Liz Strauss at Successful Blog

Thinking, writing, business ideas … You’re only a stranger once.

January 26, 2007

The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life

ME Liz Strauss wrote this at 9:41 am

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Everyone Gets the Same 24 Hours

parrots talking to each other

Life — it’s what we do between the time we get here and when we go. We only get one, and despite what other folks might suppose, it’s ours to determine what to do with it.

We don’t measure life in hours and minutes. We measure life in memories and moments.

What do you think of when you read this sentence?


It was the time of my life.

We don’t say that often enough.

The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life

Life either happens to us, or we take hold of life and live it. Here are 10 Ways to get a life and start living it.

  1. Give yourself permission to claim your life. That’s right — permission. You’re the only one who can decide you are in charge of your life. Even though it feels like you’re not supposed to do so, turn off the internal editors, the old tape recordings, the “shoulds, have tos, and musts”, and the rules that didn’t come from you.
  2. Define what living means to you. It’s not as hard as it sounds. Just picture yourself at the end of your life looking back. What words would you want to describe how you lived your life and who you are as a person?
  3. Stop living in the future. Every time you think “someday” or “when I have time I will,” stop. Ask yourself, “Why not now?” Think about this sentence, “I always wanted to, but never did.” Start doing the things you always planned to do. Choose your life every morning. Plan one thing you will do that day to feel alive.
  4. Surround yourself with people who enjoy living. They’ve obviously discovered how to have a life and live it. Why not hang with the pros?
  5. Lay down your pain and your anger. Carrying them around makes living harder and less fun. It doesn’t bring anything, and it steals a lot.
  6. Let the losers win. Don’t argue about things that you don’t care about. Unless there’s some real threat, let the folks who have something to prove, prove what they need to. Why waste your living time trying to fix what’s wrong with them?
  7. Create energy. Jump to forgiveness and love, then figure things out. Most conclusions we jump to are not only wrong, they’re negative. Negative conclusions lead us to prepare a defense. Being on the defensive isn’t living. It’s hiding from life.
  8. Learn the physical symptoms of when your head and heart become disconnected. We know when we’re having a knee jerk reaction, when we’re feeling sorry for ourselves, and when we’re being blind to people’s feelings. We can remember how it felt physically while we were behaving badly. Get to know those symptoms, and you can stop the behavior. Living life will feel a whole lot safer because you won’t be in danger of shooting yourself in the foot.
  9. Take small risks that push your boundaries in every way. The joy of life is packed in learning that matches our skill set. When we stretch just a bit intellectually, physically, emotionally, we grow. Living is growing. Even your cells know that.
  10. Value and protect the people and the places you care about. A job isn’t a life. It’s just a part of one. Let the people you care about come first, and let everyone know that you do. Re-read numbers 1 and 2.

We come into life with whatever we’ve got. It’s ours to do with. It took me a while to figure that out — that my life isn’t just what happens to me, that I could take hold of it.


I want to have the time of my life.

You’ve already got a life too. Are you living it?

–ME “Liz” Strauss

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Filed under Motivation/Inspiration, Successful Blog |




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67 Comments to “The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life”

  1. January 26th, 2007 at 10:05 am
    jimdwalton said

    Liz great advice, winning has to be expected and with a sense of urgency. I want to share tis wisdom with my readers.

  2. January 26th, 2007 at 10:49 am
    Michael Wagner said

    ” Surround yourself with people who enjoy living.”

    I really like that and have found it true.

    The reality is that more things are caught than taught…and that includes one’s joy in living.

    Hang with the happy…and keep creating,
    Mike

  3. January 26th, 2007 at 10:51 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Jim!
    Great to see you! You’re so right about winning and urgency. I’m right with you!

  4. January 26th, 2007 at 10:52 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mike!
    “more things are caught than taught”

    I’ve never heard that, but I so agree!

    let’s keep passing it on.

  5. January 26th, 2007 at 11:16 am
    If not us, whom, if not now when - Black In Business said

    [...] http://www.successful-blog.com/1/the-top-10-ways-to-start-living-your-life/#comment-116615 [...]

  6. January 26th, 2007 at 11:32 am
    Lisa said

    You rock, Liz (that’s a near-50-year-old paraphrashing my son). I am amazed how bloggers have synchronous posts by “accident”…as I wrote a post today that puts a new perspective on being a green writer, and the day before about “interviewing yourself.”

    As for the “internal editor” — he (wonder why it’s he…) almost never has my best interests at heart. In fact, the wily saboteur has no heart, only a deeply grooved wish to keep me stuck right where I am. Here’s to tucking him under the carpet and muffling his voice.

    Cheers!

