10 Tips to Living in Peace and Happiness
Peace and happiness can be hard to attain when our culture practically conspires to make us unhappy:
- We are not beautiful enough.
- We don’t have enough of the right things.
- We aren’t thin (or muscular) enough.
- Our friends lead better lives than we do (as evidenced by their Facebook posts).
- We’re not successful enough, fast enough. (“Zuckerberg was a billionaire at 23; where are my billions?”)
But real life is no Disneyland. Accomplishments – great or simply “good enough” – take time, effort and practice (think 10,000 hours as per Malcolm Gladwell in Outliers).
Fact: There Is No Easy Button
As much as we’d like things to be effortless, as much as our culture tells us it can be, true success is challenging. But that doesn’t mean we can’t be happy along the way. Challenge itself brings us joy.
The universe wants us to be happy; we just have to accept that it will take work and the right perspective. To help you enjoy more peace and happiness, we’ve come up with 10 tips that will help you live in peace and happiness in the real world.
1. Live in the present.
Don’t think about the past, or worry about the future. You can make whatever changes you desire. You have control of your life. Use it to craft the future you want to see.
2. Be thankful.
Express gratitude for everything in your life, blessings as well as challenges. Speak your gratitude out loud, to those who have helped you and to the universe that brought you good things. When facing challenges, find things you can be thankful for within them – like being thankful for situations that make you a stronger person, or a more compassionate friend. Thankfulness breeds peace and happiness.
3. Build relationships.
Remember that strangers are merely friends you haven’t yet met. Welcome people into your life with graciousness – even those who have very different world views than your own. Learn to listen, love, and appreciate things about every person in your life.
4. Seek peace.
Desire to live in a fair, free world, one that works for all of us, and live a life conducive to this message. Love all, accept all, treat everyone with kindness, whether deserved or not. Seek peace and happiness will follow.
5. Be kind.
Be conscious of your actions, big and small. Perform small acts of kindness on a regular basis to encourage and build others up. Even a simple smile can go a long way.
6. Value life.
From the smallest insect to the largest redwood, treat the world and it’s inhabitants with respect. We are all connected and every life is precious. Treat them as such.
7. Focus on your strengths, rather than imperfections.
No one is perfect, despite what the world might have you believe. We all have shortcomings and it’s easy to wallow in them. Instead, wear yours proudly, don’t hide them. Maybe owning and accepting your own faults will make others feel better about their own. You can strive to better yourself but love who you are right now, today.
8. Stay connected.
I mean really connected, to people and the universe. Not just through technology, but with a simple touch, taking a deep breath of fresh air, or sharing a laugh over hot coffee. Take the time to be in the moment today.
9. Do more listening.
Listening is one of the greatest ways you can show respect for another human being. Turn off your thoughts, stop interrupting, and truly listen. You will start to hear things, even things unspoken, that you might miss otherwise.
10. Always be a student.
There is something to learn from every person you meet and every situation you encounter. Learn by observing and listening to others. There are teachers are all around you, no matter their age, religion or political standpoint. Take the time to learn from everyone you meet.
Yoga can help you live in peace and happiness by helping you slow down, live in the moment, and stop all the “doing.” Beckons Yoga Clothing helps you do so comfortably because our organic cotton clothing allows your skin to breath and stay at ease. Shop our Strength Collection for the perfect blend of style and comfort.