Well the first thing I’m going to say – which you already know, is that life is precious, its end unpredictable, and sure. But pending that, life will be what we make it. We have a choice in what we do with our lives, how we spend our time here on earth, and who we spend our time with. At least most of us do!

Life by Design: Living My Best Life “NOW”

When my aunt passed away while I was barely a teen I realized at that early age how delicate life was, the surety of its end, and how little control we have over when that end comes. I also realized that there were people living on this earth who were controlled – limiting their freedom of self expression, livelihood, and ability to design and live life the way they want to. And so I decided at a very young age that with all the things I cannot control being highly significant, I would do everything in my power to control the things I can control – to ensure I live the best way possible – doing what I want to do and having a fulfilling life. And thankfully, I am living in a part of the world where a great degree of personal freedom is allowed. And so now I can truly say that the only thing that can stop me from living my best life, is me.

No-one is coming to hand me my dream lifestyle! I have to design it the way I want it, strategize on the tools I need and the path I will take to get to it, set goals to help me accomplish it, and follow through. In all eight key areas of my lifestyle design – health & fitness, love & romance, career & business, personal growth & development, family & friends, money & finance, housing & accommodation, geographic location & community, it is important that I take advantage of every day I am present and actually live and maximize the experiences I know I can have, and I have made that my priority.

Like me, you have visions of a better tomorrow; for yourself, and your family. Perhaps those visions consist of a you losing weight, getting into shape, quitting smoking, finding a career that you actually love, becoming your own boss, making more money, reading more books, writing a book, mastering your favorite musical instrument, purchasing your dream home, relocating to that country/state/city etc., all while making quality time to spend with your family, and keep up with friends. But whatever your vision, ask yourself, “what are you waiting for?“

What it Means to Live Your Best Life

Living your best life means living up to your fullest potential. And living up to your fullest potential means you decide what that looks like for you in all eight key areas – craft your unique design, devise a plan to bring it to life, then execute and actually do those things according to your life design. #DesignYourDreamLifestyle. Practicing self care – externally as well as internally, is another huge part of living your best life. This includes taking time out to smell the roses, eat right, stay in shape, and letting go of past hurt, limiting beliefs, and forgiving those who have wronged us. #LetInVivaciousEnergy. Living your best life also means that you continue to set the bar even higher for yourself, and committing to personal growth. You must be willing to change, to grow, and to do what it takes in order for you to continue being the best person you can be and living the best life you can live. And of course, you cannot live your best life without balance, and so you need to ensure that balance is taken into consideration when crafting your lifestyle design.

What It Takes to Live Your Best Life

Strength & Tenacity

Accomplishing our biggest goals and living our best life often means doing things that are difficult and challenging. It is so much easier to settle for mediocrity than to reach for exemplary. Exemplary takes work! Breaking bad habits and developing good habits takes discipline and strength of character, and living our best life will demand nothing less. We can build strength of character by first stepping out of our comfort zone, then challenging ourselves to do things that other people might consider difficult, improving at every level. We can then use that strength and tenacity to make more positive changes in all areas of our life. This inner strength is vital to staying the course, especially when the going gets tough. Also, we cannot live our best life with unresolved, emotional baggages weighing us down, and so in order to free ourselves of those baggages, we need to forgive our perpetrators. This is not an easy feat! And so you will need all the strength you can muster to get you through the forgiveness process. But remember: In order to fly you have to be light.

Courage & Determination

It takes courage and a great deal of determination to create the life you desire. As you explore and honor what you ultimately want for yourself, you’ll find that means breaking some old habits and forming new ones. Those changes may include walking away from friendships and other relationships that no longer support your growth and your goals. You may encounter resistance from friends and family as they see you take your future into your own hands. Often times the people who are not supportive of you are the same ones making zero effort to improve their own lives, and so they would prefer that others remain stuck along with them. It takes courage and determination to push forward in pursuit of your desired dream lifestyle, in spite of obstacles, lack of support, and criticisms aimed at thwarting your efforts.

Commitment & Self-Respect

Living your best life begins with appreciating the fact that you are alive. Realizing that life is a gift and every single day is a blessing is the foundation on which you build the life you desire. Appreciating life means respecting yourself and your body. Your body is your vehicle for this journey; give it the fuel and maintenance it needs, and it will perform at its best whenever you need it to. Choosing actions that nurture self-respect also builds confidence, and confidence is vital to achieving your goals. By taking excellent care of yourself, you send a message that you are important and valuable. Building your sense of self-worth is also inspiring and motivating. Likewise, commitment is a form of self-respect; you respecting yourself enough to set goals, and accomplish them. Following through with commitments you have made to yourself is the number one way you honor yourself.

Planning & Organization

Being able to live your best life takes planning and organization. Setting goals and living a balanced life is much easier when you take the time to plan things out and write them down. From daily to-do lists to 5-year plans, getting organized has a huge impact on our ability to achieve our goals.

Key People, Institutions, Things

Regardless of what living your best life looks like – for you, you will need either a) key people, b) institutions, c) specific things or a combination of these to play a role in you accomplishing your goals. Whether you need a partner in order for you to realize your dream of having a family and children, a degree in order for you to pursue your career or acquire the skills to start your own business, or money in order to materialize your vision you will not be able to live your best life without having the things and/or people you need in place.

Living our best life is totally possible! And because I only have one shot at traveling on this journey called life, the odds of me leaving my experiences and the way I live to chances, are zero. If you live in a country where your liberties are not hampered, take advantage of that freedom and make it count for you. Design your dream lifestyle, and live your life by your design.

Xo,

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