  7. January 26th, 2007 at 12:06 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Lisa!
    Thanks! We need to shut down those negative noises that keep us stuck and start moving forward. It’s so much more fun!

  8. January 26th, 2007 at 1:29 pm
    Tim Singleton said

    Absolutely. I was miserable until I realized I was having a pretty good time in life. Not that I have everything I want or can do everything I want, just that…I am having a pretty good time.

    The secret for me personally was realizing that neither my friends, my possessions, nor current circumstance define my happiness. I was completely defined by what was both outside of me and outside my control. No wonder I was so unhappy for a time!

  9. January 26th, 2007 at 2:07 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Tim!
    Thanks for saying that. “I was miserable until I realized I was having a pretty good time in life.”

    So much of life is how we look at it. Giving up control is another BIG part. Thanks, Tim, for bringing your insights. It makes me feel less stress just reading them. :)

  10. January 26th, 2007 at 2:32 pm
    Chris @ Martial Development said

    Let the losers win. Don’t argue about things that you don’t care about. Unless there’s some real threat, let the folks who have something to prove, prove what they need to. Why waste your living time trying to fix what’s wrong with them?

    I generally agree with this sentiment, and I have written about it in the past on my own blog. However, isn’t it contrary to your exhortations to “change the world”? After all, the world is what it is because of the people (”losers” above) in it.

  11. January 26th, 2007 at 3:38 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Chris!
    Good point.
    How about this

    Let “the folks who usually lose the argument to you” win.

    As for the second part, we shouldn’t go around trying to fix other people. That was really my point. But you’re right, it’s not well done. That happens when I’m too quick with a phrase.

    I don’t really think in terms of labeling people as losers. That was the writer in me finding a clever phrase. You were right to call me out . . . I don’t want folks to misinterpret what I meant.

    Thanks. :)

  12. January 26th, 2007 at 6:43 pm
    Steve Remington said

    Stop Living in the future is a big one for me. I can do all the others but I am always focused on the future and never the now. ack!

  13. January 26th, 2007 at 7:31 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Steve!
    I know about that one too. Oh heck! I know about all of them. I write it, didn’t i? :)

  14. January 27th, 2007 at 6:53 pm
    stories from an ordinary life » life is what happens while you’re making other plans said

    [...] Liz Strauss, at Successful Blog, posted The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life to help you get out of planning and just do it. The shortlist: [...]

  15. January 27th, 2007 at 9:18 pm
    Empowering Links: Week of 28th January - Life Coaches said

    [...] Life, we only get one, and there’s no going back. Do you want to look back from the end with regret or joy? The must read of the week, Liz reveals the top 10 ways to start living your life. Pure gold. [...]

  16. January 29th, 2007 at 12:48 am
    Bookmarks Explosion for 28 January 2007 said

    [...] Its one month into 2007 already. Time flies. Have you started living 2007 yet? Liz shows you how you can start living. [...]

  17. January 31st, 2007 at 12:27 am
    Project Simplify » Blog Archive » Cleaner living with Liz Strauss said

    [...] Liz Strauss has a fun list of The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life. The one that really jumps out at me as one you don’t hear about too often is #8: Learn the physical symptoms of when your head and heart become disconnected. We know when we’re having a knee jerk reaction, when we’re feeling sorry for ourselves, and when we’re being blind to people’s feelings. We can remember how it felt physically while we were behaving badly. Get to know those symptoms, and you can stop the behavior. Living life will feel a whole lot safer because you won’t be in danger of shooting yourself in the foot. [...]

  18. February 1st, 2007 at 10:38 pm
    Engaging the Disquiet » Blog Archive » Resource Roundup for the first week of February said

    [...] Liz Strauss, a great writer I regularly enjoy and a career coach I respect, wisely writes that everyone gets the same 24 hours. It’s what we do with it that counts. She has Ten Ways to Start Living Your Life. Great stuff! One that jumped out at me was #8: [...]

  19. February 8th, 2007 at 5:11 am
    Small Office Lists » Blog Archive » The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life said

    [...] Over at Successful Blog, Liz posts The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life… [...]

  20. February 27th, 2007 at 7:59 pm
    Macha88 said

    Someday,When i have the time, i will start to do this.

  21. February 27th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Macha88,
    I hope you are just someone being clever. :)
    Because it’s a clever response.

  22. March 8th, 2007 at 11:22 am
    Click! » 10 ways to start living your life said

    [...] I came across this blog and had to share it: 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life . [...]

  23. April 1st, 2007 at 12:10 pm
    7 Reasons and Ways to Leave the Center of the Universe to Come Back to Us Again - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] Related The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life [...]

