8 things you must do to live your best life!

Written By Coach Kim

Edited by Marla Reese Martin

2021 just started and one common personal goal for the New year a lot of people have is to “live their best life,” but what does it really mean? For me, living your best life is giving yourself all the opportunities to be happy, to grow, and to reach a high level of life satisfaction. Here are eight ways to live your best life in 2021:

1. Be in touch with your inner self: As you know by now, I am a huge fan of knowing and loving oneself. You may wonder what it has to do with living your best life. When you know yourself and your needs, it is easier to work toward fulfilling these needs and live your best life.

2. Foster healthy relationships with yourself and with others: A few months ago, I was giving a live session on relationships and came up with the fire concept in a twin flame relationship. In order for you to build meaningful relationships with others, you need to take care of your own fire so then you can fully grow with your partner as a bigger flame. When you build and develop a strong relationship with yourself, you have so much more to offer others. The feeling of being complete and happy with who you are is all a part of living your best life. It means you will have the self confidence to strive for what you really want and need.

3. Live in the present moment: We too often underestimate the importance of living in the present moment, and instead we focus on the future or even worse: the past. I married in my early 20’s and was blessed with a happy union for the most part. I have two wonderful children and one amazing stepdaughter. As I now reflect on my failed marriage, I realize that at no time did I ever live in the present. I was looking forward to the next military posting, to the retirement plan we had, to the next job I would have to look for, etc. For many years, I was stressed, worried, and hopeful of a better tomorrow when really I should have had sat on the park bench watching my kids playing, knowing this was my best life. Now I make the extra effort to stop, look around and take a big breath: soaking up the happiness of today that can be found in the little things in life.

4. Get your priorities straight: This one has always been a struggle of mine, and to be honest I am just starting to really find a balance between mom responsibility and mom pleasure. Yesterday, the kids were in a giggling mood and couldn’t stop laughing when I was trying to get them to clean up the table. Instead of getting mad, I asked them, “Why are you laughing?” They told me about something that had happened earlier in the day, and I started to laugh with them. I sat down at the table again, and we extrapolated on that small event and laughed together. At this moment I realized: dishes could wait. Creating a bonding moment with my kids was a priority. Don’t you worry: they did eventually clean up, and I didn’t have to fight with them to do so.

5. High emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence is the capacity to be aware of, control, and express one's emotions, and to handle interpersonal relationships judiciously and empathetically. By recognizing your own emotional state and reorienting yourself toward desired behaviors, you are maximizing your chance to find what really makes you happy. Controlling your emotions is not as easy as it seems. It requires a level of self-awareness that pushes you to face your true self. Once you have identified your emotions, you need to figure out how you will handle it moving forward and grow from it.

6. Practicing daily gratitude: Do you know what you have? Do you appreciate what you have? Two years ago, I couldn’t see how lucky I was nor what I had. A friend told me to count my blessings. This same friend has edited this article. Little did she know, she gave me the greatest advice I could have asked for. Since then, there is not one day that has passed that I haven’t been thankful for what I have. My life isn’t perfect, but when you look closer you can find perfection in the imperfections. Then, live your best life knowing that you have everything you need.

7. Desiring more from life: Don’t be afraid to be wrong; to learn more; to fail more; to live more; laugh more. We’re all going to die one day, so no one should live with regrets. You want to live knowing that you have done everything you could to have the best life possible. Failure is not the end of your journey; it is the wind that will push you forward. The unknown isn’t as scary as a life without risk or opportunity. Trust the journey. Even when things get rough, someone somewhere may have a bigger plan for you than you have for yourself.

8. Be open to be Wow of what life has in store for you: The greatest things always happen when you least expect it. I may not always understand why things happen in my life, but I try to have faith that it is for the best. You never know when you will receive good news or be swept away by love or a dream opportunity, so enjoy every moment. Let the unexpected Wow you! This is what life is all about.

2020 has been quite a ride, I hope 2021 will treat you all in the best way possible. I believe that through struggles we can find the strength to rebuild and grow. May this year be the year where you reconnect with the most important person in your life: yourself.

Your Coach Kim