Hello everyone. I hope all is well with you. I’m back today after a hectic week of work, kid appointments, and other important shenanigans. I’ve reached 63,647 words in my manuscript and I can see a light at the end of the tunnel. This is the rough draft and it is rough, but I’m almost there. 🙂
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Anyway, enough about that. Today I’d like to talk about a phrase I heard over the holidays. It intrigued me when I heard it and I thought I’d share it with all of you. “Live your best Life.”
That’s a worthy goal, don’t you think?
But what exactly does that mean?
The answer will be different for everyone. Because, you know, we’re all unique little snowflakes, right?
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Right. We’re all unique and beautiful. Don’t you forget it. (Wags finger at the non-believers).
Not one person’s brain is wired exactly like another’s so living your best life will be different from one person to the next. How’s that for stating the obvious?
Sorry. I got off track there.
Anyway, I feel we should all strive to live our best lives. I know what you’re thinking, what is my best life? This is where it gets hard. Because our best lives will look different when we’re in twenties than when we’re in our thirties and forties, and well, when you’re in your fifties, it’s going to change again.
Living your best life is a fluid goal and it changes as we grow and evolve. We humans go through phases and sometimes those phases can be painful.
So what does living your best life mean?
It means getting in touch with your inner voice. You know, the voice in your head that’s telling you you’re making a mistake? Or the one that’s telling you to go for it when you hang back afraid.
It means getting in touch with that voice and actually listening to it.
It means choosing a path and sticking with that path because it resonates with you. You can always tell when you’ve taken the wrong path because you’ll be uncomfortable. It won’t feel right and deep inside you’ll know it. You’ll feel like you’re faking it. When you’re on the path you’re supposed to be on, you’ll feel like your true self and you’ll be happy. Life won’t stress you out as much. You’ll take setbacks and obstacles in stride.
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So how do we get in touch with that wise inner voice?
Again, it’s going to be different for everyone. Some people use meditation and that’s a healthy way to do it. Meditation is a stress reliever, and it’s good for your body and your mind.
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I usually go for a walk in the woods. Walking is a great exercise and striding through nature is a stress reliever as well. There’s actual scientific proof that hiking in the woods is beneficial for your health. For more info go to this link and check it out. The Benefits of Forest-Bathing
But I digress. Sorry. I love forest bathing. I’m a tree hugger. What can I say?
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Anyway, back to my topic. I have a point. I promise. 🙂
When you’re in line with your inner voice and working toward the goal that resonates with you, you’re going to be less stressed and won’t play the comparison game with your friends and co-workers because you’ll be too busy living your authentic life.
That’s what’s wrong with the world today. Many people have lost touch with their inner voice, and because of that, they’re pursuing the wrong goals. They play the comparison game, and end up losing because they try to emulate someone else instead of forging their own path.
Don’t get me wrong, finding a mentor is a golden nugget in life, but only if that person helps you pursue a goal that resonates you.
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So to live your best life, you need to get in touch with that inner voice and listen to it. Let it guide you to the place you need to go. You’ll get there when you’re supposed to and not one minute before. So enjoy the journey.
Thanks for stopping by and reading my post! How do you feel about Living your Best Life? Do you have any tips you’d like to offer readers? Leave a comment. I love hearing from you!
Well done on the manuscript Lisa and not far to go if I read you correctly. I finished my first draft last weekend and am having an empty follow up without those “inner voices” keeping me company. Odd when they been with me for two and a half months!! And I guess that’s why it feels like an age since I posted anything or even visited here!!
Liking that inner voice thing too. We all have one and must be aware of when it’s not in a good place and needs helping out too. Ignoring it when that happens is rather like being a bad friend, except inside your own head…if that makes sense!
Hope the New Year is treating you well!
Thanks, Gary for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. You bring up a very good point about not listening to your inner critic. We all have one of those as well and in my opinion it’s different from the voice that guides us. We need to ignore our inner critic because that’s really just our fear talking. Right?
I think it condenses right down to fear when you look deep enough. Comfort zones feed off if until breaking free seems impossible. Whilst it is a healthy thing to have, uncontrolled or ignored it feeds off things unseen. I think the trick is to listen, but strip out the rational points and ignore the irrational ones and stay in control of it rather than the other way round.
Easy to say of course !
Yes. You’re right, it is easy to say, but hard to do. It takes practice that’s for sure!
