Living a beautiful life is not about glitter and glam and the kind of beauty that’s only skin deep. Living a beautiful life can make you glow with an inner light and make those around you feel good just by being in your presence.
People who have figured out how to live a beautiful life have an inner beauty that transcends mere prettiness. There are simple things that anybody can do to make their life beautiful.
Try incorporating the following suggestions to help you live a beautiful life:
Accentuate the Positive
This is not just a corny Bing Crosby song from the 1950s – it’s a great way to help create a beautiful life. Get into the habit of looking for the silver lining instead of focusing on the dark cloud. A beautiful life isn’t a perfect life. Nobody has a perfect life. You can’t have hills without valleys. Having a positive outlook can help you get through those low points in life and make you appreciate the high points more.
Do a Good Deed Every Day
Imagine what the world would be like if we all tried to do at least one good deed every day. Every one of us has the power to do good, and we should exercise that power daily. So, pick up a piece of trash, help a turtle cross the road, choose vegetarian options instead of eating meat, or adopt an animal from a shelter. No matter how small or how large the deed is, it will help to increase the total amount of goodness in the world. Doing something to make the world a better place will also make you feel good about yourself.
Commit Random Acts of Kindness and Senseless Acts of Beauty
The smallest act of kindness can have a huge impact on someone’s life. A sincere compliment, a kind word, or even just a smile can make someone’s day a little brighter. There is a whole organization devoted to the concept of being kinder to one another. Check out randomactsofkindness.org for an enormous list of “kindness ideas”.
Have an Attitude of Gratitude
Do you have a roof over your head and food in your belly? If so, you are better off than millions of others who aren’t so lucky. Whenever you are feeling depressed or overwhelmed, take a few minutes to list all the good things in your life. Even those in the direst of circumstances can usually find at least a few things for which they are grateful. Being able to appreciate what you have will help you to lead a beautiful life.
Simplify, Simplify!
As Thoreau once said, “Our lives are frittered away by detail. Simplify, simplify.” Most of us have too much stuff. We spend so much time taking care of our stuff and working hard to buy more stuff, that we don’t have any time left over for the truly important things in life. Remember that the best things in life are not things. Declutter your home and get rid of anything that you don’t need anymore. Give it to someone who will use and appreciate it. Keep only the things that are truly useful, beautiful, or that give you joy. When you are surrounded by only useful and beautiful things, you are well on your way to a beautiful life.
Let Go
In addition to removing objects from your home that are no longer useful, letting go of anything else in your life that doesn’t add beauty or joy will help you to lead a beautiful life. Don’t hold grudges. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Don’t hold onto anger, hatred, bitterness, or resentment. These negative emotions only harm the person who is feeling them. As the Buddha once said, “Holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.” Learn how to forgive others, and don’t forget to forgive yourself. We are all imperfect. However, it’s also okay to let go of people who don’t add joy or beauty to your life. Forgive them for whatever negativity they brought into your life, and then stop spending time with them.
Have Fun!
Make sure that you carve out time in your life to do the things that will bring you joy, because what’s the point of living if you aren’t having any fun? Pamper yourself. Get outside and commune with nature. Sing, dance, play, laugh. We are absurd creatures living in an absurd world, so try not to take yourself too seriously.
Figure out what living a beautiful life means to you. Then make a conscious decision to create that kind of life for yourself. You have the power to make it a reality. What are you waiting for?
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