12 Things To Do To Start Creating The Life You Love

It’s important to remember that regardless of whatever season you are in your life right now, it’s never too late to start creating the life that you love.

I had always assumed that before I can start creating the life that I love, I first have to find a way to earn more or maybe get a better job. I always had this notion that before we can create that kind of life, everything has to fall into place first.

But then life hit me with an unexpected twist and I found myself at the lowest point of my life. Every day then felt like I was in constant survival mode, barely getting the chance to breathe before another problem smacks me in the face.

While I was navigating that point in my life, I believed that creating the life that I want now was certainly impossible. I mean when everything around me was practically falling apart, the chance of living a life that I love was just not in the cards for me.

But that’s definitely not the case because probably one of the greatest lessons that I’ve learned while I was at rock bottom is often tremendous change and transformation can take place in the most unexpected places.

While it may be daunting and overwhelming, I want you to know that even in the darkest season of your life, you still have the power within you to rebuild your life and create the life that you love.

Please know that rock bottom can serve as the perfect turning point, a stepping stone for personal growth, and resetting your life.

Yes, it’s going to be challenging but we can take small and easy steps every day that’ll bring us one step closer to living a life that brings us joy and meaning.

In this post, I will be sharing with you some tips, lessons, and valuable experiences that have helped me create the life that I love. I’m hoping these will not only empower you but will also inspire you to start shaping your life according to your deepest aspirations.

How To Create The Life You Love

1. Get Clear On Your Vision

When you’re creating the life you love, one of the most crucial steps is getting clear on your vision. Knowing your vision will help serve as your guiding light or compass every time you make decisions and take action toward a future that aligns with your beliefs, values, and passion.

You have to be prepared to ask yourself the hard questions and for this step to be effective, being honest with yourself is crucial.

What are your long term goals? What are your core values? What impact do you want to make? What are the hobbies or passion that makes you feel alive and excited to get out of bed in the morning?

Allow yourself the space and time to reflect on these questions. It’s important to remember that getting clear on your vision is an ongoing process. As you continue to navigate the journey of creating the life you love, there will be changes, you will grow, and evolve and your interest, values, and beliefs may change.

It’s important to continuously reflect on your vision and let it serve as your guide toward a life that resonates with your aspirations, goals and authentic self.

2. Set Meaningful Goals

Now that you have a clear vision of what your ideal life will look like, setting meaningful goals is the perfect next step to take. This step will help you make your dreams and imaginations a reality.

One of the key aspects of successfully setting meaningful goals is by making sure that your goals are specific and actionable. You have to remember to break down your vision into clear and achievable tasks. Be very specific with what you want.

Instead of just saying, “I want to be financially stable”, you have to define first what financial stability really means to you and then set tangible goals like, “I want to save this specific amount of money in the next five years”.

Another thing that also kept me motivated during this step is by also having short-term goals, aside from my long-term goals. These are the goals that I can easily achieve in weeks or in a month.

Since short-term goals provide immediate satisfaction, this keeps me motivated and helps me stick with it.

3. Embrace Authenticity

There’s no denying that in today’s world, it’s so easy to get caught up in pretending to be someone else just so we can gain the approval and validation of others. We live our lives based on somebody else’s standards, continually chasing them without realizing that by doing this we are only keeping ourselves unhappy and stuck.

Time is fleeting and your life is far too precious to just waste it living somebody else’s life and pretending to be someone that you’re not.

If you want to create the life that you live, you have to learn to accept yourself wholeheartedly, flaws and imperfections included, live your life authentically, and trust that you are enough and worthy just as you are.

Please know that you don’t have to keep pretending just so you can feel that you are enough. You are already enough and worthy, you always have been. The only validation that you will ever need is your own. Set yourself free from the burden and pressure of chasing someone else’s standards and finally live the life that you want.

Be true to yourself and know that you have within you the power to live the life that you desire. It’s time to believe in yourself and in what you are capable of doing.

4. Prioritize Self Care

How many times have you chosen to put your needs on the back burner thinking that they are really not important? How many times have you continually pushed yourself to exhaustion and burnout, without any regard for what and how you’re feeling?

I can’t even begin to tell you the number of times I found myself in the exact same situation. I have always believed that for me to be able to create the life that I want, I had to be consistently productive.

I was always rushing from one task to another. Always adding more things to my plate regardless of how exhausted and emotionally drained I’ve felt thinking that this was the best way for me to start living the life that I desire.