What a thought provoking post! I have heard the phrase before but never really given it much thought.
Thanks for stopping by, Angela! I’m hoping my post starts people thinking about their “Best Life,” and it encourages people to go for it!
High fives on the manuscript, Lisa! I need to get back my discipline in 2018. Well done on this post – wonderful advice and insights. Bet you listened to your inner voice when you wrote it, right? Wink. You go, girl! Live your Best Life!
Oh, Sharon! Thanks for stopping by! You’re doing awesome. I can tell from the last post on your blog. You’re living your best life, too!
Waiting for the answers from that still, small voice inside? That’s the hard part for me.
Yes. I hear you. It’s hard to be patient, but they’ll come. Trust me. 🙂
Love the pictures
Thank you! And thanks for stopping by!
Thank you for reading my “pathway” post and sending me the link to your post! I so agree with everything that you wrote. Living your best life takes some planning and thinking and sharing…but, it is certainly possible and certainly the best route to take!
Oh. That’s awesome. Thanks for stopping by. It’s such a great feeling when you find like minded people in the blogosphere! 🙂
Very true points! 😀
Thanks for stopping by, Erick and sharing your thoughts!
Reblogged this on Dream Big, Dream Often.
Thank you for reblogging. I appreciate it! 🙂
Very timely post that is resonating with me. I e made some changes for 2018 and I’m hoping to live my best life!
Good for you, Rachael. I’m making some changes myself so I can live my best life, too! Thanks for stopping by! 🙂
Always a pleasure really enjoy your posts 👍🏻
This is such a great reminder. We all need to stop and just be still at times to hear our inner voice. Have a beautiful day! 🙂
You, too! Thanks for stopping by!
Well done Lisa for finishing your draft even if it is rough, YOU DID IT. I find it amazing you bloggers that write, I still can’t get my head around completing a story using more than 2,000 let alone the larger quantities that are needed to write a book. Plus, work and be a mother and wife!!
Yes. I’m busy, but I love it. I wouldn’t have it any other way!
Like the saying goes, if you want something done ask a busy person 🙂
So true!
Loved this post, Lisa. I definitely need to listen more to my inner voice more and do things which help to cultivate my inner voice. Living my best life is definitely about being true to myself and doing things which nourish my soul 🙂
Yes. I agree. I think if we all focused on nourishing our souls, we wouldn’t have so much hate and controversy in the world. We’d be too busy! Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts. 🙂
For me it means balancing doing ALL THE THINGS and taking time to step back and just BE. And being happy with what I have done and not worry about what I didn’t or haven’t done. Yet, anyway.
Yes! I agree. We need to take a few minutes and appreciate where we are and not be in such a hurry all the time. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
❤️ it. My inner voice told me to read your pist, very well done and yes we need to pay more attention to that inner voice and be “me” and not try to act and roleplay and be like a friend or anyone else. Each of us are unique and have our own gifts and we need to embrace who we are and just be thar!
Yes! We’ll be so much happier when we do. 🙂 Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts! I appreciate it!
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Thanks for the reminder! It’s always good to stop and listen to that inner voice. Great post!
Thanks for stopping by, Ruth! 🙂
This is such sage advice. I see the similarity to this and trusting your gut instinct. It’s so important and can profoundly make a difference to one’s happiness.
You are so right, Haley! Thanks for stopping by!
This is so true – people have lost touch with their inner light, with what fires them up – and you see this most online, I think, with the push towards one particular goal/path/pursuit. I find writing, meditation, and tarot/oracle cards really help me to tune into my own inner voice and guidance.
Oh my gosh! Do you do tarot readings? I’d love to pick your brain sometime. I have a character in one of my stories who’s a tarot reader and I need a little advice on her. Would you be willing to chat about it?
Finding the courage to live your best life would be the hardest part, in my opinion. Cognitively you know certain steps gave to be taken but women in general are raised to please and not rock the boat. The corny quote about magic happening outside your comfort zone applies here.
You are so right, Trudy. I hope the trend is changing for women, I hope they’re rocking the boat a little bit so they too can have their best life. 🙂
I am all for being aware and listening to our inner voice…..all the best in completing your manuscript
..looking forward to when you will say it’s ready
Awwww…thanks so much! I’m very excited about this story. I’ve put a lot of work into it. 🙂