The mantra of “live your life to the fullest” is often repeated. You see this in books, in movies, in songs, in poems and even in speeches. In the course of living your life, you’re often instructed to live wisely, live freely and live happily. Sometimes, though, this mantra is already viewed as a cliche. People take its meaning for granted because the mantra feels empty—sure, you want to live life to the fullest; you want to go out there and make the most of your life; and you want to help others to the same. You want to do all these things, but the question is how can you do this? You can do this by making—and keeping—the following promises to yourself:
1. “I promise to myself that I will accept my strengths as well as my flaws.”
Remember that you are here in this world to serve a purpose. You are worthy of existing, of believing and of living. For you to feel sincerely worthy, though, you should get rid of all your low self-esteem and instead adapt a self-loving and self-approving attitude. You can only do this if you display an unconditional acceptance of yourself.
2. “I will speak lovingly to myself.”
A lot of people in this world take joy in bringing you down and destroying your sense of self-worth: don’t be one of them. Be your biggest fan, not your number one critic. Speak encouragingly to yourself. Help yourself get up each time you’re struck down; when worse comes to worst, you are going to be your own life coach.
3. “I will always keep in mind that I cannot control everything.”
The idea that you can control everyone and everything in your life is utterly wrong. You can never live a happy life unless you accept this fact. People always have their own battles, businesses always have their own agendas and everyone has his own priorities. Don’t despair too much, though. The reality is that you don’t really need to control your external surroundings in order to live your life to the fullest. You just need to control your own way of thinking.
4. “I will choose my battles wisely.”
Most of the time, you’ll get invited to a lot of battles. Keep in mind that you don’t need to prove anything to anyone. Really, you don’t. Choose wisely as you don’t need to go to every battle you’re invited to.
5. “I will forget the pains of the past but remember their lessons.”
There’s no use in re-living the pains, frustrations and anxieties of the past. You’ll only make yourself feel worthless if you do this constantly. Instead of moping around and stressing about your mistakes, look at your past objectively and find out what you could have done better. Yes, you can’t go back, but you can always move forward.
6. “I promise to myself that I’ll maintain a stable peace of mind.”
Believe in inner happiness: no-one can break you down without your consent. Choose to be proactive rather than reactive, and grow from your challenges. You can never bloom with only water, right? You need the glare of the sunlight as well.
7. “I won’t compromise my values for anything.”
You’re the best person who can identify your biggest values. Number them and stick with doing them up to the best of your ability. Don’t let the temptation of money, fame, fortune or success turn you into someone you’re really not.
8. “I’ll learn to live in the moment.”
Savor that bite and let the flavors melt in your mouth. Aim to listen and really understand what your best friend is talking about. Lend your presence to the people you love. Don’t rush things and don’t take them for granted either. Life isn’t a competition—it’s a wonderful adventure best taken at your own pace.
9. “I promise to let go of the things that are holding me back.”
Life is too short to stay holding on to people and things which corrupt your mind and leave you hanging. Don’t settle. You know you’re better than that.
10. “I will stay motivated to pursue my innermost dreams and strong passion.”
Don’t be afraid to pursue your passion, equip yourself with knowledge and continue doing what you love. Your passion gives you the greatest purpose to continue living! Nourish it, develop it and consistently find ways to help it grow.
11. “I promise to myself to always see the fun and fulfillment in every activity I partake in.”
Taking yourself too seriously can burn you out and frustrate you to no end. You’re not supposed to end up tired, stressed and mad, are you? No way. Seek balance by combining discipline and fun. In the long run, though, working for the sake of happiness is infinitely better than working for the sake of preconceived success.
