What is your best life? What does it look like? Who has a starring role? How do you experience it?
Your best life is not a one-size-fit-all lifestyle. Your best life fits one person and one person only… you. It is tailor-made to accommodate your personality, gifting, likes, and dislikes. There will be others who will share your best life with you, but ultimately it’s the life God had in mind when He created you in your mother’s womb. It’s not a life free of stress, trial, or difficulty. On the contrary, it’s a life that thrives despite those things.
We have no control over the natural ups and down of life, but we can take ownership of our perspective and our focus. Let’s take a look at how you can transition from a life of striving to a life of thriving. Life is all about the choices you make. If you choose well, you can live a life you love.
Make the rest of your life the best of your life by implementing these 5 mindset upgrades:
1. Never settle for good when best is within reach. The cure to the disease of work-life imbalance lies in differentiating between good and best. There are many good things in life which are keeping people from pursing their best life. Good is often the death of best. Wandering too long in the wilderness of good can cause you to settle in a place that was only supposed to be a visitation, not your destination. I absolutely encourage you to enjoy the good moments, but be quick to recognize the longing in your heart when there is more available and heed the call to keep moving forward toward your best life.
2. Generously give from a place of fullness and expectancy. Being financially successful begins with correcting any negative self-talk you have regarding money. Desiring financial blessings while having a lack mentality is like coming to a well with a capped water bottle… nothing can get in. Abundance flows from a place of fullness and expectancy. If you want to experience more in your life you must first believe that there is an endless supply of whatever you need. Once you have established that there is no lack, you then free your mind, your creativity, and your entrepreneurial instincts to tap into the unlimited possibilities available.
3. Seek and find laughter often. Laughter is good medicine for the soul. Life can get weary at times. Just watch the nightly news and you will quickly begin to feel the heavy oppressive spirit of fear, dread, and discontentment. Never go to bed with a heavy heart. Intentionally search out comic relief daily. People with diabetes and high blood pressure wouldn’t think about missing their daily dose of medicine, likewise happy people don’t omit their daily dose of joy. End each day with a smile. Find a silly video or picture online, listen to part of a favorite comedy routine, or ask your kids to surprise you each night before bed with a joke of their own. If all else fails simply look in the mirror before you hit the sack and smile brightly at the beautiful woman looking back at you. The act of smiling alone has been shown to awaken the same happy hormones the body releases when you laugh. Happy smiling!
4. Work out of the overflow of your rest. Most of us work as hard as we can and then rest when we are all worn-out. This is a backwards approach at living your best life. Working to rest causes a negative cycle of chronic fatigue and a sense of rushing to get it all done before the day ends. Make it your desire to work out of the overflow of your rest. Make it a point to get adequate sleep each night. Take occasional days off to rejuvenate and renew your mind, body, and spirit. See rest as the fuel needed to energize the work you do and protect your need to rest well. A well-rested woman is a woman who knows her value and worth.
5. Stay connected with God and others through verbal communication. Staying connected now is easier than ever with social media and text messaging. As much as I love these avenues of communication, verbal communication still trumps them both. Find the time to talk by phone or in person with those you love. Make time to pray and verbally communicate your feelings to God. Talking has a purging effect. There are emotions and thoughts which cannot be fully worked through until you speak them out of your own mouth. Experience emotional freedom by sharing openly and authentically with God and with others.