In the end, we only regret the chances we didn’t take. – Lewis Carrol
Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things you didn’t do than by the things you did. – Mark Twain
Living your life your way is one component of living a more happy and fulfilled life.
We all hear the saying, “Live your life to the fullest!”, but what does this mean? How does it feel to live a full life? Something that excites me is living my life to the fullest. To live your life to the fullest is to make the most of your life, no matter what season you’re in. Living your life to the fullest is to enjoy each day to the best of your ability. I believe that we all have a unique meaning and way of what it means to live your life to the fullest. As we are all unique, living your life to the fullest may look different to how I live my best life or it may look similar. But, it will never be the same as you are not me and I am not you.
Scroll to the end of this blog post to receive your FREE Live Your Best Life Planner once you sign up for the Living Her Way newsletter.
This brings me to point number one of 18 Ways Inspiring You to Live Your Life to The Fullest.
1. Embrace Your Individuality
To be an individual is to embrace you, who you are and your unique needs, personality and desires.
The dictionary definition of individuality is “the quality or character of a particular person or thing that distinguishes them from others of the same kind.” It’s completely normal as a human to want to be like everyone else to feel a sense of belonging. Belonging and human connection are at the core of our basic human needs. Can you belong and connect genuinely with others while embracing your individuality, your uniqueness, your authenticity and what makes you you? Of course, you can! The ones who love you and accept you as you are will. You’re not for everyone and nor do you have to change yourself to be. Just keep being you and live your life to the fullest.
Journal prompt: What is one thing that you would like to love and accept more about yourself so that you can embrace this quality more?
I can do this by:
For example: What I would personally like to love and accept more about myself is my need for support.
I can do this by asking my friends and loved ones more for support when I need it, such as, “Hey bestie, do you have time to listen and be there for me? Or, “Hey mum, can you please hug me? This is something that would really support me right now.”
2. Stop waiting for the perfect moment, partner, financial status or until you are perfectly ready to start. Just start
Sometimes harder said than done, however, you could spend your whole life waiting, your whole life thinking about your dreams, preparing and planning for them. Or you could just do it. Maybe it’s your dream to go on your first overseas trip to Europe. Maybe you think to yourself, “I don’t have enough money, or it costs too much.”
If you want something enough, you will find a way to make it happen. Where there is a will there is a way. Aka, there are many opportunities available to make your dreams a reality. So start. Start researching other people’s experiences of how they made it happen. Gain inspiration. Maybe shift a few beliefs that are holding you back and go for it. I love to remind myself, “If they can do it, if they can have this, so can I.”
It does take work and action to get to where you want to be. You will grow, learn, pivot and change along the way. We are all only human and none of us are ‘perfect’.
Don’t wait for the right moment, make the moment right.
3. Live Courageously
The Oxford Dictionary’s definition of courage is: “The ability to do something that frightens one; bravery. Strength in the face of pain or grief.” It is courageous to get back up again when you have been knocked down. It’s courageous to heal and open your heart again when you have been heartbroken. It’s courageous to share your voice, speak your truth, let yourself be seen and just be you.
“Courage is like a muscle. We strengthen it by use – Ruth Gordon”. Achieving your dreams usually takes a degree of courage.
The courage to face your fears and break through your limiting beliefs.
It is scary sometimes to go after what you want because what if your fears do come true? It’s also exciting to go after your dreams because what if your dreams come true? This reminder can be found in my free eBook once you sign up for the Living Her Way newsletter here. The reality is fears and dreams do come true. But hey, that’s living life to the fullest right? Feeling the fear and doing it anyway. Persevering, trying again, building resilience, showing up, growing and never giving up on you. Be your number 1 cheerleader and don’t give up on the journey.
Journal Prompt: What is one way that you can choose courage over comfort today?
4. Love Yourself
Love yourself for who you are. I believe that a life well-lived is a life well-loved, including yourself. As we love and accept ourselves more, we give ourselves more opportunities to love the world around us more. This doesn’t mean we love every part of the world and life, but we do see more of the beauty in it. The more self-love I have developed, the more love I feel for this life experience. What’s life without love? Sad. In essence, when you love yourself you give yourself more opportunities to be happy and return to happiness after, for example, setbacks and challenges. If you would like more inspiration on cultivating self-love, here are two articles on how to increase your self-love:
Fall In Love With Yourself & Take Your Self-Care To The Next Level
How to Love Yourself: 20 Ways to Start Loving Yourself Again
5. Live a Life That’s True to You
Whenever I hear this quote from the top regrets of the dying, “I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.” It reminds me that yes, it may be scary and courageous to live a life that’s true to me, but it is worth it. Imagine getting to your last day on earth with many unfulfilled dreams, not feeling truly happy and fulfilled, and what ifs? If you would like to read some more regrets of the dying to inspire you to continue to live courageously, you can read them here. Life is precious and we do all die one day, so let’s make the most of it. In alignment with this point, this leads me to the next point.
