Do you constantly feel like you’re living only to please others and their wishes? If so, it’s time to live life on your own terms. The only person you should consult on how to live life with purpose is yourself, and your purpose is what YOU truly want. It lies in your deepest desires. You get to define how you want to make an impact on this world by embracing the unknown of life on your terms.
It might sound cliché, but life is short. Why would you waste it doing anything that doesn’t align with your values every single day? Stop letting precious time pass you by. Today is the perfect day to learn how to live life on your own terms.
Make Joy a Priority and Live a Life Full of Love
It might seem obvious that we all want to seek joy in our lives, but we often forget to strive for it consciously. We get so caught up in society’s expectations of work, material dreams, and productivity all of the time that we forget to find that lasting joy. Remember that work isn’t the only way to make an impact. We have the freedom to choose to live a life full of love and joy if we let ourselves. Forget about materialistic achievements; I firmly believe that the measure of success is joy.
As you live life on your own terms, it’s essential to nurture and grow the personal elements that bring you joy. For my life, that includes a beautiful home in a quiet place in nature, my marriage, and my ability to use my time in ways that are most rewarding to me. Pick your top three priorities that bring you true joy, and use them to guide you in making important decisions.
When you know where the joy in your life comes from, you can move toward it more purposefully.
Live Life by Your Own Rules and Never Compare Yourself to Others
“Comparison is the thief of joy.” – Theodore Roosevelt
To trulylive life on your own terms, you must focus on your path and forget about what everyone else is doing. This can be a challenge, especially with social media. Remember that’s just a highlight reel of someone’s life. Follow your own purpose and write your own, meaningful life story. Resist the urge to compare your life to someone else’s timeline. Just because you aren’t where someone else appears to be in life, doesn’t mean you are behind. Everyone is on their own path.
When I meet someone very similar to myself (someone straightforward who takes care of their own needs without much willingness to compromise), it never bothers me. There’s no need to compare wins or losses when you’re authentic and honest with your personal journey.
Choose your own path to live life on your own terms and don’t let comparison determine your definition of success.
Make an Impact by Adding Happiness to Your Daily Routine
The best way to consciously add happiness to your life starts right when you wake up.
In the morning, while I’m still in bed after waking up, I think of three things I want to do that will bring me happiness. Maybe it’s exercising, spending time in nature, enjoying the magic of water, or preparing a nutritious meal. I let happiness guide my day by asking myself, “Will this make me happy?” Even if it’s something I have to do, if I do it with a smile, I can still find happiness in completing it. (Try this out tomorrow and see what it’s like to let happiness be your guide!)
Making time for happiness can make an impact on my day. Sometimes I just need to make a small change in the moment. I might move my computer desk so I can enjoy a beautiful view, or I might choose to end a conversation with someone who isn’t doing me any good.
You have to purposefully add happiness to your daily tasks.
Take Control and Learn How To Live Life on Your Own Terms
To live life by your own rules means you must be able to freely choose your own path.
People in your life might try to tell you what you should or shouldn’t do. You have to move on and let go of their opinions when they try to steer the direction of your life choices. Sure, they might mean well, but ultimately you must do what your heart truly desires most. Know that you will never get everyone’s approval, so act in a way that values yourself.
Once you know what you want, you can pave a clear direction toward it. Along the way, people may ask you to do things you don’t want to do. When you live life on own terms, you’ll learn how to say no to the things that don’t serve you. Saying no can be hard at first, but it takes practice. Train yourself to say no more often and put yourself first rather than just saying yes to please others. Saying no is something that now comes naturally and easily to me.
When you stand up for yourself and your life choices, the people around you will either respect you for it or simply drift away from you. And this can sometimes be a blessing in disguise!
Live a Life Full of Love on Your Own Terms
No matter how you choose to live life on your own terms, loving yourself and those around you will always make an impact on your life in a positive way.
It’s impossible to get everyone’s approval or validation on how to live life on your own terms. But you don’t need to control everything around you, including how others feel about how you’re living. Be kind to yourself. Take care of yourself. Do your best to be happy, joyful, and authentic—the rest will follow.
The Way of K
Looking for some inspiration for today (and beyond)?! Here are three of my favorite quotes to live by:
“The real personalities have it more difficult on earth, but also more beautiful, they do not enjoy the protection of the herd, but the pleasures of their own imagination and, if they survive the youthful years, they have to bear a very great responsibility.” – Hermann Hesse
It is not a matter of imposing one’s “madnesses” on the world and revolutionizing the world, but of fighting for the ideals and dreams of one’s soul against the world so much that they do not wither away. – Hermann Hesse
“The seven best medicines: sunshine, water, inner peace, fresh air, exercise, fruits and vegetables, joy.” – Anonymous
How do you plan to start living life on your own terms? Let me know in the comments below or on my Instagram!
