10 Ways to Live Life More Freely Every Day
1. Care less about others’ opinion of you & more about your opinion of you.
Instead of worrying about what others may be thinking about you, focus more on how you think about you. Take a moment and think about the way you talk to yourself. Is your self-talk positive or negative? Do your thoughts motivate or deflate you? How we think about and to ourselves inevitably comes out in our actions, reactions and behaviors. When one lacks self-confidence, feelings of weakness, doubt, and hesitancy fill the mind. When we are self-assured, feelings of empowerment, determination and invincibility fill the soul. Every day we are presented with the opportunity to lift ourselves up and move forward or bring ourselves down, regressing to old patterns. Choose positive self-talk.
2. Shift your perspective from negative to positive in each situation.
Is your glass half empty or half full? How we look at each situation in life has a powerful effect on how we feel. Instead of focusing our energy on the negative side of things, shift your focus to the positive side. Rejoice in the things you can do rather than sulk about things you cannot. Be proud of your successes rather than ashamed of failures and mistakes. Try to notice which side you default to as life presents the opportunity for choice. The more we focus on becoming aware, the more freedom we gain over negative subconscious behaviors and reactions.
3. Be honest with yourself and with others.
As the saying goes, “the truth shall set you free.” These timeless words of wisdom send a powerful message about how we live our lives. Developing an honest relationship with yourself will naturally transition to an honest relationship with others. Begin to recognize what lies you tell to yourself and to others. Do you lie more in certain situations? Do you lie more to some people than others? Take a moment now to think about how often you lie. No one can hear what you are thinking, so be honest, even if just for this moment. With honesty comes awareness, and with awareness comes the opportunity for growth and change. Once we begin to accept the truth within ourselves, it becomes easier to accept truth beyond our perspective. This honest, accepting attitude frees the mind of stress, worry, and negativity.
4. Adjust your attitude about possessions.
Unfortunately, much of today’s society attaches freedom and happiness with the acquisition of material desires. We’ve all heard before that money doesn’t buy happiness, and it’s time to realize that it is our mindset, not money or possessions, that brings happiness to our lives. Pause for a moment and think about how you view money and possessions. Do you feel pressure to make more money so you can buy more stuff? Do you feel your bank account and possessions somehow define who you are? How many of your choices in life consider finances in the equation? By shifting your perspective about money & materialistic things in life we find ourselves living much more freely. Rather than thinking of money and possessions as a way to freedom, view them as tools you use in life to get what you need. When we let go of the need for money just to acquire more stuff, we free ourselves from the burden of materialism. When we realize we have the things in life we need, rather than what we want, life becomes less stressful and more peaceful.
5. Find movement and exercise daily.
The benefits of finding movement and exercise daily are truly infinite. Using our bodies every day has a profound impact on both our mental and physical health. When we consistently exercise and use our bodies, we keep them in good physical shape, allowing us to do the things we wish. We when are able to live life without physical limitations, we find ourselves feeling more confident & empowered. Exercise also releases endorphins, the body’s ‘feel good’ hormones. The increase of the natural occurring chemical in the body boosts our mood and takes our mindset to a positive place, freeing us from negativity that can bring us down. Take a moment to think about how you feel after a good yoga class or powerful workout. Feelings of being alive, satisfied and proud fill the mind; giving ourselves inspiration and motivation to keep up the good work. Now consider how you feel when you hang out on the couch all day…tired, lazy, ho-hum come to mind? Physical movement is key to living life more freely in both body & spirit.
6. Laugh and smile. A lot.
Laughter is one of the best medicines for negative emotions. Whether we are mad, sad, grumpy, scared, nervous or anxious - a good laugh allows us to come home to a place of feeling peace, ease, and happiness. Find time in your day for a little joy and laughter. Watch a funny trending video, read a few funny jokes, or share silly stories with others. Not only does laughing affect our mood, it has positive physical effects on our abdominal muscles! Smiling more with absolutely change your life. It has been said that you can trick your mind into feeling happy just by smiling. We affect our level of personal happiness by the energy we put out as well. When we walk around with frowns and scowls, we make ourselves appear unapproachable, discouraging others from interacting with us. When we greet the world with a bright, smiling face, people are more receptive to our energy and much more willing to interact with us.
7. Get your daily dose of sunshine.
Vitamin D, ‘the sunshine vitamin’ is essential to our health for several reasons. Vitamin D can not only reduce our risk of cancer, diabetes, and stroke; it also improves bone & eye health, boosts metabolism & immunity and makes us just feel better about life. Getting out in the sun for at least ten minutes a day offers many benefits. Pause here to notice if you are getting at least 10 minutes of sun each day (and car rides do not count). If your answer is no, make time to find the shine. Meditate in a sunny window, take an afternoon walk, or even step outside after lunch. Getting Vitamin D into your daily routine will not only improve your body’s overall health, it will have a tremendous impact on your mood.
8. Spend time with positive people.
It’s almost inevitable that we subconsciously pick up different habits, traits, and nuances from the people of our personal circle – so why not make sure you are picking up positive things? When we surround ourselves with positive people, it’s easier to think and act positively ourselves. We have to be careful who we are spending the majority of our time with – for they can either lift us up or bring us down. When we do encounter negative people, we have the choice of whether or not to include them in our daily lives. The more we rid these toxic relationships out of our lives, the more we are able to find peace and positivity within. Are the people in your immediate circle helping you grow or holding you back? An honest assessment of who you include in your life can bring about powerful change for the future of your happiness.
9. Spend more time alone. Really alone.
Just as it is important to surround yourself with positive, like-minded people; it’s essential to find time for solitude as well. And we mean real solitude. No TV, no phone, no laptops, tablets, gadgets or gizmos. Time alone, in silence, in stillness. Finding a few minutes of silent solitude in our day allows our brain to rest and restore, giving us a chance to think deeply and reflect upon our thoughts in an unhurried manner. This time alone also helps improve concentration, focus, and productivity. Solitude also gives us the opportunity to discover ourselves on a deeper level and connecting with our inner voice and intuition. Do you take a few moments every day for silent stillness (beyond your yoga class savasana)? If you don’t, try to find a few minutes right when you wake up or right before you go to bed. If you do, find even more time. Meditation has powerful effects, and the more you pause, the deeper the benefits.
10. Embrace acceptance.
One of the key elements to living a positive, peaceful life is embracing the attitude of acceptance. Although this may sound easy, it can be extremely difficult in certain situations. The first form of acceptance we need to find is acceptance of ourselves for exactly who we are and where we are in life. We cannot find acceptance beyond if we haven’t accepted what’s within. Embrace all of your strengths as much as your weaknesses. Embrace your physical and character flaws. If our inner perspective is negative, it will ultimately be projected out into the world. Accepting everything just as it is allows us to find self love, making it easier to accept & connect with others. Once we have found acceptance for ourselves, this acceptance transitions to compassion and acceptance of others. We begin to see a part of ourselves in everyone around us, making it easy for us to understand and show empathy. Once we begin to accept human beings for being human, we inescapably find acceptance for all our situations and experiences in life. Finding strength in our challenges and joy in triumphs. Embracing acceptance is one of the most powerful gifts you can give yourself, how much do you embrace acceptance? Take time to consider this and think of different ways you can start to adapting to this positive mindset. Give yourself the gift of peace of mind.
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