49 Ways to Live a Kick-Ass Life
(Edited to add: This post has spawned my first book! Hopefully I’ll be done by end of 2012. To see my entire journey, click here.)
Last week Danielle LaPorte wrote this post that I loved. It’s 49 promo ideas and it made me think how much I would love to write 49 ways that I think people could live a kick-ass life. So I did.
- Make a decision to love yourself.
- Look in the mirror today and tell yourself, “I am fucking awesome”.
- Send an email to 5 friends asking how you can support them.
- Masturbate. Privately.
- Tell 5 people about your secret dream.
- If you have an addiction to anything (or anyone), get help.
- Admit out loud that thing your gut has been telling you.
- Know that when you love yourself, the right people will be attracted to you and show up in your life. It’s science.
- Stop making everything about you.
- Get rid of all clothes that don’t fit you. Too big or too small.
- That thing that you love to do that you don’t have time for? Make time.
- That thing that you love to do but think you’re too old, or too fat, or too whatever? Do it anyway.
- Admit that people that don’t like you or judge you, the problem is theirs. So, now you can let it go.
- Write down all of your values. Things that are important to you, period. Then ask yourself how alive they are in your life.
- Dance.
- List your non-negotiables. The things you have to have to make you, you. Make them happen.
- Communicate effectively (see #19).
- Admit that things don’t really happen to you.
- Listen without thinking about what you’re going to say next.
- Accept your sense of humor. Even if other people think you’re weird. They just don’t get you.
- Hide updates of people that really get under your skin on Facebook. Or unfriend them.
- Laugh.
- Accept that you’ll never be perfect.
- Write down everything you’ve learned from the most painful parts of your life.
- Realize that the people that try the most to be perfect, are the people that are really suffering.
- Write 100 things you love about yourself.
- Accept that people’s perfect outsides are never a match of their insides.
- Remember you are always at choice. In feelings and actions.
- Remember that “fat” is not a feeling. That also goes with “ugly” and “stupid”.
- That thought that you aren’t good enough? That’s your gremlin voice. Work on managing it.
- If you’re a scanner-type person (like me); you’re not crazy or wishy-washy. You’re you. And you’re awesome.
- Stop dieting. No matter how much they promise you’ll lose weight.
- Remember there are very few things you have control over. And even those are questionable.
- Take your time when you go to the bathroom. And use good TP.
- Use the good china for PB & J’s.
- Remember that we all have issues.
- Don’t allow people to suck you into their drama. They love audiences. Tell them “no thank you”.
- Admit that when you’re trying to run other people’s lives, you’re avoiding dealing with the shit in your own.
- Remember that your body is the only house you’ll ever get. Love it daily.
- Letting go of resentments can be one of the most powerful things you can do for yourself.
- If you can’t figure out where your day went, get the hell off Facebook.
- Start creating, start a revolution, just start something.
- You’re the only one who has control over how kind and compassionate you are to you. Set the bar for others.
- Stop bitching and moaning. You’d be surprised how much you can change if you just ask nicely.
- Throw a theme party.
- Remember the only person that can destroy you, is you.
- Close the laptop, put down the phone.
- There is no shame in not knowing what you want to do when you grow up.
- Really, really, really, really know that there is not another soul just like you. That knowledge deserves a party.
*Love this post enough to put it on your blog or website? First, THANK YOU! Second, contact me before you do, please!(Trackback/Pingback links are fine)
Kristina Chartier Photography
LOVE this! What a great reminder! I’m thinking I might need to print this out and keep it at my desk. There are so many gems here! Sometimes all it takes is a great reminder like this to snap back to what is really important. Oh, yeah… and I AM FUCKING AWESOME!! Thanks, A!
Thanks, Amy. And yes, you are
I can totally see this as a beautiful poster stuck on my wall! No #7 can be especially scary huh. What’s your gut telling you? Loved 31 and 48, of course, being the Scanner that I am (thanks for the link to my post!). Number 3 – ask 5 people how to support them and 9 – stop making it about you = awesome! And what can I say about 47…. LOL. Dangnabbit, this rocks.
AWESOME!!
Thank you for compiling this and now if you’ll excuse me….#34 is calling. HA!
Myra
I love love LOVE #32!
And #29.
And #42.
And #35.
Oh, AO! This is so inspired. Makes me want to skip and sing. So I think I just might have to do that.
Love this. Love you.
XO
TG
I want this printed on a tshirt to wear EVERY DAY. Yes yes yes.
I really loved Danielle’s list and I love this one too.
#19 Listen without thinking about what you’re going to say next…is really, really hard. I’m going to play with that one since being in the present moment is something I like to constantly work on.
It would be great to blow up the list, put it on the wall and use it like pin the tail on the donkey. Blindfold yourself, walk towards the list and do whichever one you land on.
Directed here via Susannah Conway – and heck yes, love it. Printing out a copy to keep in my journal for future reference!
xx
Totally, utterly, completely LOVE this! Thanks, Andrea!
I freaking LOVE this post. Absolutely the BEST advice ever to leading a KICK ASS life.
Thanks, I will definitely be sharing. over and over and over and over and over again. xo
Love this, I was going to mentiona few that stuck out but then I reread, they are all awesome!
I *adore* this post – so much great advice and things to think about!
I just did #7 and #21! whew! This is the first time I’ve seen your website, a friend posted this on fb. Thanks!
Ack! I am just now seeing all of your badass comments! Thank you so much for all the love here and I’m so happy this list resonated with so many people. Muah, muah!!! xoxoxo
My favorite is definitely #42 Start creating, start a revolution, just start something.
Building something awesome is a great feeling, whether it’s a new business, a dream home or a writing that book we’ve always wanted to make. We should all be so lucky to be creators.