Realizing you can create your own destiny is empowering and many begin with a manifestation candle to ignite the path.. However, with great freedom comes great responsibility. How do you build a life aligned with your core values, needs, and desires? How do you resist the influence of people who may want you to live a certain way? How do you avoid social pressure and personal doubts? Building a great life requires effort and commitment, but it is the only way to attain lasting happiness and contentment.
Here are three actionable tips to help you find your path.
1.Use Self-Discovery Tools
Philosophers in Ancient Greece believed in the value of this simple aphorism: “know thyself”. To build a life you love, you must first understand what makes you happy. When you cannot understand your motivations, behaviors, strengths, and weaknesses, making decisions that align with your inner self becomes impossible.
What are your core values, preferences, and needs? Personality tests, questionnaires, and other self-discovery tools can help you answer this question. Not sure where to start? Take a Myers-Briggs personality test and discover your personality type. Are you an ENTP? Reading about ENTP strengths and weaknesses will help you understand yourself better.
2.Examine Your Influences
We’re often unhappy and unfulfilled because we let social pressure and external influences coerce us into making compromises in life. Parents, friends, partners, and even the media can put a lot of pressure on us to focus on specific goals to the detriment of our desires. Do you feel pressured to go for a high-paying, high-status job, buy a home, have children, go on vacation in Insta-worthy spots, or buy the latest tech? No matter where you live and who you spend your time with, social pressure is there in one form or another.
To build a life you love, you must always be aware of your influences. Who exerts the biggest influence in your life? Is it your friends? Or social media influencers who portray the ideal life on their pages? It could also be TV shows, movies, or magazines. Examining your influences will help you understand the mechanics behind your choices and behaviors. Learn to distinguish between what comes from inside your mind and what comes from outside.
An important aspect to consider is that not all influence is harmful. Influence can also mean inspiration.
3.Write Down Your Goals
Setting goals is one of the best ways to take control of your life and ensure that in one, five, or ten years you will be living your dream life. Do you want to travel the world or buy a home? Start a family or make it as an artist? Once you understand your needs and desires, set goals that help you satisfy them.
Although setting goals is vital, avoid getting attached to a timeline or specific outcomes. We have limited control in life. Focus on short- and medium-term goals, so you can easily measure your progress. Be ready to embrace new ideas and perspectives along the way.
Do you know what makes you happy? Go for what you want, even if it takes a lot of hard work. Follow our tips for faster progress.
