The life we live is full of mysteries, paradoxes, and wonders. As we exist in this world, each of us has our own purpose, goal, and role in life to fulfill and yet we need the people around us to help us achieve them. We are not solitary creatures, but social ones. We thrive through our interactions with the people connected to our lives: parents, siblings, friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and even strangers. Our interactions with others do not always go smoothly, and we often find ourselves living complicated, dysfunctional, or troubled lives.
Achieving a peaceful life involves harmony and balance between loving yourself and others. Here, we will share some of the important things you need to do to live a peaceful and meaningful life.
Focus on Achieving Financial Stability
There is a big difference between seeking financial stability and getting rich. Financial stability is a sustainable and lifetime process while getting rich can involve tremendous effort and may even seem unrealistic. Not all successful entrepreneurs dreamed of getting rich when they started their businesses. They were more concerned about keeping their business afloat and making it stable first before they thought of expanding.
Regular folks like us can also achieve financial stability with the right mindset. One common mistake most of us make is thinking unrealistically about getting rich quickly. Instead, focus on how you can make yourself financially independent and stable. Being able to freely access your financial resources is one reason why you need to save money or start an investment. You also have more flexible financial options when you need to spend money immediately. Emergencies and urgent payments are more manageable if you are financially stable, and that can give you immense peace of mind.
Learn to Know and Love Yourself More
One reason why some people have trouble dealing with others is due to their lack or falling short of introspection or self-awareness. Examining one’s thoughts, feelings, personality, and actions is essential in knowing yourself. Improving your self-confidence and self-worth is vital in improving your relationships and interactions with the people around you. When you know how you want yourself to be treated, you develop empathy towards others and convert that internal perception outwardly as a gesture of care and compassion.
You are also more considerate and understanding of other people and you seek to reach a favorable agreement or common ground when you have misunderstandings, disputes, or arguments. Instead of stubbornly pushing your ideas and desires on others, you become more rational and try to see things from another perspective. In simple terms, it is like getting comfortable in your own shoes before being open to putting yourself in others’ shoes.
Spread Love to Others
As you become self-aware and know your worth as a person, you will then develop the desire to help other people and a compunction about being indifferent to others. You see the same worth you place on yourself on other people. As we shared earlier, loving yourself is not selfishness but a prerequisite of selflessness. When you see your life as something worth living and you have dreams, goals, and aspirations that shape and motivate you, your perspective of the people around will also change. You relate more with other people and see them as similar to you – also struggling to give meaning and worth to their lives.
So instead of making life harder for others by sowing negativity and conflicts, you learn to love others as an extension of how you have loved yourself. The start of spreading love to others may seem awkward, but over time you become more comfortable with being selfless and compassionate.
Simplicity Goes a Long Way
Simplicity here means letting go of the things that hold you back and prevent you from achieving your true purpose in life and keeping you from enjoying your life fully. Do not compare yourself to others and wish for things that others have that you don’t. You’ll never get to fully appreciate the things you have if you always think or feel this way. While some degree of comparison can inspire you to set your own benchmark for success, you should be careful not to overstep and degrade yourself in the process. When you stop comparing yourself to others, you feel more empowered and fulfilled in your life. Any successes or milestones you achieve, no matter how great or small, are something that can make you genuinely happy. Thus, you are living a simple yet satisfying life.
There are plenty of positive pieces of advice and hacks that you can learn through experience and your interactions with the people around you. Life is a constant learning experience and a story in the making. As a wise man once said, our life’s true value is measured not by what we have achieved but by the legacy handed down after we leave this world. Living a peaceful life in harmony and helping others is how you make life beautiful.