While there’s no denying that working hard is crucial, we must not forget that taking a break and making time for ourselves is also just as important.

We can’t keep pushing ourselves to exhaustion and still expect ourselves to live a happy and healthy life. We can’t keep ignoring our needs and not expecting any consequences. As cliche, as it sounds, you truly can’t pour from an empty cup.

Please know that self care and taking care of your needs is certainly not selfish. I truly believe that it is a necessity. Know that your needs also matter.

You also deserve to make time for the things that you love, the things that soothe your soul and recharge your energy.

Creating the life that you love is certainly not all about hard work and crossing things off your to-do list. It is also about learning to nurture your well-being and protecting your peace and mental health.

That’s why it’s so important to make self care a priority and not just something that you easily take for granted.

5. Embrace Failure

How many opportunities have you missed because you were so afraid to take the leap thinking that you might fail?

Growing up, I was always told that failure is an option. An option that I have to avoid at all costs if I want to prove myself worthy and good enough. I took that belief with me and for years, I have spent so much time and energy, trying to avoid mistakes and failures.

But of course, that wasn’t possible so every time that happens, I always felt more hopeless and just so defeated that I just easily gave up. It wasn’t until I found myself at the lowest point of my life that I realized that fearing failure has kept me stuck and just so unhappy.

When you are creating the life you love, there will always be twists and turns, detours and setbacks, it’s important to remember that failure will never define your worth and capabilities.

Human as we all are, we are all bound to fail and you are not an exemption from that. Continuously chasing perfection will only lead you to unhappiness and truth be told, it will only keep you from unlocking your fullest potential.

We have to learn to embrace failure and see them as a stepping stone to success. Failure fuels growth. It provides invaluable learning experiences and helps us become more resilient.

So instead of seeing them as something that we have to continually avoid, let’s learn to embrace them, learn from them, and let them fuel our determination to keep going.

6. Be Kind To Yourself

When you are in the process of creating the life that you love, you may encounter challenges, defeats and setbacks. When this happens, I know that often we are so quick to beat ourselves up and focus on self-criticisms.

I’m definitely guilty of doing this for the longest time. I have always believed that doing this is making me more accountable and more motivated. But what it did was the exact opposite.

Slowly it just made me feel less capable. It was slowly crushing my confidence and making me feel more and more hopeless every day.

Please remember that you deserve to give yourself the same amount of kindness and compassion that you so freely give to others. Being kind to yourself is an important aspect in helping you create the life you love.

This will not only help boost your self esteem and confidence but when you offer yourself grace and kindness instead of beating yourself up every time you fail, you are also making it easier for yourself to bounce back from setbacks and be more determined and motivated to keep going.

So, please remember to treat yourself with kindness, compassion and understanding while you are making your dreams a reality.

7. Celebrate Small Wins

When you’re creating the life that you want and you are in the process of making your dreams a reality and achieving your goals, I know how easy it is sometimes to get caught up in the setbacks, struggles, and obstacles that you face along the way.

I know how easy it is to constantly focus our attention and energy on everything that is going wrong, instead of the things that we are doing right. That’s why it’s so important to learn to celebrate every wins, big or small.

By celebrating your wins, you are shifting your focus to the good and positive things. Instead of allowing yourself to wallow in the negativity, you are now shifting your mindset to something positive that will eventually, help boost your motivation and determination to keep going.

Please take the time to acknowledge and celebrate your milestones and achievements. It doesn’t matter how small you think it is. It is still important.

Also, one of the things that I’ve learned is when you allow yourself to celebrate your wins, you are allowing yourself to enjoy and savor every moment of your journey toward creating the life you love.

You allow yourself to not get caught up in your destination but rather enjoy every moment of your journey towards it.

8. Find Your Passion

I know how easy it is to just settle for a life without knowing our passion or without trying to pursue them. This was certainly the case for me.

Before hitting rock bottom, I allowed myself to choose something that was comfortable and a fool-proof plan instead of pursuing what I really loved. I thought that my younger self was so foolish for thinking that pursuing my passion was the best way to go because I know how uncertain it was and how likely that plan will fail.

But while I was living that life, I didn’t realize how empty and unhappy I truly felt until the day I found myself at the lowest point of my life. If you are determined to start creating the life that you love, finding your passion and having the courage to pursue it is important.

