7 Ways To Give Yourself A Break

Life is hard enough without piling more and more
expectations on yourself. It's like trying to diet in a
chocolate factory! Instead try these 7 ways to help
you lighten up, reduce worry, and give yourself a
break. You'll come out on the other side with a
simpler, happier, easier life.

1. Decide Right Now To Expect Nothing.
Of course you can live "down" to expectations. In
this context, however, it means to not get so hung up
on needing, wanting, striving, wishing, and pursuing
that you miss what's right in front of you. Setting
goals to move you towards what you want is
definitely, vitally important. But what is good and
sweet and wonderful in your life right now? What are
you missing out on by expecting something better to
be around the next corner?

2. Let Some Long-Standing, Idealistic Goals Go.
This can be the most freeing thing you do, and a
tremendous sense of relief. Always wanted to be the
world's first perfect parent? Are you disappointed in
yourself because you haven't yet won the Pulitzer
Prize? Are you comparing yourself to the body of a
runway model? Does your marriage lack the romance
of daytime soap operas? It's time to get over these
types of unrealistic goals. Allow yourself to be
human.

3. Truly Accept that Failure is The Only Way To
Succeed.
There's a famous quote that says, "the only place
where success comes before work is in the
dictionary." The story goes that famous basketball
player Michael Jordan was cut from his high school
team because he wasn't good enough. History would
have been very different if he had let "failure" stop
him from working hard at what he wanted to do.
Practice patience. Practice failure. Practice. Practice.
Practice.

4. Make Peace With Something That You Already
Know.
What do you already know that you will "learn" in 6
months? What this means is, what is in your life
today that is probably going to catch up to you and
cause you big trouble 6 months from now? Are you
overspending? Is your marriage on shaky ground?
Are you living without insurance? Do you have a
healthy problem that you're trying to ignore? Make
peace with what's going on in your life now, AND
make a plan to deal with it.

5. Find Your Real Self Again.
Are you internally motivated, or addicted to
applause? Do you do things just because "other
people" expect you to, or do you do them because you
experience joy and peace when you do? Are you
living up to your higher goals, or just getting through
the day? Is your life a true reflection of what you
believe in? Stop trying to "be" who or what you think
you ought to be, and instead be willing to accept both
your talents and your weaknesses. Then take full
responsibility for how they affect you and other
people in your life.

6. Find Out What Your Really Want Out of Life.
Sounds simple doesn't it. Everybody knows what
they want out of life - or do they? Begin by thinking
about time where you were (or are) feeling
completely happy , content, comfortable - and time
just seems to fly by. What are you doing?. Why
types of skills and activities are going on? What
resources are you using? Many times your talents
and passions are so much a part of you that they just
seem to go unnoticed. Living your life based on your
"big goals" allows you to focus your energy and
achieve much more. Otherwise you become a pinball
in the game of life.

7. Organize Your Life-Style to Support the Life you
Want.
Once you've determined what you really want, how
your Real Self plays a part in that, and let go of some
idealistic goals, you are ready to restructure your life
to be a more genuine expression of who you are.
Allowing your Real Self to come through, and being
comfortable in your own skin and own goals, makes
life instantly easier, less stressful, and outright more
fun!