I found this really great article on Article Alley and thought I would share it with you.
Have you ever looked at people in your life, or even complete strangers on the street, and wondered why they are always so happy, and what you can do to be happy like them? All of us at one time or another feel the need to be more excited about our lives and more satisfied with ourselves. Happiness starts with appreciating ourselves for who we are, which means you need to take steps to fall in love with yourself, after all who else will love you if you don't love yourself?
1. Start dreaming
Get yourself a big sheet of paper, a pen, some magazines and some scissors and glue. Now sit down and think about your dreams; whether it's to live in a penthouse apartment, or to meet your soul mate and have 2.4 children or just to have a long and relaxing vacation, pluck that dream from your mind's eye and capture it on paper. Cut out pictures from the magazines and use them to create a dream board. Now you can see exactly what it is that you wish for in life and you can take steps to make those dreams come true.
2. Make a map
Have you ever travelled to a new location? A place you had never been before? I'm sure you have at some point in time and I bet you didn't do it without a map or a set of directions. Achieving your dream is the same as reaching that destination, you won't get there until you plan your journey and break it down into small steps that you can accomplish day by day.
3. Live in today
Now that you have captured where you want to be tomorrow, or next year, you need to start living in today. Buy yourself a beautiful journal, something that you will want to write your thoughts in and each and every day write down at least one thing that happened to you. It doesn't matter whether the experience was good or bad, what matters is what you did as a result and how you learned from it. Learning from those experiences will shape the journey towards learning how to love yourself and achieving your dreams.
4. See the best in you
We all have flaws but for most of us that is all we see when we look at ourselves in the mirror. You might think that you're too tall or too short, too fat, or too thin,. But today you need to see the best in you. Stand in front of that mirror and see yourself through the eyes of a stranger; perhaps you have a great hair style, or a pretty smile.
Ask your closest friends and family what they like about your personality; perhaps you are kind, or funny or the person they always turn to when they need comforting. Write down you five best bits in your journal or diary and reread them each and every day to remind yourself what is good about you.
By capturing your dreams and planning your journey to your destination you will learn more about your innermost thoughts and desires and living into will give you the experience you need to make that dream a reality. Forgetting about your flaws and focusing on your best bits will make you realise how other people see you. Take action with these activities today and you will learn how to love yourself and in turn find the happiness you dream of.
This article is free for republishing
*eLLa*