Living

How to live a love you love!

Over a year ago, I wanted to start a blog so that I could share all the fun parties we had for our kids.  And then life happened. I had an accident that put a lot of things in my life on hold as I tried to recover.  I couldn’t read.  I couldn’t write.  I couldn’t deal with computer screens, lights, or noise.  I couldn’t drive.  I couldn’t handle listening to my children play or their laughter.  I couldn’t enjoy life.  I was in complete darkness – literally.  But in those difficult times, in that time of darkness, I found the greatest clarity.

My time during my recovery made me really look at my life, and begin to appreciate all the little things and moments I didn’t notice before.  It’s been a year of healing, self-discovery, learning, gratitude and awakening.  I learned so much about how to really appreciate and enjoy life and I continue to heal, learn and celebrate every day.  Life isn’t about one single moment in time or one celebration or party; every day is a celebration.  It’s about being with the people you love.  It’s about doing what you love.  It’s about discovering or re-discovering your passions and loves.  It’s about enjoying every moment.

I wanted to share my 5 tips on how to live a life you love:

Prioritize what’s important to you. Make a list of the people or things in your life that make you most happy.  Then number them.  The top 3 on your list are your main priorities and if everything you do doesn’t somehow revolve around these then you just won’t ever be happy.  You’re trying to find happiness in the wrong things.  Society has taught us that we will be happy if we reach a certain something.  Happiness seems to always be about things we are trying to attain or achieve versus what we already have.  Through my experience I was able to really prioritize my family, our health and well-being, and my friendships and relationships.  And I found happiness in life when whatever I did was about these top priorities.

Be present. Stop thinking about the past.  Stop planning ahead to the future. It’s a bit cliché, but really stop to smell the roses.  Take a break to savour life and experience every moment to the fullest.  Our lives are so busy and we are constantly rushing from one thing to another that we often miss out on the experiences we are in.  Try this.  Next time you are doing something that brings you joy, pause and think about all your senses and what you are taking in – whether it’s what you see, taste, smell. hear, or touch – experience that moment fully.

Surround yourself with people who are positive. Relationships are so important in our everyday life.  It’s what connects us to the world around us.  Whether it is our family, friends or acquaintances they have a huge effect on our happiness and our quality of life.  Try to surround yourself with the people who make you feel good, the people who actually add something to your life.  I know it’s hard and I’m not saying to cut out people (in some cases you may need to), but be conscious of how the people in your life make you feel.  I always say, positivity attracts more positivity!

Focus on what matters to you. I know it’s sometimes hard to do but really “don’t sweat the small stuff”.  Life doesn’t have to be perfect and if we’re always stressing over the little things that go wrong then we’ll never be happy.  And another really important lesson I’ve learned is to not worry about what others think.  Do the things that make you happy and that bring enjoyment and joy into your life.  Stop thinking about others judging you and don’t seek approval from them.  And don’t just do things to make others happy.  That will end up making you miserable.  This is your life to live, not theirs.  Next time you’re in this type of situation ask yourself, “Is this really what I want to do?” and “Who am I making happy?”  To live a life you love, the answer should be you.

Discover what you love and just go for it. Be true to yourself and figure out what your passions are in life and what you love.  Are there hobbies that you enjoy?  Funny thing is when people asked me what my hobbies were before my accident I was truly stumped.  I knew I liked to do things but found I never had time to do it, at least not enough to really enjoy myself.  So the next part of this is, just do it. Stop planning, making lists or finding excuses.  Just do it. Do what you love, and love what you do.

So there you have it.  It’s actually pretty simple.  Having this kind of mindset has helped me re-discover what I love in life.

Growing up I always had a passion for throwing parties, cooking, baking, decorating, fashion and design.  Despite being a busy mom and having a pretty demanding career, I always tried to find the time to feed my passions.  Whether it was planning elaborate and simple parties, helping family and friends find their style or helping them to design and decorate their dream homes, I would always find a way to do what I love!  I’d like to share my love for entertaining, parties, fashion, style, home design and wellness and hope it can help you live a life that’s a little bit less stressful, a lot more fun, and one that you love too!

Life’s my party and you’re invited!  It’s kind of fitting that I’m finally launching my blog during one of my favorite times of the year – the holidays!  Let the parties begin!  Join me to celebrate every little moment in life! You can subscribe by email to receive new posts.  And let’s stay connected!  Be sure to check me out on Facebook, Instagram and Pinterest too!