How To Lead A Good Life And Be Happy

Do you think living a good life and happiness are interrelated and interdependent? I think they are. If you want to lead a good life, you need to have happiness, and if you want to be happy, you need to have a good life!

Nevertheless, leading a good life is not the right of the wealthy only.

In fact, you will be surprised to know that living a good life has nothing much to do with money.

Of course, money is important. If not to live a lavish life, at least to acquire the necessities of life, like food, water, shelter, clothes, means of enjoyment, education, etc.

Some studies even show a saturation point to the happiness that comes from money.

Beyond a certain level, no matter how much more money you earn or spend your happiness level does not increase in that proportion.

Money is definitely not the sole criteria of happiness and a good life.

“Even if you’ve all the money in the world, you can still suffer from miseries and not be happy.” (Tweet this)

This makes it obvious that there are more ways to lead a good life, which can bring real happiness into your life.

Let me ask you a few questions.

Are you happy with the life you are living? Do you know how to lead a good life that would bring you happiness?

I think people try to find answers to these questions in their own ways. That is because everyone wants to make their lives better, isn’t it?

Life is good for those who believe it is and there is a lot you can do to make it a happy one too. If you want to live a life that is good, you can.

However, if you think you cannot be happy or do not deserve happiness in your life, then you end up being unhappy.

Therefore, your happiness in life depends on your state of mind and the nature of your thoughts – if you have them in order and control, you can lead a good life.

Not to forget – you can find happiness in small ways and small things too, once you start living a more good and meaningful life.

You might like to read my post – How Do You Live Life To Its Fullest

“Most people are about as happy as they make up their minds to be.” ~ Abraham Lincoln

What Is A Good Life

Living a good life could mean different things to different people. Simply speaking, it means a life that brings you happiness and peace in life.

Leading a good and happy long life means the good relationships you nurture and the compassionate actions you perform.

It also includes the good deeds you do, goals you try to achieve, legacy you leave behind, and so much more.

Leading a good life is about valuing time, which is the greatest element of life.

Every moment counts, and if you try to be happy in each passing moment, you actually make your life good.

Most people get busy in their lives and tend to forget the little moments to lead a good life, which have the power to make your life magical.

For some people, living a good and happier life would seem like you need to live your big dreams that require you to need put in a lot time and effort.

However, living a good life is not about money and not about the big things. Nor does it require you to sweat it out all the time.

It is about the easy, small, and manageable things and ways, which are within the reach of every person in this world.

“There is a good life. The good news is that you can live that good life. The good life is the happy life. To live this good life, be happy! A truly happy man is a good man.” ~ Ogwo David Emenike

How To Live A Good Life

It is not difficult to live a fulfilling life, provided you are ready to change yourself and your mindset.
People in general, always want more, which is okay if it is within reasonable limits.

Suppose you have a decent house, but you might want a bungalow after a while, and once you get that, then you would want a luxurious villa!

Your desires and demands go on increasing. You are never content with what you have, and that perhaps is human nature.

As a result, to achieve all this, people are urged to work harder and earn more money. This results in leading busy and stressful lives.

DO READ – How To Stop Rushing Through Life.

People don’t have time to do things that really matter. They do not have time for themselves – to do things they like to do, or to be with and enjoy nature.

Nor do have time to spend with their family or friends.

Actually, you need very little to lead a good and happy life. If you look around yourself, you already have enough, like consumer goods, money, or other such things.

Yet you want more because the desire to have more does not end, isn’t it? However, you need to decide what is more precious to you in life to be happy.

Is it the materialistic things or living a good life?

Long-lasting happiness goes with what has a permanence nature, something that is not perishable and that whose resource is within you.

“It is the moments and not the money that brings happiness into your life.” (Tweet this)

To reconnect with the good life, you need to stop working too hard and slow down your pace.

Instead, start filling up your work time with a little bit of leisure or “me” time. (Good reminder for me too!)

You Must Read – Quality Of Life – Let’s Understand It Better.

“The good life is a process, not a state of being. It is a direction not a destination.” ~ Carl Rogers

There are many ways to lead a good life – let us go through them 🙂

15 Ways To Lead A Good Life

Living the good life is all about finding the real you. It is about going after your dreams, and conquering your fears and replacing it with happiness.

Here are a few ways to help you live a good life –

1- Slow Down Your Pace

Are you always in a rush? If you are, then you need to slow down your pace to appreciate the moments of life.

You need to know that there is a difference between working hard and working smart, between getting things done, and getting them done effectively.

Take a break to live your life – you deserve it! 🙂

Remember, work done in haste and urgency will reduce your accuracy, awareness, and happiness. You need to know how to be stay focused and do what is required.

2- Nurture Your Relationships

A fulfilling and happy life is a life that you share with your family and friends. Bond with your loved ones and foster your relationships.

Spend time with your parents, children, family, and friends. Let go of negative friendships and those who pull you down.

Instead, surround yourself with positive people who inspire and motivate you.

Take out time from your busy life to create memories. They are the only things that remain with you, nothing else. Don’t forget to criticize less and appreciate more.

Store them in your journals if you have one, and you could even capture the moments by taking pictures and putting them up.

3- Learn to Forgive And Forget

I know this is a tough thing to do for most people, but it is the only way to overcome your pain and lead a good life ahead.

Forgive those who hurt you. Face and accept the pain and hurt, but then need to let them go. This is a big way you heal yourself. Once you do that, you will see wonderful things entering your life.

4- Live Life Fully

Be self-sufficient as that gives you the maximum freedom to live life fully. Learn about different things in life, that it is better than mastering just one!