6. Go after your dreams, achieve your goals and kick things off your bucket list
What have you always wanted to do? Enjoy living your best life by doing the things that you’ve always wanted to do. Why not? Maybe you have always wanted to be an entrepreneur, travel the world, work from anywhere or be married to your best friend/ the love of your life. The biggest limit stopping you from achieving your dreams are the ones that you give yourself. Yes, there are plenty of factors outside of your control and there are plenty of factors within your control. Focus on what is in your control and being the best that you can be. Dreams and expanding into them is exciting. Making them happen takes work, allowing, courage and commitment.
Journal Prompt: What dream do you really want to achieve that is in alignment with you living your best life?
That brings me to the second part of this point. Kick things off your bucket list. What experiences do you want to have before you turn ‘insert certain age’? What do you want to do before you kick the bucket? And, how are you going to get there? Your goals can be small and big. Going after your dreams and kicking things off your bucket list contribute to living your life to the fullest. Dream, set goals, have a plan, believe in them, stay committed, focused and achieve.
7. Develop and cultivate true friendships
True friends matter. The ones that you can enjoy life with, the ones that truly support you, are happy for you, celebrate you and mutually respect, trust and appreciate each other. The ones that will be there for you when you’re sick or when you’re getting married. Nurture those friendships and live life to the fullest together. Make the effort to stay in connection and spend quality time together. If you don’t have a true friend yet. Start by being a true friend to yourself. When you are a true friend to yourself you will be able to recognise a true friend more easily when they come around.
8. Prioritize what matters to you
Prioritise what truly matters to you. If it matters to you, then it matters. Time is precious and finite. Find out your values and dedicate your time and energy to living in alignment and harmony with them to the best that you can.
Journal prompt: What do you value?
What matters to you?
What are you prioritising in your life that no longer makes you happy?
In what ways can you live more in alignment with your values?
What do you want to say yes to? What do you want to say no to?
What’s IN and what’s OUT?
9. Travel
Explore, learn about yourself, the world, languages and meet new people. You can learn so much about yourself, the world, people and languages through travel. When we learn we grow, and when you are not growing, you are dead. Money returns, but your time does not. Go on that adventure of a lifetime and enjoy!
10. Enjoy the sweet life, the good life: La Dolce Vita
Live well, laugh often.
La Dolce Vita is an Italian Phrase that can be represented as “sweet life; the good life perceived as one of physical pleasure and self-indulgence”. I got to taste and experience what it means to live the ‘sweet’ life while I lived in Italy for six months. This attitude and lifestyle are now something that I embrace in my daily life that adds to my enjoyment of life.
Embracing and enjoying the sweet lifestyle can mean enjoying the finer things, beauty and pleasure even in the mundane events of life. Some examples of living ‘La Dolce Vita’ are; enjoying a nap when you need it, lighting candles while you work or cook dinner, savouring and appreciating your meal, sharing delicious meals with your friends and family, buying fresh flowers for your room, laying in the sunshine or anything that represents a good life to you! If you are interested in gaining more inspiration on how to add more beauty to your life- check out my 6 ways to romanticise your life post here.
Journal prompt:
What does a ‘ good life’ look like to you?
How can you incorporate more sweetness into your daily life?
Affirmation: I live a good life.
11. Let yourself be happy, be wonderful, be grateful and beautiful
This is another point correlated with one of the quotes stated in the 5 regrets of the dying, namely, “ I wish that I had let myself be happier.”
Don’t wait another day to be happy. Don’t wait another day to feel good about yourself. Allow yourself to feel joy. If you are not happy with where you are at or your mindset is hindering you rather than supporting you, then let things change. Take the action and responsibility to choose you, to look after you and your happiness.
Affirmation: I love myself. I allow myself to be happy. I am worthy, deserving and whole as I am.
12. Embrace change when you need to. Take leaps of faith. Start fresh
“Every morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most.” -Buddha. Change is one of the only certainties in life. This quote reminds us that each day we have a new chance to reach our bright potential, to learn something new, to achieve our dreams, to let go, to try again and to build and live our best life. Embrace change, and allow yourself to change when you need it.
