How to Achieve a Better Life

Life has the potential to improve. This is a wonderful thought and, more importantly, it is true if you put in the effort. While you may not see noticeable positive changes every day or with each attempt, over time and with consistency, the effort to make improvements in your life will lead to positive results.

Decide on your values. Reflect on what you truly desire. What matters most to you? How do you want to improve your life? Maybe you want to earn more money, become a better parent, or find more meaning in your current job. Whatever it may be, take the time to think deeply about it and trust your inner instincts.

• Try to describe your ideal self and life on paper. You can create columns such as relationships, finances, and mindset (meaning how you want to think or what attitude you want to adopt).

Embrace Adaptability. Sometimes, no matter how badly you want something, it simply isn't meant to be. By defining your values in terms of your willingness to adapt or compromise, you can live a happier and ultimately more fulfilling life over time. This is because you won’t feel as frequently disheartened or disappointed.

• Avoid surrendering too easily to life's circumstances. Improving your life for the better requires effort.

Analyze Reactions to Establish Standards. Once you’ve compiled a list of values you cherish, look for standards that may offer insight into areas where you should focus on improvement.

• For instance, perhaps you’ve been desiring a more meaningful job with a higher income, and haven’t prioritized improving relationships as part of your value list.

Take Actionable Steps Toward Change. If you’ve identified that improving your career is crucial, take steps to enhance that area of your life.

• For example, you could decide to start attending evening classes to become a lawyer or a physical therapist.

Set Realistic Goals. Unrealistic goals, such as aiming to be the best lawyer in the world and earning five million dollars within the first year after graduating law school, should be avoided. Instead, opt for goals that are specific (Specific), measurable (Measurable), achievable (Attainable), relevant (Relevant), and time-bound (Time-bound) – also known as SMART goals.

• Specific goals are clear. Rather than stating, 'I’ll become a lawyer someday,' which is vague, you should say something specific like, 'I will become a lawyer in four years.'
• Measurable goals allow you to track progress over time. You can track your law school progress by counting how many classes you need to attend to graduate, marking each one as completed.
• Attainable goals are realistic and feasible. It’s not about being the best lawyer in the world. A practical goal would be: graduate law school and secure a job with an average salary or slightly above the average for a lawyer.
• Relevant goals align with the values you’ve identified for a better life. If you value finding meaning (such as helping others through law) and increasing income, then becoming a lawyer is a legitimate goal.
• Time-bound goals come with deadlines. This can include specific dates for secondary goals, such as the date you plan to take the LSAT (the required test for law school admissions).

Continue to Evaluate Your Values. Periodically ask yourself about the values you’ve assigned to each area of your life. You may realize that your values shift over time as you gain more life experience.

• Remember that changing direction is perfectly normal. It doesn’t mean you’ve failed when you redirect your energy to other areas of life; it simply indicates that you’ve shifted your priorities and values.

Live Mindfully in the Present. While it’s undoubtedly important to live for the future (through planning, saving, etc.), it’s equally essential for your happiness to embrace and enjoy the present moment.

• Take moments throughout your day to pause. Breathe deeply five times and pay attention to your inner sensations. Try not to judge these feelings, just experience them freely.

Try New Activities. Hobbies help us grow and recharge; they stimulate our minds and bodies and spark creativity. All of this can make us feel as though we’re living a better life.

• If you’re stuck on finding something exciting to try, visit the website: http://www.meetup.com/

Increase Your Income. Research shows that money can indeed buy happiness, but only up to a certain point—around $75,000. Beyond this threshold, the relationship between money and happiness (i.e., a better life) diminishes significantly.

• Depending on how you define 'a better life,' income can continue to correlate with greater life satisfaction, even above $75,000. It’s important to reflect on your personal circumstances, how you define a better life, and how much you value money in your own life.

Remember to Smile. Children laugh more than adults; they are carefree and happy, and their lives are full of joy. Becoming an adult doesn’t have to mean that life becomes serious and dull. Make it a habit to smile and share a joke every day to keep things lighthearted and fun.

• If you don’t feel like creating humor on your own, try watching stand-up comedy or a funny TV show.

Avoid Negative People in Your Life. If there’s someone you know who constantly brings you down and makes you feel bad about yourself, it’s time to cut off contact with them. You may feel guilty at first, but over time, not being influenced by their negativity will help you feel better.

• If it's a friend, start responding less to their messages and delay your replies longer, or simply stop communicating with them altogether.
• If it's a family member or someone you live with, try to avoid them by being out of the house when they’re home, or stay in your room when they’re in the living room.

Exercise Regularly. Engaging in physical activity can help counteract exhaustion; exercise relieves stress and is key to living better. One reason exercise has these benefits is that it releases endorphins, hormones that help your brain feel 'more at ease.'