  24. April 8th, 2007 at 8:25 am
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  25. April 23rd, 2007 at 12:24 pm
    Tim Ferriss said

    Beautiful ideas Liz :) Keep up the excellent work.

    Cheers!

  26. April 23rd, 2007 at 2:22 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Tim!
    Welcome. Thank you for coming. Kind words mean a lot. :)

  27. April 25th, 2007 at 7:33 am
    Estera Favalora said

    How profound….it made me realise that I was worrying about nothing. It’s going to take some time to let go, (the control thing) and live for TODAY TODAT TODAY. Wasn’t it Morihei Ueshiba (the founder of Aikido) who said, “Create each day anew”. I try so hard to remember that despite my diagnosed anxiety. A 24 year old should not worry so freaking much. Your words shall be my meditations. ~E

  28. April 25th, 2007 at 9:39 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hello Estera,
    Welcome. Letting go, laying down the weight of the world, is a blessing we bestown on ourselves when we finally realize our own value and what we need to share it fully and usefully with those we love. Here’s something I wrote when I needed to do that once.

    Walking on Water

    Your words mean so much to me. Thank you.

    You’re not a stranger here anymore.

  29. June 23rd, 2007 at 9:17 am
    How to Be Alive and 10 Ways to Celebrate It! - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life Branding: 5 Ways to Help You Find Out Who You Are How to Recognize a Friend Personal Identity: [...]

  30. June 24th, 2007 at 1:39 pm
    Mohammad reza Saleh sedgh pour said

    Hi I want to be successful in my life but I cant for example 6 month ago I recieve one application form from harvard university by airmail but I dont know what can I do with that I want to be the first person in the world I know that I can but I dont know how
    Please help me

  31. June 24th, 2007 at 7:50 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Mohammed,
    I’m not sure what you’re asking for.

  32. July 6th, 2007 at 12:39 pm
    Eugene said

    For me, the journey begins within and expands in all directions.

  33. July 6th, 2007 at 8:30 pm
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Eugene!
    Welcome!
    That sounds wonderful! You have so many ways directions to explore!

  34. July 12th, 2007 at 7:59 am
    Dave said

    I like your content very much :)

  35. August 28th, 2007 at 11:17 am
    Five Original Must-Read Articles by Liz Strauss - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] 26, 2007 . . . The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life We don’t measure life in hours and minutes. We measure life in memories and moments. What do you [...]

  36. September 21st, 2007 at 6:40 am
    Give Yourself Permission to Claim Your Life - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] ME Strauss wrote this at 6:40 am [...]

  37. September 24th, 2007 at 10:37 am
    Steve said

    Start living and stop dying! I’ve been up and down and all over the map lately. I know I can improve my attitude, outlook on life and be the happy person that’s yearning to show his skills and talents. I’ve always been a later bloomer. Today is the first day of the rest of my life. Yesterday is gone, tommorow is not here yet, so might as well enjoy today.
    When I lose that focus, I tend to lose myself and finding myself falling into despair. Just for this day.

  38. September 24th, 2007 at 11:24 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hey Steve,
    Part of living is breathing. It’s okay to just be. :)

  39. October 5th, 2007 at 3:15 am
    Douglas Woods said

    I seem to have come across this blog rather late but I’m glad I’m here. This was an excellent post with lots of insight. Thanks

  40. October 5th, 2007 at 4:44 am
    ME Strauss said

    Hi Douglas!
    Welcome! You’re never too late to come here and meet new friends. :)

  41. November 7th, 2007 at 11:06 am
    Stanley Bronstein said

    I love #4 Surround yourself with people who enjoy living.

    To see some free video interviews of some ultra successful people who love life from my nationwide tour please visit my blog:

    http://blog.achievementiq.com

    Thanks!
    -Stanley

  42. November 21st, 2007 at 7:58 am
    Working Smart or Working Away the Time of Your Life? - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You\’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life Branding: 5 Ways to Help You Find Out Who You Are How to Recognize a Friend Personal Identity: [...]

  43. December 16th, 2007 at 9:33 pm
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  44. December 18th, 2007 at 2:25 am
    David’World - » To Keep Blogging From Killing Your Business-3 Ways | said

    [...] hard not to subscribe to them all, especially when you’ve read articles that you know will change your business. But in reality, you’re not going to have time to read everything, or do everything. So [...]

  45. December 22nd, 2007 at 2:21 pm
    Beth from Avenue Z said

    Point number 6 is my favorite — let the losers win. Arguing and playing their games just sucks your energy and keeps you from fulfilling your goals.

  46. February 24th, 2008 at 9:18 am
    12 Ways to Use Childhood Wisdom to Start Living Your Life - Liz Strauss at Successful Blog - Thinking, writing, business ideas . . . You’re only a stranger once. said

    [...] The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life How to Be Alive and 10 Ways to Celebrate It! Top 10 Ways to Become a Miserable Blogger Time for [...]

