How to successfully find happiness and live a long fulfilling life!

How is it humanly possible to enjoy the life you live every single day?! Happiness starts with acceptance and accomplishment; accepting yourself, accomplishing your daily goals and taking pride in all that you do. Accept yourself first and grow from there. 

Happiness is a choice! The beautiful thing about happiness is that you can choose to be happy. You are responsible for your own happiness, you can't rely on others. On a daily basis, you might find yourself getting caught up in comparing your life to others while scrolling through Facebook and Instagram.

Maybe you are single while your peers are married with a third child on the way. Maybe you have been working hard day in and day out in the gym and your waistline hasn't moved, but you notice someone who doesn't workout and remains a 4 pack. Maybe you've been in the same job for years working your tush off while watching others bypass you in the same field with less experience. Happiness begins with yourself and when you stop comparing yourself to others. 

Tip#1: Accept yourself, love yourself and respect yourself. 

Know who you are and let your light shine bright! Low self esteem is denying who you really are. If you don't accept yourself you may push yourself into becoming someone you aren't just to please others. Self acceptance is understanding who you truly are and knowing where your strengths, weaknesses and values lie. The next step is to love yourself and respect yourself, which will allow others to love and respect you. 

Tip#2: Stop comparing yourself to others. 

We were all created uniquely with a different destiny. We all have different priorities, passions and purpose. We all have diverse skillsets with a different mindset. We all have different metabolisms and were born with unrelated genes. All of our bodies respond differently, as do our minds! Comparing our lives to others is one of the most common causes upon depression. 

Tip#3: Self improvement 

Maybe you know who you are and what you want out of life, but you still aren't happy with who you are today and you aren't taking the necessary steps to get to where you want to be. Think about your priorities and write them down. Also, think about what you currently have and what you are thankful for! Think about your strengths and weaknesses. Write down what you need to improve on. Set a goal and write out a plan. Write down steps you will take to achieve those goals. 

Tip#4: Practice self discipline 

Focus on self discipline and commitment, rather than motivation. We cannot rely solely on motivation to accomplish our goals. With discipline, you can accomplish anything! Whether in terms of your diet, fitness, work ethic or relationships, self discipline is the number one trait needed to accomplish your goals, lead a healthy lifestyle and successfully find happiness. 

Tip#5: While focusing on your goals, remove all temptations

Out of sight, out of mind! Removing all temptations and distractions from your environment is a crucial first step when working on self improvements, discipline and self control. If you are trying to maintain a healthier lifestyle, then remove all junk food from your household. If you want to improve your focus while working, turn off your cell phone and remove clutter from your work space. If you want to save for a vacation, stay away from the mall and give yourself a weekly allowance.

If your relationships at home need improvement, put your laptop and cell phone away. If you are trying to become more organized, declutter your household and schedule days for cleaning. If you have a friend holding you back, let them go. Maybe you have a friend who is a bad influence or doesn't support you. They may be in a different place in their life and that's okay. If their company is not benefiting you or encouraging you, then distance yourself. 

Tip#6: Eat healthy and more frequent 

Low blood sugar can impair your brain functionality. When you are hungry, you are less likely to think with a clear and sharp mindset. You are also more likely to lose self control in all areas of your life. In order to stay on track, make sure you are properly fueled throughout the day. Meals and snacks with nutritional value have a greater impact on our brain functionality, energy and mood. 

Tip#7: Exercise daily

Be active! Even if you aren't a frequent gym goer, remain active. Take your pups on long walks instead of just letting them out the back door. Take the stairs instead of the elevator. Find someone to hit the gym with or partake in classes after work. Create a healthy routine for yourself. 

Tip#8: Change up your normal routine 

Making self improvements and practicing discipline means changing up your routine, which can be uncomfortable and feel awkward at first. It's important to create healthier habits. When habits are created, we stop using our decision making skills and instead function on auto-pilot. Embrace your wrong habits and acknowledge that it may take a while for your new regime to feel right or natural. Stay on track while creating new habits, they will soon become natural.

Tip#9: Build relationships and schedule time for fun!

While working hard at creating new habits, you also need to make time for your friends and family. We often start to feel depressed or unhappy when we start feeling distance between our friends and family. It's important to keep your friends and family close. Building relationships, having a support system and doing things that make you happy are vital. Pencil in a dinner date or something fun with a friend or family member at least once a week.. Stay close to those who love you and share common interests. 

Tip#10: Get away! 

Instead of making excuses, make traveling a priority even if its just a small get away for the day. Go hiking with a friend, visit a museum, hit the zoo or head to a beach near by! Step outside of you comfort zone and experience life outside of your normal routine. Fill your life with adventures, not things. It's important to create memories with your friends and family. Opening yourself to new experiences will build your character and it's a great way to bond with your loved ones. Live your life spontaneously! Fulfilling your life with adventure will fulfill your life with joy. 

Tip#11: Forgive yourself, let go of things you cant control and move forward

You will experience ups, downs, success and flat out failures that are out of your control. The key is to keep moving forward. When you are challenged with a setback, acknowledge what caused it and find a way to overcome it. It's easy to get wrapped up in guilt, stress, anger or frustration, but these emotions will not help resolve the issue.

Use the hiccups in your plan as a learning experience. We all go through trial and error, which make for a better future. Forgive yourself, let go of things you can't control and move forward. Keep a positive mindset instead of doubting yourself. How we think plays a significant role in how we feel. Positive thinking brings positive responses which will boost your mood and diminish stress. Rid any negativity from your life!