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Life comes at us fast, and it’s natural to go through the motions without ever really stopping to breathe.
If you’ve ever been told to “get a life” you probably took it as an insult, but maybe it’s just a little constructive criticism.
After all, most of us exist on auto-pilot, without living our lives to the fullest. But, getting in the driver’s seat of our own lives isn’t as complicated as it seems. Here's how to, well, get a life.
But I have a life. What do you mean?
“Getting a life is all about what makes you feel full of life,” says Steven Griffith, author of The Time Cleanse.
He says to ask yourself these three things: "What am I passionate about?" "What inspires me?" And "What are my talents?" Once you get those answers, you have your personal roadmap to get a life.
Next, realize that time is your most valuable resource.
“I meet a lot of women who have big dreams,” says certified life and business coach Susan Hyatt. So what do they say is stopping them from fulfilling their dreams? “Not enough time,” she says.
But of course, we all have the same 24 hours. It’s how we choose to use those hours that makes all the difference.
“We make the mistake of throwing time away because we believe it is unlimited,” says Griffith. “In fact, it’s the one resource you can’t get back once it’s gone.”
Consider putting aside everything that doesn't add value.
By now most of us are familiar with Marie Kondo’s house organizing method, Tidying Up. (If you aren't, she suggests throwing away/donating all your stuff that doesn’t "spark joy.") Well, Griffith has a similar technique―except instead of cleaning out your closet, he says to do it with toxic people and the (non-essential) activities you don't enjoy.
"Ask yourself, 'Is this activity/habit/behavior/person contributing to or contaminating my happiness and success'," says Griffith.
"Then get rid of the things that are stealing your time and energy." According to Griffith, “The ability to choose how we want to spend our time gives us the ultimate power to pursue our unique purpose and create meaningful lives.”
Then stop spending time on trivial matters.
Hyatt says to figure out how many hours you spend on time thieves—trivial matters that steal precious minutes.“The grand total may shock you.”
For example, if you spend just one hour a day creating insta-stories and “liking” friends’ posts, that’s 365 hours per year.
Instead, try putting your phone on airplane mode so you aren’t responding to emails and texts all day.
Now, use those extra hours on what's important to you.
When you stop wasting time, you can reinvest it in moments that help create memories and make your life meaningful, says Griffith.
Hyatt suggests first visualizing all the rewarding, positive ways you could use your new-found time. “It can motivate you to make important changes in your life,” she says.
It can be hard to know where to begin, so start small: “Write down one change you can make in your daily routine that will open you up to different possibilities,” says Nancy Levin, life coach and author of Jump and Your Life Will Appear.
This could be as simple as taking a new route to work, or choosing to start each morning with a meditation instead of answering emails.
“One new choice is the starting point that leads you to the next steps,” says Levin. “It can have an enormous impact.”
Remember, it’s ok to be scared!
Instead of letting fear of the unknown stand in your way of getting a life, ask yourself “How rational are these fears?” suggests Levin.
Then, write down all the reasons you tell yourself you shouldn’t make the changes you want.
“Completely empty your brain,” she says. Levin calls this exorcising your excuses.
And finally, embrace failure for a fuller life.
"By the time most of us hit adulthood, we resist starting something new because we don’t to be seen at the bottom,” says life coach, radio host and author Sunny Joy McMillan.
But doing something badly still means you are doing something. “If you are willing to be a sucky beginner, then you will live a richer more adventurous life.”
Source: oprahdaily
