Being the best person you can be is a tall order, and the subject of countless self-help books, videos and seminars. Each person gets one shot at life and a limited amount of time in which to make his mark. If you focus exclusively on self-gain, chances are you won't improve other people's lives or stay in anyone's memory for long. Being the best you can be comes down to how your words, actions and behaviors affect others, which ultimately can help you feel fulfilled and happy as well.
Step 1
Set big goals, and devise plans to achieve them. "We must find a goal big enough and grand enough to challenge us to push beyond our limits and discover our true potential," says life coach Anthony Robbins in his book "Awaken the Giant Within." Make a list of things you never thought you'd do---such as climb a mountain or raise $100,000 for a cause that's dear to you---and tackle them one by one.
Step 2
Take care of your body and mind. Eat healthy meals, get plenty of sleep, and exercise regularly. Enroll in a course at a college or university, read books and newspapers, and keep abreast of current affairs. Engage with the world of literature, politics and history, and show a thirst for knowledge.
Step 3
Help others in big and small ways. Take a friend out to lunch, help a coworker move, or offer to babysit a neighbor's children. "Ask yourself, "How can I best be of service to others?' " advises Marci Shimoff, author of "Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out." Call a nursing home, school or food bank, and ask how you can help. "Even an hour once or twice a month can make a difference in your life and the lives of others," Shimoff says
Step 4
Express gratitude. "It is impossible to feel both the positive emotion of thankfulness and a negative emotion such as anger or fear at the same time," says M.J. Ryan, author of "Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life." Tell those close to you how much you love, respect and care about them; write in a gratitude journal; and spend time contemplating the people, things and places for which you are thankful.
Step 5
Focus on the present, not the past or future. "A victim identity is the belief that the past is more powerful than the present, which is the opposite of the truth," says Eckhart Tolle in the bestselling book "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment." You can't change the past, and you can't control or predict the future. Focus on each individual moment to create happiness and peace in your life.
Step 6
Express love and affection. Tell your family you support and love them, regularly praise friends and colleagues, and be upbeat and positive with everyone you meet. "Choosing to feel love and wish the best for everyone---a habit of happy people---can help you cultivate more happiness in your life," says Shimoff.
References
- "Awaken the Giant Within"; Anthony Robbins; 1992
- "Happy for No Reason: 7 Steps to Being Happy from the Inside Out"; Marci Shimoff; 2009
- "Attitudes of Gratitude: How to Give and Receive Joy Every Day of Your Life"; M.J. Ryan; 2009
- "The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment"; Eckhart Tolle, 2004
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