You Got Power Within You: 4 Principles to a Happier/More Balanced Life

As time progresses and we “evolve,” ideally, we are getting better in our ways and how we live our life. Some people do not necessarily change or better their life with time; however, the beauty of this principle is that change is only constant and you have the power to use it in your favor.

When you become aware of your strengths and weaknesses and start understanding yourself, it is only logical to adjust your life in ways that will help you maximize your potential. Happiness is subjective and what works for you might not work for someone else; however, in the process of acceptance and creation, I have found some principles to be truthful:

1. Comparison is the thief of joy – Teddy Roosevelt said it best. When we undertake our daily lives, and set out to work on our goals and ambitions comparing them to those of others, then we are setting ourselves up for failure. We will never be happy. We are all different: different abilities, different circumstances, different weaknesses, different minds and bodies, different souls. And while it is beautiful to find people that have similar interests and their personalities are perfectly in-sync with ours, it is also beautiful to realize we are not the same. When we start comparing our progress and our life in general to others, we miss out on feeling proud and happy for our own progress. It will become impossible to flourish on a foundation that isn’t ours.
2. Always let go of everything and anything that doesn’t serve you – whether we are talking about a toxic relationship that steals your joy or a bad habit that hurts your image or health, it is important to identify everything that is not giving you anything meaningful back. It is challenging to perceive and figure out when something or someone doesn’t quite align with our goals and the life we want to live; however, investing time in being more intentional and present in our environment and with our aspirations will train our brains and heart to stay alert for these little joy-thieves.
3. Love is within – who you are, what makes you you, what you are capable and incapable of doing…your whole essence. Accepting and loving ourselves first is a vital decision that we need to embrace and work on daily. When we look to understand how we are and how we work; making sure we are choosing what is best for our overall well-being, then we are practicing self-love and attracting positivism from the universe. Self-doubt, recrimination and condoning bad behavior from ourselves or those around us are some clear reflections of our lack of self-love. When we respect our values and goals, take our lives seriously, commit to be the best possible version of ourselves, and surround ourselves with people and things that reflect who we want to be, then we are attracting and keeping a balanced environment. All the love we need is within ourselves and all that love is what we will ultimately give back to the world when we understand it all starts with us.
4. Value the people who are there for you and show them – loving and caring for others is easier once you practice self-love, but what will make a difference is realizing that those who love you and show up for you are not infinite and deserve to be recognized. Small gestures as remembering a new job or calling from time to time to check up on them, can go a long way. Life gets hectic and we can get so immerse in our own little world that small gestures can seem insignificant and forgetting what matters becomes easy. You do not need to make grand gestures or talk to the ones you love every-single-day to show them that you care and value their presence in your life. Do not wait until a Holiday or a special occasion to show up for them or telling them how much they mean to you. Life truly is too short.

While you take some time out of your busy life to use the power of change in your favor, remember it is never about the material things, and it is always about making sure your mind, heart and soul are perfectly aligned with who you want to be. The path can become gloomy and rocky, but everything you need to be successful and achieve balance and happiness is within your power.