One of the greatest desires we have as human beings is to live a meaningful and happy life. Many of us often hear the phrase “live your best life.” Although this sentence seems simple, it actually carries a very deep meaning.
All of us want to make ourselves and the people around us feel better. We want to feel that our lives have meaning and that we have made at least a small difference in the world. At the end of life, a person wants to look back and feel proud of what they have done.
But what does it really mean to live your best life?
Every person is different, and therefore everyone’s understanding of a “best life” is also different. The best life reflects your personal values, your dreams, and the things that truly make you happy. It is a life that makes you feel meaningful and gives you the sense that you are leaving a mark on the world.
What prevents you from living your best life?
Very often, no one but the person themselves prevents them from living their best life. However, in the modern world, social media and society’s expectations strongly influence people’s thinking.
Today, social media has created certain ideas about what a happy life should look like. People feel that they must:
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have a certain appearance
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wear the “right” clothes
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live an interesting life
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travel constantly
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eat healthy food
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participate in charity work
and meet many other expectations.
Although social media claims to bring people closer together, it often does the opposite. People look at the lives of others and begin to compare their own lives with them, and as a result, they start to forget their own happiness.
In reality, the best life is not someone else’s life, but the life that you want to live.
Become the best version of yourself
The first step to living your best life is becoming the best version of yourself.
Do not try to be like others. You are not obligated to become the person that society expects you to be. Instead, determine who you truly want to become and develop in that direction.
Recognize your strengths and be proud of the qualities that make you unique.
The famous author Gretchen Rubin, in her book The Happiness Project, described her first rule as:
“Be yourself.”
This principle helped her live according to her own values rather than the expectations of others.
Get to know yourself better
To build your best life, you must first understand yourself.
Ask yourself these questions:
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What makes you happy?
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What worries you?
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How do you behave under pressure?
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What gives you energy?
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What drains your energy?
Observe your daily life for a week and write down your thoughts. This simple process helps a person understand themselves better.
Identify your bad habits
As you observe yourself, some negative habits will also become visible.
For example:
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spending excessive time on social media
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eating unhealthy food
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wasting energy on unnecessary things
Think about whether these habits truly make you happy.
Then try to:
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increase the activities that make you happy
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gradually reduce the habits that drain your energy
Set intentions
To make changes in life, it is important to set intentions.
An intention is slightly different from a goal. A goal is about reaching a specific result, while an intention focuses on how you want to feel during the process of achieving it.
For example:
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“This week I plan to go swimming three times.”
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“This month I intend to meet new people.”
Intentions help people stay motivated and move toward their goals.
Imagine your life
Visualization — in other words, imagining your life — can strengthen your intentions.
For example, if your intention is to swim three times a week, ask yourself the following questions:
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How will you get there?
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At what time of the day will you swim?
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How will you feel while you are in the water?
This process makes your goals more realistic and motivating.