“The trick is to enjoy life. Don’t wish away your days, waiting for better ones ahead.” ~ Marjorie Pay Hinckley

Travel far and visit different places that will widen your horizons. Meet new people and make new contacts, and just be there enjoying life!

5- Focus on Your Passions

Be passionate about your endeavors, which are your true wealth. Be clear about where you want to go by focusing on your goals.

However, be flexible and resilient if things do not go your way or your plans don’t shape the way you thought they would.

Make decisions that add meaning to your life. By following general time management tips, you can achieve success.

“Find your focus by seeking all that is good in your life.” ~ Lorii Myers

6- Help Others

Never forget to help others as that brings you happiness and satisfaction in life. It could be your family or friends. Remember, what goes around comes around. That is Karma.

Care for the sick and injured, and do volunteer work. Make a difference to someone’s life – that would be a life worth living.

Always try to help and do more for others than what you would do for yourself. Put them ahead of you.

Small things like opening a door for someone, giving your seat to an elder, or wishing someone matters.

7- Remain Positive

Life has it’s down moments, but you need to overcome the negativity and remain positive. Don’t worry about things that you cannot control.

Learn to own up to your actions and be responsible for them.

If you promise something to someone, ensure you keep your promise. Also, smile and laugh more than you do now, a good reminder for all of us, isn’t it?

8- Do Not Try To Be Perfect

More than achieving perfection look for satisfaction at the end of the day. Lower your expectations, it causes less frustration and makes life less complicated, and you are able to lead a happy one too.

Plan your day and take small steps to achieve your goals one after the other. It doesn’t have to be a perfect plan – just a rough sketch of all that you need to get done.

“Life is what happens while you are busy making other plans.” ~ John Lennon

Strive for a more purposeful and happy life. Use your senses to look at people without judging them. See them with compassion, kindness, and love.

9- Lead A Healthy Lifestyle

You are what you eat, so eat clean and healthy food. Look after yourself by taking time to exercise and sleep well. Remember, a tired mine is unhappy and inefficient.

If you sleep in time, you can get up early, and the early hours are the most productive ones. You can get the maximum done if you are an early bird like me. 🙂

You might like to read my post about – What Stops You From Living A Healthy Lifestyle.

Take up some hobbies like playing games that enhance your skills instead of sitting indoors watching TV or keeping busy with work. Try out meditation, yoga, listen to music, and just unwind.

You need to find the right work-life balance that suits you.

10- Enjoy Life’s Moments

Take out time to appreciate the simple pleasures of life. All the good things in life are free – so, enjoy and value them.

Be mindful of your surroundings. Appreciate simple things like the sunrise and sunset, the lakeside view, spending time in nature, raindrops falling, or anything that life puts forth you.

Not to mention the warmth of a hug or touch, a smile, a kiss, and just anything you are grateful for being in your life.

Right NOW is the only moment that is guaranteed to you – this is your life, don’t miss living it!

“Be happy for this moment. This moment is your life.” ~ Omar Khayyan

11- Never Stop Learning

Gather all the information you can to be happy in your life, learn to love without conditions, and never stop leaning empirically.

It could be through reading books, magazines, online sites and blogs, or just about anything, that increases your knowledge.

Take risks, take chances, because that is how you will know you have lived a life the way you wanted, and that life would be so worth it.

Try something new often because following a routine becomes boring at times. Life becomes interesting when you have something new to do and think about.

It could be a new big activity or a small one like talking to a new friend. Anything that helps you learn something new is good. So, go ahead and try it out 🙂

“The good life is one inspired by love and guided by knowledge.” ~ Bertrand Russell

12- Love Some More

Love, love, love, and when you are feel you have nothing left – go ahead and love some more! You never lose anything by loving others. 🙂

Love your family and spend time with them because they are the people who really matter. Just go ahead and do it! A life unloved isn’t worth it. Love the life you live because you live just once!

13- Accept And Adapt To Change

I’ve written often about adapting to change because I believe change is constant. So, instead of being unhappy about the change that comes to your life, adjust to it.

If you come across failures, doesn’t matter. It might hurt initially, but look to the positive aspect of it.

Each failure teaches you something in return and makes you stronger, and takes you towards success.

You might ask whether you should change your life or not. If you are happy with the way things are, then don’t, or else go ahead – change and make it better. 🙂

Any good change can open better opportunities for you, provided you are willing to accept it.

14- Learn To Give

There is great joy in giving. The more you give, the more you receive. Even if you don’t get back anything in return, at least you know you have done a good deed.

It could be through charity, donation, or just by helping people by your services towards them. Just go ahead and start spreading joy by giving.

15- Just Be Yourself

You are you and no one else, so don’t try to copy someone to please others. You don’t have to do that, nor will you be able to do it for long.

Just be who you are and people will love you for that, and you too will get to know your real friends from the fake ones this way. Pave your path and follow your heart.

Believe in yourself and your abilities – sky is the limit for you. Listening to others is alright, but you need to eventually do what you believe in and whatever your vision is.

“Your definition of a good life does not have to look like everyone else thinks it should. Whatever feels right for you, whatever aligns your inside with your outside, that’s what you should spend your time doing.” ~ G.G. Renee Hill

I would simply say that living a good and happy life is being happy with all that you have. Yes, pursue your dreams, don’t stop doing that, but keep enjoying the moments in life.

I hope you are ALL geared to start living a more meaningful life after reading this post.

Remember, it is YOUR life – so make it a good one! 🙂

Over to you –

What does a good and meaningful life mean to you? Do you know of more ways about how to lead a good life and be happy? Share in the comments below.

 

Photo Credit: Freedigitalphotos, Kate Ter Haar