Here’s How You Can Love Your Life Without Spending a Penny

If you find that life just isn’t as fulfilling as you hope for it to be or if you’re relying on your hopes and dreams to make you happy, you’re probably living life the wrong way! A bold statement to make, indeed, but if you aren’t struggling with a debilitating illness or from a condition that cripples your lifestyle in some or another, there really isn’t a reason for you not to live your best life – no matter what your financial status or what assets you have or don’t have. Life is about so much more, and it’s time to reclaim what you’ve been losing out on.

Happiness is a choice

It can be naturally difficult to see the positive in life simply because we, humans, are hardwired to see the negative side far more easily, and social media, the internet, and peers do not help the situation! But it sure isn’t impossible. Enjoying life can be as simple as shifting the way you think and the way you perceive life as a whole. A life of satisfaction and happiness is not something you earn – it is something you learn! Of course, you have many hopes and dreams to work towards, and hard work is a fantastic thing, but happiness doesn’t take hard work. You can be happy along the way throughout your journey of achieving your goals. Our brains are sensitive to unpleasant experiences or news, and this can make you anxious or worry more than what’s reasonable. Release yourself from the unease, tension, and every form of discomfort you can think of by flipping the coin and looking at the same things in a different way. It’s the age-old “half full or half empty” scenario.

Pay attention to detail

Find joy in the simplest of life’s pleasures. You don’t need to be miserable all year with the expectation that you will suddenly be incredibly happy and fulfilled when the holiday season rolls around and you’re out on a vacation! Chances are, you won’t find the happiness you had expected, leaving you more frustrated than before. Begin enjoying each day by starting to really hear the birds twittering, by enjoying the whistle of the wind through the rustling trees, or by listening to the delightful rhythm of the summer rain. Find comfort and satisfaction in every sip of your coffee and celebrate every plate of food you consume. Life is for living! Take pleasure in all the things you do, and even if you take on a task you don’t wish to do, think of how happy you will be when it is done. All of a sudden, you will find that you aren’t as grumpy, crabby, or generally gloomy as usual.

Accept the downs when they come

Life is all about the ups and the downs, and you may be tired of hearing it – but did you really give it all that much thought? If you didn’t feel sadness, how would you appreciate happiness? If you didn’t experience fear, how would you have pride in your courage? If you didn’t experience heartbreak, how would you revel in the joy of love? Everyone suffers some degree of stress, fear, unease, or pain through their life no matter what walk of life they come from. The next time you have a ‘down’ moment, just be appreciative of it and know that things will go up, and you will feel all the better about it!

No more waiting for other people to make life enjoyable for you or waiting for a specific time of year to enjoy yourself. Take control of your happiness and find new meaning to your life – not by changing everything you do but just by changing the way you think! In fact, right this very moment, promise yourself to relish your next meal to the point that you do not even wish to speak for the fear of distracting yourself from the flavors! Promise yourself to be present for your morning cup of coffee or for your hot chocolate nightcap. Or maybe even promise yourself to take 2 minutes to listen to the birds before you hop out of bed the next day. When all else fails, remember this – fake it til you make it! It never hurts to pretend that you’re happy – and eventually you’ll fool your brain into thinking all is good.