10 Tips to a Better and Happier Life

We all aspire to lead better lives. We look for opportunities to make it happen but sometimes we seek the wrong things in our quest to lead better lives. We actually focus on the wrong ideology of what makes for a better life. Whatever a "better life" means to you, I believe these 10 tips will be useful.

1. Keeping it simple 

 

We tend to complicate our lives by adopting society's definition of what a better life looks like. In this era of excessive consumerism, we are constantly bombarded by adverts of the latest cars, latest gadgets, latest fashion items as the symbols of a better life. Many of us now focus on acquiring these items as symbols that we have attained a better life. While having these items is not wrong, it is the value we place on them and our obsession about them that complicates our lives. Some of the most successful people on earth lead very simple lives Warren Buffet still lives in his modest house in Omaha since 1958 even though he is one of the richest persons on earth. Mark Zuckerberg wears same colour of clothes every day. He is not concerned about what latest cloth designs are in town. Keep your life simple by focusing on the things you need and are useful and not what TV commercials suggest you need. Have you noticed that you can't sleep on more than one portion of your bed per time, you can drive more than one car per time, can't wear more than one set of complete clothing per time (that is if you are in your right senses)? So why stress yourself out with obsessions for possessions.

2. Seek meaningful relationships

''He who walks with the wise becomes wise. A companion of fools shall be destroyed." This is an admonition from one of Israel's ancient kings- King Solomon. This advice remains relevant even today. Many successful people surround themselves with people with similar focus. Bill Gates is friends with Warren Buffet. Femi Otedola is friends with Aliko Dangote. Seek friendship with people who can challenge you to become better in life. If you want to lead a healthy life, seek friendship with people who lead healthy lives. Break away from toxic and abusive relationships. What's the point of holding on to relationships that leave you wallowing in the mire of addiction, low self esteem, pornography and other dangerous behaviours that sabotage your life. While it may be difficult to pull away from such relationships, it is not impossible. Seek counselling and therapy if you have to.

3. Never subscribe to the comparison club: 

One way to lead a miserable life is to subscribe to the ideology of comparing your life with those of other people. You compare your looks, your car, your business, your spouse, your house to that of other people. This social comparison syndrome leaves people depressed and can even lead to suicidal thoughts. The truth is that those whom you compare your life with don't have it all together. They may be struggling with character flaws that you are not struggling with, yet you are there hoping your life was like theirs. 

4. Seek an atmosphere of peace

 

The world around you may be in turbulence but you have to create an atmosphere of inner peace for yourself. Peace is not the absence of conflict but a state of mind. Peace is the precursor of success. One way to inner peace is to forgive others when they hurt you. Holding on to hurts keeps you from taking advantage of opportunities of new relationships when they appear in your life. You should also seek to ask for forgiveness when your hurt people. Forgive yourself too. We all make mistakes, so if you are feeling guilty for something you did wrong, you owe it to yourself to forgive yourself. 

5. Laugh, Laugh, Laugh

Laughter is a secret weapon of a happiness and overall well-being. Laughter de-stresses us and improves our immune system. Those who laugh often have a general sense of well-being. You can deliberately make yourself laugh every day even in the face of challenges. You can watch sitcoms/comedy shows or you can trigger a memory that made you laugh and enjoy a moment of laughter all by yourself. Have you noticed that people are more attracted to those who laugh often than those who don't? That is because laughter is contagious. Enjoy a hearty laugh now.

 

6. Engage Empowering materials

To lead a better life, you must be willing to read/listen/watch empowering materials such as books, podcasts, videos that help you improve your well-being. We tend to act better when we know better. Knowledge is key to leading a better life. Often times all we need is just one tip from a book /podcast/video and we make better decisions that lead to a better outcome. 

 

7. See every challenge as an opportunity to grow

Leading a better life is all about growing or becoming better as an individual. Challenges are one way we can grow. Those who see challenges as opportunities in disguised form are more likely to overcome the challenges faster and better than those who don't. Each time you overcome a challenge you build a retinue of transferable knowledge and experience you can apply to other challenges that may come in the future.

8. Deactivate negative thoughts: 

It is often said that as a man thinks so is he. Your thought is a  determinant of what happens in your life. If you focus on thoughts of failure and lack, you will see failure and lack manifest in your life. If you focus on thoughts of success and abundance, you will also see success and abundance manifest in your life. Deactivate every negative thought by replacing it with positive thought. Always focus your mind on positive thoughts. This is where what you read/listen/watch plays a crucial role. The more positive stuff you allow into your mind, the more positive thoughts you will begin to think and manifest in your life.

9. Activate positive talk: 

Out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The most predominant thought of our heart is always reflected in your speech. Those who speak positive words have first thought positive thoughts. We become what we speak. If you keep saying you are healthy, you will subconsciously begin to take steps that make for a healthy life. If you keep complaining about your life, you will keep seeing reasons in your life to complain. If you want to lead a better life, your speech must reflect it. 

 

10. Lend a helping hand: 

Life is all about cause and effect. What you make happen for others, life will make happen for you. Research even shows that helping others improves our psychological well-being and makes us happier. To lead a better life, make an effort to lend a helping hand to others. It doesn't have to be any big gesture, it could be just helping an elderly person cross the road or helping someone open the door.

So there you go. Leading a better life starts with resolving to do so. Take little steps per time to achieve it.

It is not enough to read, take steps to apply what you have read and share with others in your network.