a household that had a lot of comparison.
Everyone was always being lined up against the next person, even when our circumstances were different. I think this was a cultural thing, with the goal aimed at motivating us to do better.
But honestly, the comparison did me more harm than good. It made me feel like I was doing worse than I actually was and like I was a failure. Comparison stole my joy.
The adult version of me understands there is only one me and my circumstances are very different from those of the people around me.
I’m running my own race, and there is no need for me to compare myself with the next person.
Doing the best I can is good enough. I do not need to be doing better than the next person in order for me to get approval or acknowledgement.
5. Spend more time with happy people.
I strongly believe that people’s energies and ‘vibes’ rub off on others.
If you spend time with happy people, you become happier, and if you spend your time with sad or angry people, that is what you become.
I am surrounded by a few people, but they’re all happy and positive. I try to keep my distance from people who never have anything positive to say or are always complaining.
Yes, I find being around them exhausting. But I also acknowledge that I’ve worked really hard to be in the mental space I am in, and I don’t want to ruin that by being around people who always bring my spirits down.
This is not to say we should abandon our friends when they’re going through a hard time. We certainly have to be there, but we don’t have to be around people who appear to always be going through hard times and can’t ever seem to appreciate anything going on for them.
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My Life Principles: We’re All Capable of Achieving Happiness
I don’t think happiness is a destination.
Unfortunately, many people convince themselves that they will be happy once they achieve ABC. Instead, happiness is a state of mind, and it lives in the present.
It is derived from the things we choose to focus on. Most of us don’t have perfect lives, but that doesn’t mean we don’t deserve happiness. We do! And we can find that happiness in seemingly little things like:
- the fact that we’re in good health
- we have good people in our lives
- we have a roof over our heads
We all have different rules that we live by, and they all work differently for us.
No, I’m curious to learn about some of your favorite ones! Tell us in the comments below. This list is by no means exhaustive and I will likely add more of my favorite methods in a later article.
Editor’s note: This article was originally published Nov 26, 2023 and has been updated to improve reader experience.
Photo by Martin Lopez