5 Small Changes That Can Help You Live A Great Life

Your big decisions don’t matter as much as you think.

We often think that our big decisions have the most significant impact on our lives—decisions like what to study, what to do for a living, and where to live.

After those first big decisions as young adults or even teenagers, many more come our way: Do I want to move away from my family? Do I want to get married? Do I want kids? How many of them? Am I ready to buy a home? How to use my money for a safe financial future?

While all these big decisions indeed shape our lives, they’re not as significant as most people believe.

Big decisions can lead to significant changes, but sometimes, it’s the most subtle shifts that lead to a happier and more fulfilled life, no matter where you live and how many kids you have.

Don’t expect life to be hard

Do you ever find yourself asking: What’s the catch? Or saying: That sounds too good to be true?

Let’s be honest: We all do.

As soon as life sounds too good to be true, we hesitate. We believe something terrible must happen soon because we naturally expect life to be challenging instead of fun.

Most of us grew up listening to the complaints and pains of our parents — and sadly, the truth is that most people talk way more about their problems than about their blessings.

Someone might be in a satisfying relationship, go on multiple vacations per year, easily pay her bills, be healthy, and surrounded by great friends, and still complain about the weather, politics, or her job.

It’s just the way our brains are wired: Our ancestors had to focus on threats and dangers to survive.

Even though our instinct to watch out for threats helped us survive and evolve, it’s now holding us back from living happy and fulfilled lives.

We don’t need to worry about being attacked by wild animals anymore.

Most of the time, the worst thing that could happen is not really that bad and you would at least survive it.

But the gist is to live, not just survive. And living your life to the fullest is certainly easier if you expect your life to be great instead of hard.

Your expectations create your experiences.

Next time you find yourself wondering if something’s too good to be true, stop yourself from doubting the greatness of the universe and enjoy the beauty of life.

You are the byproduct of your decisions

Your life is shaped by the decisions you make every single day.

What to study and where to live might be significant decisions, but what matters more is how you spend today.

Do you take care of your mental and physical health? Do you get some fresh air and move your body? What do you eat?

Do you nourish your relationships and tell your loved ones how much they matter to you? With whom do you spend your time?

Do you work on your dreams? Do you stay productive or procrastinate?

How much time do you spend scrolling through useless social media posts?

How do you talk to yourself?

These are all decisions we make daily, even if we don’t make them consciously.

We decide what we eat, what we wear, how we work, how we talk, and how we spend our time.

And even though most of these decisions might sound insignificant on a small scale, they ultimately shape your entire life.

Eat donuts for breakfast every day and you’ll gain weight and feel horrible.

Spend your time with toxic people and you’ll end up feeling miserable.

Waste your time watching the news and scrolling through social media feeds and you’ll fail to achieve your goals.

Most of the time, improving your life isn’t really complicated; it’s just a matter of preparation and discipline.

Get out of your own way

Talking about discipline, let’s clarify what that actually means: Being disciplined means doing what you said you’d do.

It’s not about running ten miles every day and making hundreds of push-ups to compete with bodybuilders but about sticking to your own promises.

But you know what’s funny about sticking to our own promises? We often stand in our own way. We make being disciplined way harder than it actually needs to be.

Wanna know how to make it easier to get out of your own way?

Be prepared.

Wanna eat healthier? Start meal prepping so you always have healthy meals available and don’t go for junk food.

Wanna work out in the morning? Prepare your workout clothes before going to bed so it’s easier to actually get started.

Wanna start a meditation routine? Dedicate a specific time and place to your practice. Put some nice candles, your headphones, and whatever else you might need there so it’s easier to actually start.

Living a fulfilled life is not about being a badass or an ultra marathon runner.

It’s about the small things and about doing what you intended to do.

Don’t compare your progress to anyone else’s. Just do what you said you’ll do.

If you stick to your good intentions for an entire year, you’ll be at a completely different place 12 months from now.

Your potential = how well you know yourself

Most people in our modern world don’t know themselves.

They’re so busy rushing through life, scrolling through toxic social media feeds, and competing with others that they don’t have a few spare minutes to be alone.

The harsh reality, however, is that you can’t be happy around others if you’re not at peace with yourself.

In fact, most people avoid spending time alone because they’re afraid of facing their fears and thoughts. And even though being alone might first sound scary, it’s the foundation for knowing yourself.

And knowing yourself is a fundamental part of living life to the fullest because it sets you free from other’s expectations and your own fears.

“Your relationship with yourself sets the tone for every other relationship you have.”

— Robert Holden

Take a few minutes to sit still in silence and be on your own each day. Be conscious about your thoughts and worries. Reflect on the things that are on your mind. Write them down on a piece of paper and ask yourself if these thoughts have been holding you back from moving on in life.

Quite often, we sugarcoat reality by ignoring our negative thoughts. If you want to set yourself free from the past, you’ll need to take the time to analyze the experiences and fears that shaped your life.

Giving up on time can be your superpower

How often do you come across motivational quotes like never give up, or consistency is the key to success?

Let me guess: Quite often.

While motivation and empowerment are great and necessary, there’s also a dark side to that continuous empowerment.

Sometimes, giving up is indeed the better choice.

Sometimes, you just figure out that something’s not meant for you and that you’ve been fighting for a dream that’s not yours.

And sometimes, you’re stuck in a doom loop because you’re working on goals that just don’t meet your personal strengths and capabilities.

It’s true that everything worthwhile takes effort, consistency, and time, but sometimes, we get tricked into believing that we can achieve everything if we just try for long enough.

Unfortunately, that’s not true, and the sooner you realize that something’s not meant to be yours, the better.

Don’t be afraid or ashamed of giving up. Be afraid of working on a dream that’s not really worth it anymore and cheer on yourself for having the courage to stop.

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