Beauty can mean different things to each one of us. Have you discovered the secrets to living a beautiful life, or are you just surviving like so many of us out there? What does living a beautiful life mean to you? Is it your partner or spouse that completes you, or even your kids? Or perhaps it’s the things you own; your house, car, clothes, jewelry, or the lifestyle your bank balance allows.
So often, we spend time lamenting over how our life just isn’t ‘goals’ enough and might never be the perfect fairytale we imagined as a child. It is so easy to focus on our flaws and deficits, the things that make us feel ‘less than’ like when we succumb to material jealousy. These superficial and negative thoughts can push us into a hard cycle to break free of. However, when we look at our best friends, it’s easy to see their innermost qualities and the things we enjoy the most. It’s funny how the rest doesn’t seem to matter, only how it feels to be around them. Let’s stay with this feeling and take a look at 7 of the secrets to living a beautiful life.
1. If you want the secrets to living a beautiful life – It All Starts with You
Psychologist Dr. John Duffy claims that changing your life can begin with something as simple as becoming more aware of “the vibe you want to carry. [This] might be getting up earlier rather than sleeping in [or] reaching out to help someone instead of passively ignoring their need.” Alison Thayer, a qualified Psychotherapist, suggests asking yourself “Could things be worse?” or “Is there anything I can take out of this that can be a benefit to me? More often than not, there is a positive aspect to things that happen, even those that feel negative.”[1]
2. No Time Like The Present
Joyce Marter, a psychotherapist, recommends focusing on the present as one of the secrets to living a beautiful life. She believes this helps to let go of negative thoughts and feelings. “Honor the past, learn from it, accept it and let it go. Don’t obsess or worry about the future,” she states that. “Life is more manageable when you are grounded in the present.”[1]
“Learn to enjoy every minute of your life. Be happy now. Don’t wait for something outside of yourself to make you happy in the future. Think how really precious is the time you have to spend, whether it’s at work or with your family. Every minute should be enjoyed and savored.”[2]
Earl Nightingale
3. Live With A Purpose
Former president of the American Psychological Association, Martin Seligman founded Positive Psychology in 1998 when he felt that psychology was outdated as a crisis-avoidance model. He aimed to show people how to build “the best things in life.” He suggests that devotion to a single thing that allows you to put “life into perspective,” will help you find meaning. It could be activism or serving your community but make sure it’s something with a higher purpose.[1]
“To be creative means to be in love with life. You can be creative only if you love life enough that you want to enhance its beauty, you want to bring a little more music to it, a little more poetry to it, a little more dance to it.”[2]
Osho
4. Give Yourself a Chance to Heal is one of the most important secrets to living a beautiful life
Real Life Counseling revealed on their website that “self-compassion, research shows, is one of the most powerful sources of resilience, helping people overcome difficulties and thrive.” So be good to yourself, and you will grow.[1]
“Life isn’t about waiting for the storm to pass… It’s about learning to dance in the rain.”[2]
Vivian Greene
5. Encourage Healthy Relationships
Positive Psychology also advocates building healthy relationships in your life. Psychology Today says that “good relationships are essential for wellbeing. Strong social connections are linked with good physical and mental health and are also protective against stressors.” Leading a healthy lifestyle is also extremely important; your diet and sleeping patterns play such a big role in regulating your emotional state.[1]
“Life is not always easy to live, but the opportunity to do so is a blessing beyond comprehension.”[2]
L. Lionel Kendrick
6. Stop Comparing Your Life to Another’s
If you want the secrets to living a beautiful life, avoid the three “C’s” at all times. Never compare, compete, or contrast. According to Real Life Counseling, “we tend to compare someone’s best with our average or even our worst moments. . . [But] we are all different, not only in our traits and abilities but also in our history and life circumstances.”[1]
“My theory on life is that life is beautiful. Life doesn’t change. You have a day, and a night, and a month, and a year. We people change – we can be miserable, or we can be happy. It’s what you make of your life.”[2]
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum
7. One of the Final Secrets to living a beautiful – life Keep Your Feet On the Ground
Alison Thayer believes we should “ask yourself ‘Is this realistic and can I actually attain this goal?’ If the answer is no, consider breaking the goal down into intermediate steps or modifying it all together.”[1]
“Today I choose life. Every morning when I wake up I can choose joy, happiness, negativity, pain… To feel the freedom that comes from being able to continue to make mistakes and choices – today I choose to feel life, not to deny my humanity but embrace it.”[2]
Kevyn Aucoin
Keep Reading: Dear Mom, I Hope You Know
Sources
- “10 Things You Can Do Today to Improve Your Life.”Psych Central. Margarita Tartakovsky, M.S.May 17, 2016.
- “85 Life Is Beautiful Quotes.” Planet of Success. Steve Mueller. May 4, 2020.