Just as everyone has their own definition of success, we all have slightly different ideas of what constitutes a high-quality life. However, there are some steps you can take to increase your quality of life. Just by taking these few steps, each day can be more meaningful.
1. Maintain Healthy Relationships
Relationships play an important role in mental and physical health. Research shows that healthy supportive relationships increase your happiness, life satisfaction, psychological well-being, and physical health.
However, not all relationships are created equal. Negative relationships can create toxic situations involving conflict and stress. If you’ve ever been under a lot of stress, you know what I’m talking about. You feel your heart race, hormones surge, headaches can occur, cold hands and feet, tingling of extremities. All of these things are signs that your health is deteriorating. These symptoms are related to the fight or flight reaction your body launches when you are in danger. This is a natural survival skill in an emergency, but when sustained, these reactions are deadly.
To reduce stress, make sure you establish a stable faith base with your creator. I’m sure you’ve heard the stories from people who have lost everything – their family and their home and they’ve lost all hope – feeling like giving up on life. Many naturally turn to prayer in desperation, even those who consider themselves agnostic or atheist. Some find their way to the bible during a crisis where they may see for the first time in their life the miracle of connecting to something they didn’t know existed. The teachings in the bible can be profound. The more you read, the more you understand. You hear the stories from people who have been in prison. They learn how to turn their lives completely around and refocus on helping others, rather than on self-destruction. Many become pastors, mentors, coaches, and extremely successful entrepreneurs.
Distancing from unhealthy relationships and fostering healthy ones may be vital to your well-being. Surround yourself with happy good people. Make sure you take your time to find the right life partner. One who brings out the best in you, has similar interests, and enjoys being with you. Get outdoors, enjoy nature, take deep breaths of fresh air, get your feet on the ground or in the sand, play in the ocean, feel the energy of God’s creation pulse through you.
2. Be Grateful For What You Have
Too often it can become easy to get caught up in what we don’t have. Lamenting a lack of a fulfilling career, a luxurious lifestyle, or a successful relationship can be draining and cause stress. Instead of spending all of that mental energy on what you don’t have, instead, celebrate what you do have.
We are all born or blessed with unique talents and gifts. The key is to recognize them and find ways to use them appropriately and productively. Try to think positively and create a list each day of your experiences. This list may include ways to improve your health, smiling at and receiving smiles from others, helping someone in need, or simply holding a door open for others. Be mindful of how amazing life truly is and how you can make a difference.
3. Get a Good Night’s Sleep
Whether you’re staying up late because of your job or to catch up on social media, life gets crazy. So many things seem to take precedence over a good night’s sleep. Sleep is an integral part of a healthy lifestyle. The average adult should get 7 1/2 hours of sleep every night. If that gets cut short, try to find time for a short nap. Even 20 minutes can do wonders for recharging your body and mind.
The quality of your sleep directly affects your mental and physical health. It also affects the quality of your life, including productivity, emotional balance, creativity, and even your weight. No other activity delivers so many benefits with so little effort.
4. Save Some Money or Other Assets & Be Prepared
While not obvious, having some survival assets set aside is a real way to create some peace of mind. After all, the worry that comes with being completely dependent on a system, rather than on yourself and your family can be debilitating. And that anxiety leaves little room for prayer or peace. Learn to grow your own food. Indoor gardens are very popular today. Consider something like the TowerGarden.com, which can hold over 60 plants and takes up a space of only 3 square feet. Get a simple pressure cooker and stock up on canned food. Have water stored or route a downspout to a barrel to collect rainwater. e.
If you work and have an income, make a plan to save at least 25 percent. Have an emergency fund to fall back on. Get away from the stress of social media and every day demands. These simple steps can double your peace of mind.
5. Learn and Grow
We thrive on progress, so if you truly want a high-quality life, learn something new every day.
Knowledge is power and one day your very survival may depend on what you know.
Read a good book or research some articles. Listen to a podcast or audiobook. Understand how to be a better human or parent.
Learn how to improve your health and wellbeing so you can be ready and able to help others.
Put that knowledge into action. Small wins every day lead to stunning results later in life.
The Bottom Line
Finally, remember to keep what truly matters in perspective. Your faith, family, and freedom are very important determinants of peace and happiness. Having a positive impact on society is also very important. With each new day, our lives pass us by. Don’t let ANY of them pass without finding meaning. Hug those you love and tell them you love them. Remember to always seek to be the best person you can be.