“Your decisions today define your tomorrow.” – Boho Beautiful.
13. Get out of your comfort zone
Try something you have never done. Go to a place you have never been. Try new things.
It’s easy to stay in your comfort zone because it’s what you are familiar with. Familiarity can often be equated with safety. It’s courageous to live your life to the fullest and step into the unknown. Each time that I have taken a leap of faith I have either grown from it or gained something amazing.
14. Rest guilt-free
Rest guilt-free when you need and want to. Yes, rest can also be a part of living your life to the fullest. We are human beings, not always human doings. Enjoy your sleep, appreciate lying down soaking up the sunshine and enjoy rest and rejuvenation.
15. Eat the foods you enjoy
Eating food is a basic human survival need, so you might as well enjoy it and make the most of it. Eat the foods you enjoy and that make you feel good. Find healthier versions that also add to your health. Everything in moderation of course. Find your unique balance of eating food that you enjoy and that nourishes you and your optimum health in mind, body and spirit.
16. Make exercise fun
Find ways to move your body in ways that you enjoy and that feel good. Exercise is vital for health and well-being. I believe that moving your body does not always have to feel like a chore. Make exercise and moving your body fun! Along with the workouts that you do for specific results, how can you incorporate more physical activities into your fitness regime that you enjoy? Let the intention be enjoyment. Some ideas include dancing, swimming, walking and surfing. Even when you are strength training, how can you enjoy it more? My Tip/Recommendation: Wear activewear that you feel good in, make it fun and listen to songs that you enjoy.
17. Express your feelings
When you love someone tell them. When you appreciate your friend let them know. Lean into the more difficult conversations. Lean into the soft, joyous conversations. When someone makes you happy let them know. Cry when you feel emotional. Let yourself feel passionate about the things that you are passionate about. Show your appreciation for yourself and others. Feel love, show your love, express yourself, your excitement, your joy, your grief, your passions. To feel is to be alive. One of the greatest things about being alive- love and connection. Lean in. Expand.
18. Commit to building something lasting
Living your life to the fullest isn’t always about instant gratification.
“There are no shortcuts to any place worth going.” -Beverly Sills.
Commit to building something you love for your future self. Some examples include; a business that creates financial and location freedom. A relationship with yourself that stays with you through thick and thin. A healthy, loving partnership with your partner that you can build a life, a family, grow and share beautiful moments together. A friendship that you can grow with, evolve with and be mutually supported by. A life and lifestyle that’s aligned with your values.
Imagine the best version of yourself who has what she wants, is living her best life that’s true to her- her way and is living in alignment with her values. Start showing up as her now. Start acting as if she would now. And, start feeling the happiness and fulfilment she wants to experience now.
And, remember to enjoy the present moment and the process of getting to where you want to be.
You are exactly where you need to be
I hope that this post has inspired you to go out there today and live your best life.
Would you like to gain more clarity on what it means to you to live your best life? I have created a FREE Live Your Best Life Planner [Printable] to help you gain clarity, set your goals and plan the action steps to make your best life happen. Not only will you be able to gain clarity on what your best life looks like, but you will also receive action planning pages designed for you to lay out the steps to get to where you want to be. Setting goals, and having a plan to get there already increases your success rate on your path to achieving them, as it provides more clarity, direction and purpose.
Thanks for being here!
If you have any questions, kind comments or blog post requests, please feel welcome to share them with the Living Her Way community and comment them below. Additionally, you can send me an email here.
Grab your FREE Live Your Best Life Planner [Printable] here.
Beatifull Blog!
Thank you Marta! 🙂
Great post!
Thank you Sierra. I hope you have a beautiful day. 🙂
Great, inspiring post
Thank you Elaine! Happy that you found it inspiring. I hope you have a beautiful Easter weekend. 🙂
Thank you Elaine! I’m glad that you found it inspiring. 🙂
In this phase of my life I need to embrace more the concept of “Dolce far niente” (since I’m Italian, haha) and guilt-free rest 🙂
Haha yes there’s so much goodness in the Dolce far niente too. Happy enjoying the sweetness of nothing Giada! 🙂
A terrific read! Loving ourselves is the best starting point for living the life in your own way.
I love that you include travel. That’s my favorite!
Thanks, Jolayne! I love travel too and don’t think my website would be the same without it. 🙂