• While working out, play some motivating tunes to help you stay focused and excited. Be sure to listen to your body and avoid overexerting yourself!

Eat Healthy Foods. Unhealthy eating can leave you feeling unwell. Therefore, it’s important to prioritize nutritious foods if you want to improve your life.

• Include lean meats, nuts, fruits, and vegetables in your diet as they are excellent for your health. Also, aim for a balanced diet, meaning eat in moderation.

Get Enough Sleep. Lack of sleep can negatively impact your health by causing fatigue, sadness, and anxiety.

• If you're struggling to fall asleep, try making your room darker. Also, consider eliminating loud noises or wearing earplugs. Stick to a bedtime routine each night. Pay attention to how many hours of sleep you need to feel refreshed in the morning, and try to get that amount consistently each night.

Avoid Excessive Caffeine Intake. Caffeine can make you feel anxious, which contributes to stress and worry. If you define a better life as reducing stress and anxiety, it may be a good idea to cut back on caffeine.

• Remember the compromise. If you realize that you're more productive with a certain amount of caffeine and value that productivity more than a bit of anxiety, cutting back on caffeine may not be the best solution. Experiment with different caffeine levels and see how these changes affect your happiness in life.

Try Psychological Therapy. Counseling or therapy can help individuals not only confront issues but also grow and live better.

• To find a psychologist or therapist, visit: http://locator.apa.org/

Step Outside Your Comfort Zone. Stop following the same old routines and patterns. Instead, venture into the "most anxious" zone. Research shows that feelings of anxiety or restlessness help activate the brain, enabling it to complete more tasks.

• Some ways to step outside your comfort zone include trying a new hobby, meeting new people, or setting a slightly more challenging personal goal.
• Remember your values and personality regardless. If you define a better life as first taking time for self-reflection and recognizing that you're inherently introverted, stepping out of your comfort zone might not be as important for you.
• You won’t know until you try!

Volunteer Your Time. Spend some time helping others and you'll notice both your physical and mental health improve. There are many ways to volunteer. For instance, you could:

• Volunteer at a homeless shelter.
• Call an organization you care about and ask how you can offer your time to assist them.
• Contact your local library to see if they need a tutor in a subject you know well.
• Reach out to local government representatives and inquire about volunteering opportunities for causes that matter to you.

Remember Your Own Shortcomings Before Criticizing Others. As humans, we often have bad days where we're in a bad mood, lose our temper, need some alone time, lie, or become selfish. Try to remember that people don't always live up to ideal standards. Just as you forgive your own mistakes, try to forgive the mistakes of others.

• Instead of offering harsh criticism based on a single instance of behavior, look at the overall behavioral pattern that more clearly represents the person.

Perform Kind Gestures for Acquaintances. Have you ever received a thank-you card from someone? For some reason, sending a thank-you card feels more rewarding than a simple spoken thank you. It shows that the effort is appreciated and makes the recipient feel grateful and happy.

• When you treat your friends well, they will reciprocate. This will improve your relationships and contribute to a better life.

Communicate More Clearly. Communication can be difficult because it requires you to express your emotions and thoughts in a way that the listener will understand accurately. But how can you ensure that your words are understood correctly?

• One way to improve is to spend more time thinking before you speak to communicate more effectively. If your thoughts haven't been fully articulated, take a moment to process them in your mind before speaking out loud.

Become a Better Listener. Focus and pay attention to the person speaking. Appreciate their words, even if you disagree with their point of view or opinion.

• Try to eliminate distractions from your mind. You can partially do this by observing the speaker's lip movements. Studies show that visual information from lip movements aids in the processing of language.

Consider the Speaker's Perspective. Try to take their perspective into account. Put yourself in their shoes before making a judgment. Does she seem curt with you? Why might that be? Rather than assuming she’s rude or inferior, consider that she might have had a difficult day at work or that someone else may have treated her poorly earlier.

Help Strangers. Studies show that spending money on others makes us happier, sometimes even more so than spending it on ourselves. This is the concept of "pay it forward" – doing something kind for someone (in theory) and they will continue to help others.

• Some examples of random acts of kindness include paying for the person behind you in line at the movie theater, buying food or warm clothing for a homeless person, or cleaning the house for your parents.

• Try doing something new every week.
• Schedule time for physical activities each day, as exercise and a healthy body form the foundation for a peaceful mind.
• Keep exploring new things like surfing, skydiving, or any activity that excites you. Taking on new challenges will boost your confidence!
• Create a list or take photos and print all the memories so you can smile and recall happy moments every time you see them.

• Even if it's a family member, no matter the situation – anyone who hurts you emotionally will continuously bring you down and prevent you from moving forward.
• Stay away from people who say "you can't" or insult you.
• You should also avoid the "wrong crowd" as they will pressure you into doing things you don't want to, and you'll regret it later.