Whatever way you choose to integrate your passion in your life, it could be a hobby, a side hustle, or a career, doing it will add more meaning to your life and will help you live a fulfilled and happier life.

Take the time to explore the things that truly light you up and make you excited to get out of bed in the morning.

Here’s a great blog post from BetterUp that’ll help you learn how to find your passion.

9. Be Grateful

I know how easy it is to be swept away by stress, challenges, and struggles. We often get trapped in the negativity and allow ourselves to only focus on the things that are going wrong.

You’re definitely not alone in this. I mean, when basically everything around you is falling apart, and every day feels like you’re constantly struggling to have even just one thing go your way, finding something to be grateful for may seem impossible.

One of the most valuable lessons that I’ve learned while I was going through tough times is that practicing gratitude is probably one of the best things that you can do for yourself, especially when life gets hard or when you’re starting a new chapter in life.

Being grateful does not only help you enjoy every moment of your life but it also helps shift your mindset. We tend to easily focus all our attention on the bad and negative things, making us angry, bitter, and just easily irritated.

But when we learn to practice daily gratitude, we are now allowing ourselves to notice all the small wonderful things that are happening in our lives that we just normally take for granted.

I have always believed that being grateful is not about minimizing what you’re going through or invalidating what you’re currently feeling. It is about acknowledging that while times are challenging, there is hope and you are still blessed.

10. Create Healthy Boundaries

How many times have you overextended yourself? How many times have you said yes even when you really meant no for fear of disappointing other people?

Creating the life you love is also about protecting your peace and cultivating a fortress of self respect. When you create healthy boundaries, you are finally giving yourself the permission to say no and let go of the things that are no longer aligning with your goals, values, and beliefs without the feeling of guilt.

Know that setting healthy boundaries does not make you selfish. It is actually vital for our mental health and happiness. It allows us to protect ourselves from getting caught up in the things that no longer serve us.

Instead of wasting your time on other things, you now have more time to spend on the things that truly matter to you.

So don’t be afraid to set those boundaries. Remember that setting boundaries is all about honoring and respecting yourself and the things that make you happy.

11. Embrace Change

Embracing change with open arms is crucial in creating the life you love. I know that most of us are guilty of holding on to what’s familiar, regardless of how unhappy and unfulfilled we already feel, just because it feels safe and comfortable.

I know the feeling. I know how terrifying change can be. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve chosen to stay still regardless of how miserable I was just because I was so afraid to step into the unknown.

But the thing is, if we allow ourselves to keep resisting change, we are only keeping ourselves stuck and preventing ourselves from growth and self improvement.

If we want to create a life that we love, we have to learn to embrace change and all the uncertainties that come along with it. By embracing change, we are opening ourselves to new opportunities, a chance to discover new passions and things that set our souls on fire.

Change helps you move forward and become the best version of yourself. So, don’t be afraid to welcome it with open arms.

12. Remember That It’s Okay To Take Small Steps

I know that creating the life you love can often become too overwhelming and daunting. With all the changes that we have to make, the task that we have to do, and the habits that we have to break. Sometimes all of it can seem so overbearing.

I definitely agree with you on this. I know how intimidating the journey of creating the life you love can be most of the time that’s why it’s so important to continually remind yourself that it’s perfectly okay to take small and easy steps.

Break down big tasks into small and manageable ones. Make one change at a time. If you feel like you can do more then you add as you go. Don’t pressure yourself to do everything at once. Don’t pressure yourself to accomplish everything at once.

There is nothing wrong with taking small steps. Remember that this is not a race. It’s not always about taking huge and giant leaps, sometimes what counts are the small steps that we choose to take every single day, even on the hard days.

Don’t underestimate the power of taking those small steps.

Final Thoughts

Always remember that regardless of what you’re going through you have the power within you to create the life you love. You have the power to make a change and turn your life around for the better. It’s never too late and there is certainly no perfect time to do this.

You just have to have the courage to take the first step and keep going. It’s important to remember that creating the life you love is an ongoing process.

This certainly is not something that you can achieve in a day, week, or month. It’s important to be patient with yourself throughout this process.

You may encounter setbacks, detours, and challenges along the way. Always remember that those obstacles don’t define your journey.

They are just opportunities for growth. So, learn from them, keep going, be flexible with your timeline, and adjust your course as the situation evolves but never lose sight of the vision that you have for the life that you want to live. You can do this.