7 Guidelines
for Life
There are two big motivators in life: we want to be happy and we want to avoid suffering. Those two are the basic drivers behind everything that we think, say and do.
For many people, the more they chase after happiness the more it seems to elude them. Why do we have so little understanding of what causes us to be happy and what causes us to suffer? Despite decades of progression, scientific studies show that there has been no corresponding improvement in our happiness. Sad, isn’t it?
Here are seven guidelines for life. They are a call to action. Great tools to experience more happiness in life. They help you to become aware of how you think, speak and act. And how you give meaning to life.
#1
Follow your joy
…and spread more of it. There is a world of difference between searching for happiness and following your joy. Following your joy is about listening to your heart, noticing what truly inspires you and recognizing your purpose. A good starting point is to reflect on the question ‘When am I at my happiest?’ If you follow your joy you will discover talent and creativity that inspires us all!
#2
Care for your body
‘Your body is precious. It is our vehicle for awakening. Treat it with care’ ~Buddha
You only get one body in this life, so you need to look after it. Take enough rest and sleep, watch your diet and nutrition, and exercise. It simply is true: if you make time for healthy habits, you’ll find yourself with that extra energy that will lower your stress and help you get through every day’s challenges.
#3
Play
There is no need to take life so seriously! When you take yourself less seriously, you are able to see the humor in situations, find the silver lining when things don’t go the way you want them to, and navigate through the ups and downs of life a bit easier.
#4
Practice gratitude
It is not happy people who are thankful, it is thankful people who are happy. An attitude of gratitude improves your psychological, emotional and physical well-being. Gratitude boosts your energy and shifts your mindset. So train yourself to become more grateful. Make it not just an occasional state, but a regular habit!
#5
Give without expectations
When you give, it activates regions of the brain associated with pleasure, social connection, and trust, creating a ‘warm glow’-effect. Altruistic behavior also releases endorphins in your brain, producing the positive feeling known as the ‘helper’s high’. And like other highs, this one is addictive, too. Giving makes you happy!
#6
Smile often
When you smile the world smiles back at ya’! Smiling happens without much thought. It is a very natural response that shares our happiness with others. Smiling also triggers a lot of activity in your brain. There is a serious mind-body connection there, in your ventromedial prefrontal cortex to be exact, which is [not surprisingly] the area of your brain that registers happiness.
#7
Forgive and let go
No one is purely bad, and everyone carries their own pain which influences the decisions they make. This doesn’t condone their thoughtless, insensitive, or selfish decisions, but it makes them easier to understand.
After all, we’ve all been thoughtless, insensitive, and selfish at times. And for the most part, we all do the best we can from day to day. Forgiving is necessary, because forgiveness is divine and it gives you a chance to be a better person.
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How about you?
Do you want to add anything to this list?
Please comment below. I’d love to read your thoughts on this!
Mirjam Stoffels
Founder of seven2success, author of ‘Daily Little Secrets to Success’ and guest blogger at TEDxRoermond, Project Eve and 365 dagen succesvol. In my mission to make seven2success the biggest platform of knowledge and inspiration for women, I want to inspire you with our content! Follow us on Facebook and Twitter! Let’s to connect! And do you want to inspire other women? Write for us!
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