Happiness is a concept that may feel out of reach. With the stress and pressure of life, being truly content and satisfied with life may seem more like a fairytale than a reality. The truth is, many people give up too easily on the life they want to live because it takes work. Sometimes, it is easier to move along the easy path and settle. However, with some goal setting and hard work, finding a life you love is possible. Learn more about what you can do right now to course-correct your life down the path of joy.
Seek Your Purpose
Ever since Oprah talked about her ‘why,’ it has become the question to ask when trying to find your purpose. Why do you want the life you seek? Is it for increased wealth? Will getting it make you feel whole? Finding your purpose and the inspiration behind it is not always easy, and in fact, it may be the step that takes you the longest to get through. Getting started is the only way you will reach a resolution. Get out a pen and paper or fire up your word processor. Write down what your ultimate goal in life is. Does it include a different career? Do you want a family? Is independence your end-goal? Once you name what you believe will lead to your best life, now take the time to write about why you think this is the case. Dig deeper until you feel inspired by this revelation.
Break Your Goals Up
Your end-goal is probably something fairly large. If you want to live a happy life, wonderful. However, how can you get there? When you set a goal or a dream, it helps to break it down into actionable, smaller goals. These are tasks that you can do that will eventually lead to your ultimate goal. For instance, if your dream is to become a singer, you may want to start with voice lessons. Set a timetable for finding an adequate teacher. Dive into your classes and do the work. Make a mini-goal performing at an open mic night. These smaller actions will eventually lead you to reach the big goal.
Don’t Give Up
Things happen that will come along and trip you up. Perhaps you will suffer a career setback and have to press pause on those voice lessons until the money comes flowing back in. Regardless, when a setback occurs, you need to move past it. Too many times, people abandon their goals because things get hard. This is where the work is. You cannot attain the true thrive experience without rolling up your sleeves. Learn from mistakes, but don’t get stuck in them. When you understand the steps you need to take to achieve the kind of life you desire, it is hard to ignore the path forward. The only thing stopping you from living the kind of life you have always dreamed of living is your own self-limiting behavior and thoughts. Take risks and get to a place where you can feel proud of all you have done to change your life for the better.