15 Keys To Success: How To Show Life Who’s Boss

Inspiration is everywhere. It is in our surroundings, in the people we spend our days with and around, in the music we listen to, in the very the air we breathe. The tricky thing about inspiration is that it is usually the most elusive when we are actively looking for it.

Then, when you least expect it, inspiration hits you like a beam of light shining through a dark grey sky. It is like an illuminating burst, engulfing you in brilliant glitter and reaching its bright rays out to touch everything you see.

Want to know a secret? Being able to find inspiration is a key to success. The following 15 things are strategies: meant to give you hope, to give you direction, and to help you conquer life.

1. Inspiration is everywhere. Embrace it. Look for it. Don’t look for it. Let it guide you. Let it give you hope. Take it in any and every form it comes in. 

2. Trust your gut. Listen to your intuition. I have found that my gut reaction to things, or people, has rarely failed me. Your gut reactions are based on your instincts, learned from the past for good reason. However, do not let your gut run away with you. Be sure to use your head and know that every initial feeling or perception might not always be the right one.

3. Stay hydrated. I’m not kidding. Staying hydrated is one of the best ways to keep on top of your game, mentally and physically. 

4. Expect the unexpected. Always be prepared, and always be prepared to be surprised. The only thing constant in life is change. 

5. Speak with confidence. Believe in yourself and your voice. Let it ring out clearly and without tremble. Practice makes perfect. 

6. Know your friends. Developing strong friendships is one of the most important things you will ever do. Know how to be a good friend. Know how to cheer your friends up when they are down, how to make them laugh, how to make them feel appreciated, how to make them feel seen. Our friends are the family of our choosing. They will be at your side at some of the most joyous, and some of the most trying, times of your life. That said…

7. Know your enemies better. You cannot win any battle without understanding your opponent. Knowledge is power, and you should never fight the unknown blindfolded. Removing the unknown, to the best of your power, makes almost any problem solvable (or at the very least, workable). 

8. Take the stairs. Cardio is good for you. Just do it. 

9. Be kind. Without fail, and even on your worst days. Try. 

10. Learn to breathe. Deeply. Controlling your breathing, while saving you in the immediate moment from hyperventilating, has long-lasting benefits. It will help you to think clearly under moments of extreme stress, act with grace under pressure, and also help you assimilate your thoughts and emotions during times of relaxation. This is something I’m still working on. 

11. Don’t take yourself too seriously. You have to be able to laugh at yourself, and see your own flaws, to reach your full potential. 

12. You have to kiss a few frogs. Don’t be afraid to date someone because you think he isn’t “the one.” Don’t be afraid to break free from a certain set of rules you have outlined for yourself, and color outside of the lines. Because you know what? All of those frogs you kiss, they will ultimately lead you to your prince. Someday. But only worry about today. Have fun.

13. Pick your battles. Not every argument is worth having, and being “right” isn’t everything it’s cracked up to be. Happiness does not lie in being right if being right means being left alone in the end with no one to back you up. 

14. Set goals. A dream without goals is just a wish. Setting small goals makes a huge task, or dream, seem much more feasible. 

And with that said, I come to perhaps the most important tip on this list..

15. DREAM BIG. Dream big, huge, amazing things for yourself. It sounds cheesy, but you can do anything you set your mind to. Really. This is something I have to remind myself of every single day, but that reminder is crucial. Do your dreams scare you? Good. Think you can’t possibly accomplish them? Perfect. Because life will show you that you can. I’ve been told many times that in the end, it will all have worked out better than we could have possibly hoped for. Always, always remember that.   

Now go out into the world and show life who’s boss!