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10 Keys To Living Victoriously
Rev. Dr. Kitty Boitnott, NBCT, RScP
Heart-Centered Career Transition & Job Search Coach | Stress Management Coach
Over the last few weeks, I offered a series on how to deal with various types of upheaval in your life. I covered what to expect to experience physically and emotionally when going through periods of disruption. And last week, I offered some strategies for dealing with it when it occurs.
Now, I would like to switch gears and offer suggestions for how to live life victoriously.
I want to encourage you to push past the pain of upheaval and disruption and understand that you can choose happiness. You can choose to rise above whatever challenges come your way. That is what I mean by "victorious living."
Living a victorious life means living the life of a winner.
It means living a life full of purpose. It means living with a sense of mission. And it means finding fulfillment in everything you do.
Living a victorious life does not mean that your life will be perfect, however. It has more to do with your attitude. It is about being willing to accept things as they are instead of how you wish they were.
Remember from the previous posts that we kid ourselves when we think we have control over life. The fact is that we don't.
So, part of living victoriously is recognizing that and making peace with that reality.
Challenges are a part of life. If you forget that, you set yourself up to feel sorry for yourself. You won't ever feel happy because you will feel like a victim. And victims are rarely happy.
Consider these strategies for living your life victoriously.
1. Believe in a life of victory and aim for it.
Some people have adopted the problems they see inside their inner circles. They believe that life cannot be better than what they know it to be when things are going wrong.
As a result, they choose to give up on the possibility of a happy life.
Don't make that mistake.
You deserve to be happy, so believe that for yourself and let yourself enjoy your wins when they come.
2. Freedom from a life of fear and doubt.
Fear and doubt are examples of limiting beliefs. Now, everyone is afraid to try new things at times. But successful people--winners--push past their fear. They do what they are so scared to do in spite of their fear.
You can do that, too, if you just let yourself let go of the fear. Choose to believe in yourself and your ability to survive even if you fail at first. Nothing says you can't try again.
3. Create a support system.
We all need a healthy support system, especially when we are down and discouraged. Use your support system when faced with a challenge you can't handle alone. Let them help.
Everyone needs a hand sometimes. You can be there for them when they need you. Let them be there for you when you find yourself in need.
4. Allow yourself to be your true self.
Too many people are not living fulfilling lives because they have lost touch with their authentic selves. This can happen when you try too hard to please your family instead of being true to yourself, for example. We too often sacrifice who we are in fear of being alone or rejected.
Life is more fulfilling and adventurous when we know our true purpose and dare to live it. The world would be a much happier place if everyone were allowing themselves to express their true nature more of the time.
5. Behave in a principled manner.
Build and hold on to a solid foundation of who you are and who you want to be. Make the decision that you will always be honest and truthful in your dealings with family members and co-workers.
Make it a promise to yourself that you will always conduct yourself as an ethical and moral person. You will be much happier in the long run, I assure you.
6. Start spending time with the right people.
Spend time with people who appreciate your efforts. Surround yourself people who have a positive influence on you. Follow people who inspire you to be a better version of yourself. Delete from your life anyone who drags you down or disrespects you.
7. Start making happiness a daily priority.
Selfishness is certainly discouraged. But self-care is encouraged. And you should not mistake self-care as selfishness.
The truth is that no one else can take care of you better than you can take care of yourself. As a result, you need to prioritize your happiness. You can take better care of other people and find life more fulfilling when you are healthy and happy, after all.
8. Make life simple again.
Don't over complicate your life. Live within your means, and take each day as it comes. Keeping less complicated people around you will also keep you from feeling the need to spend money you don't have on something you don't need.
Strive to live within your means.
9. Be content and grateful.
If you do not learn to be pleased with who you are and what you have, you will find it difficult to be happy regardless of any achievement. Be grateful and count each of your blessings. People tend to turn a blind eye to their "small" wins or blessings. Don't make that mistake.
10. Do not compare your life to that of others.
Sometimes we are unhappy in life, not because we have not achieved much. But we look at other people's achievements and make them our standards of success.
Avoid comparing yourself to others.
Be happy for the success of other people rather than envying them. And be satisfied with your success, no matter how small you think it might be. Small wins, after all, will ultimately lead to a victorious life. So keep at it. Don't underestimate any win no matter how big or small.
In the next few weeks, I am going to be offering other insights on the importance of living victoriously. So, stay tuned!
Until then, happy living!
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