Birthday Reflections: How to Live a Happier Life

As many of you know, today is my birthday! Most of us celebrate another year of life on our birthday. But what if we celebrated being alive every single day of the year? We make a special effort to be kind to those we love on their birthdays, but what if we made the extra effort to be kind every single day? Life is a gift that is given to us each day that we wake. By appreciating each day we are given, we can gain a new perspective on life. 

One is the great things about a birthday is being able to reflect on the past year: What did you learn? What has changed? What did you accomplish? What can you do better next year?

Here are some of my reflections from the past year. 

•  Live each day to better yourself and your family. Even if it's just in a small way. 

•  Try to learn something new everyday. Keep your mind open. Read. Talk to others about their experiences and what they have learned. Your mind is a sponge, give it the opportunity to soak up all it can. 

•  Don't take anything too seriously. Bad things will happen at some point. Things will not work out, you will have a tough day, things will get broken, and you will cry. It's okay to cry. 

•  Death is a part of life. As hard as it is, if there wasn't loss, life would not be as precious as it is. This is why we should celebrate each day. 

•  Really experience your life. Put down your phone, tablet or computer. Feel the wind on your face, listen to the birds sing, really taste your food. Our experiences make us who we are. 

•  Appreciate simple things. Being able to appreciate small things in life will make you a much happier person. Take joy in the breeze coming through the window, eating a tomato right from the garden, and walking barefoot through wet grass. 

•  Don't compare your life with others. This one is even harder with things like Facebook but don't let yourself play into that mentality. 

• Everyone has an opinion and may not agree with you. That is okay. Everyone will not agree with every life choice you make and you will not agree with every choice made by those around you. Again, that is okay. 

•  Make your life what you want it to be, you are the one living it. This ties in with the previous one. Create a life for yourself that makes you happy. Even if it's not "Facebook worthy".

•  Keep a budget. Many people feel like a budget is annoying. But you will be so glad you did it. Living without financial worries is a goal everyone should work towards. 

•  Let yourself have fun. Don't over work yourself. Working with a tired mind or body will never give you the results that you want. 

•  Make time for sleep. In our society, when we are busy the first thing we cut out is sleep. We are a nation full of sleep deprived people. Being well rested is key in both your mental and physical health. 

•  Be kind to those around you. It's hard to be kind all the time. But try, even when you are frustrated, tired and cranky. 

•  Apologize when you're wrong. Life is too short for anger. 

•  Remember the important things in life. Having an amazing career is great, but your boss won't be the one helping you in hard times. Your friends and family are the ones who will be holding your hand when you suffer a loss or are going through a medical problem. 

•  Turn off the TV. A good movie or program is a lot of fun. But don't live through the people on the screen! 

•  Eat dinner together. Use meal time to connect with your family or partner. Leave your phones in another room and really talk to each other. 

•  Be happy with what you have. There will always be someone who has a nicer house, more money or more things. Don't get caught up in that. A huge component in happiness is just letting yourself be happy!

•  There will always be negative people. No matter who you are, where you live or what you are trying to do. Someone will try to bring you down. Don't listen to them. 

I have been blessed with an amazing 25 years so far. I am very thankful for everyone in my life! I'm hoping for many more years with my family, friends, and critters. I can't wait to see what this next year brings - hopefully lots of learning & love!