4 Ways To Have An Easier Life

We always manage to complicate what is easy.  We make things harder, instead of easier for us.

Many things push us to do that.  Pride, fear, anger, resentment, issues with the past, even coming to grips with the future and the uncertainty it holds.

To live a fulfilling and purposeful life doesn’t mean living a complicated life.  It means becoming a stronger person.

It means making things easier for you, while doing what you do best, and living out your purpose.

 

Don’t assume you know everything.

I got this from Fred, a friend of mine, and I was asking for some advice from him, being married ahead of me and all.

And I got:  Don’t assume you know everything.

Even if you’ve seen it before, even if you’ve heard it before.

Just don’t assume you already know it all.

And he recounts a story of a very good friend of ours, Nichel, who was about to go on a leadership retreat.

Nichel is very intelligent, and a very capable leader.  Well-read, with a lot of experience under his belt.

So Fred told Nichel, that some, maybe a lot, of the things he would hear at that retreat, would be nothing new.

But go into the retreat with a beginner’s mind.  Take it all in as if it were the first time you were experiencing it.

And after Nichel finished the retreat, he went back to Fred, and thanked him for the advice.  He was able to get a lot more out of the retreat because he had a beginner’s mindset, and didn’t assume that he already knew all of the concepts that was going to be discussed.

It’s harder to assume to know everything.  To go into situations thinking you know it all.  You’re going to be tested.  You might even be the one to test yourself.

And when you don’t know something, but try to come off that you do, that’s inauthentic, and will deplete your energy, and rob you of your simple freedom to just be yourself.  It’s like a thief trying to co er up their tracks.

And you’ll end up making more mistakes.  and disappointing more people.

And closing yourself off to opportunities you would have experienced had you stayed open to not knowing.

How would you not assume to know everything?  Get comfortable with not knowing everything.

Get comfortable with not knowing.

 

Take things as they are, as they come.

You never know what life is going to throw at you.

And it would be foolish to worry about tomorrow, when you can work on preparing today, instead.

I’m not saying not to prepare for the future.  That’s important as well.  Planning and preparation can prevent a lot of the problems that you would have encountered otherwise.

What I’m saying is that to be able to shape your direction, and your future, work in the now, and recognize the reality of what’s there and what’s sure to come.

A lot of the time we’re caught up in thinking, and imagining, and waiting, for situations and consequences that aren’t sure, and would never really happen.

Don’t focus too much on the future, because that can paralyze us and make us feel daunted about the large task ahead of us.

Don’t focus too much on the result that you want, because that can also limit you, and make you fearful to start, knowing there is no sure result that can be obtained.

Focus on the now, and on what you can actually do to influence that.  Work on the daily action steps to get progress happening.

Then you’ll get to where you want to be.

Have an easier life.  Don’t overburden yourself.

 

Get to doing what you do best.

Instead of focusing on your weaknesses, work on developing your strengths.

Imagine being excited going to work, and doing things that bring out your best talents and strengths.  It may seem effortless, or you’re challenged, but you’re growing and learning.

And you love it.

Sounds like an easier life already.

As compared to the traditional mindset of working on our weaknesses.  This can be a long, hard, and painful process.  Won’t be enjoyable, and certainly not as fulfilling.

We shouldn’t let our weaknesses stop us, and more than that, we should develop our strengths and talents to do what we do, best.

I’m a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, and we use a tool called the Clifton Strengthsfinder, an assessment which reveals a person’s top 5 strengths.  I also coach people on how they can utilize, develop, and apply those strengths to their personal and professional situations.

As Albert Einstein once said, “Everyone is a genius.  But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing it’s stupid.”

No one is.  Everyone has talent.

Everyone has strengths.

Invest in them, and use them.

Reap the rewards.

 

Build effective habits.

Because by building habits, you get to operate, and even improve, on autopilot.

And you get to have an easier life.

That’s because you don’t devote too much mental energy on what you need to do, and how you need to do it.

Especially when it’s everyday habits like brushing your teeth, taking a bath, how to walk, and getting dressed.

What if you had habits that not only maintained you, but improved you?  What if you had habits that kick in on autopilot, and you wouldn’t have to think about consciously doing them?

And yet, you still reap the rewards.

I’m talking about habits like exercising, meditating, writing, thinking up of ideas, learning a new language, doing sales, calming yourself before a meeting, or pumping yourself up before a presentation.

Anything can be wired and become a habit.

Because an easier life doesn’t mean getting from 1 to 100 in a day.  Or in a month, even!  That’s hard.

Easier life is 1% better, every single day.

Those benefits compound, and make you a better and better person the more consistent you are.

1% better.  Everyday.

 

Have an easier life.

Don’t complicate your life.  Set it up so you can go do your best, without too much thinking, or worrying.

Do what you do best.

Build positive, effective habits.

Don’t worry.

Have a beginner’s mind.

Live an easier life.

 

What do you do that makes living life easier?  Please share in the comments below!