  47. March 24th, 2008 at 3:23 am
    Luke said

    Truly inspiring, Liz! I want to have the time of my life right now… Not mope around thinking about the future. I want to focus on all the love, joy, and peace that are in my life at this very moment.

  48. March 24th, 2008 at 6:26 am
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Thanks, Luke,
    I come back here often to remind myself. :)

  49. May 11th, 2008 at 5:36 am
    Chris said

    Today is the first day of the rest of my life! I WANT TO START LIVING MY LIFE!!!!

  50. August 6th, 2008 at 7:26 am
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    [...] The Top 10 Ways to Start Living Your Life 7 Reasons and Ways to Leave the Center of the Universe to Come Back to Us Again Tags: , Offline [...]

  51. August 15th, 2008 at 10:40 am
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  52. September 20th, 2008 at 10:43 pm
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  53. October 6th, 2008 at 6:39 am
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  54. October 24th, 2008 at 6:25 am
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  55. October 24th, 2008 at 11:02 pm
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  56. November 7th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
    Ray The Money Man said

    Great post!

    I thought I was happy. Then I quit work about a year ago. Unless you love your job, I mean every minute of it, grow some and quit. You won’t regret it.

  57. February 25th, 2009 at 9:40 am
    Rana said

    hi…
    “Everyone Gets the Same 24 Hours ”
    that’s the first line which hit my eyes and directly to the grey matter, which i thought was black of no use at all………
    but after reading ur blog i dont know…i felt something which i should have realized long time ago :(
    anyways, many thanks for that good cause you did and i will try to keep that in mind for my entire life.

  58. April 23rd, 2009 at 5:36 am
    Diana said

    Hiya liz…
    I have decided to read ur site…cuz im broken …inside n out lol…I cannot EVEN remember when i was happy n enjoyin life..and now well, its even harder…my son is a drug addict..he has a beautiful baby boy..my partner wants to leave me ..i dont blame her..she said theres a dark cloud that follows me around…I need to start living my life…to feel good about me…but I just cant seem to shake this dark cloud..and to move on…my son has hurt us badly finacially …of course now we havent helped him with money …hes broken too..pls if u can give me any advice on how I can fix me so that I can help my family …i really need it now!!

  59. April 25th, 2009 at 6:47 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Diana,
    I’m sorry you see only dark skies. You need someone more qualified than I — who can help you change what you see. Please find someone.

  60. May 30th, 2009 at 4:31 am
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    [...] I challenge you to not only apply the 5 Whys method for any problem you run into, but to use it to analyze why you haven’t accomplished the things you’ve always dreamed of doing with your life: starting a business, working out regularly, reading more books, eating healthier, whatever.  Stop living in the future. [...]

  61. August 24th, 2009 at 4:26 pm
    Gowtham G said

    Dear Liz,
    I made these 10 Jewels on my desktop so that they can energize every time i start my system.

    We don t thank Angels for their words since they are next to GOD.

  62. September 25th, 2009 at 6:24 am
    Boris said

    Liz,

    I really like your post. It talks about a Truth that everybody knows but few apply it.
    An old sage was approached for a follower who was thanking him for his wise words and he responded humbly: I am just selling water from the river…
    The water is there and anybody could go to the river and drink it by herself. But when you take the water from the river and present it in the way that you did, more people who hadn’t notice the river, will be blessed with this water.
    Best regards,
    Boris

  63. September 28th, 2009 at 6:52 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Boris,
    What you said in this comment is a huge compliment.
    It’s a beautiful story you used to share your sentiment. Thank you so much.
    You’re not a stranger anymore.

  64. September 28th, 2009 at 6:53 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    As I said, when you left this story on the other post. Thank you.

  65. October 12th, 2009 at 6:13 pm
    Bryce said

    Just began this cycle. Only on my 1st phase… I’ll keep the updates about myself. please, guide me… besides… its what is sez on #4. i would really appreciate it you guys. thanks!

  66. October 21st, 2009 at 4:25 pm
    Carl said

    Hi Liz,
    I thought your collection of thoughts on living life closely match my own. It’s encouraging to finally find that someone somewhere has reached similar conclusions and that I’m not just deluding myself about how I can live my life. So thanks for that.

    “Don’t argue about things that you don’t care about.”… After much struggle, I learned this one over the past year. I interpret it as refering to opinions. There are so many unimportant opinions in the world, about things that don’t matter. All kinds of media tell people to have opinions on everything; things that don’t concern them; things they can’t change or effect; and it makes people bitter, angry, stressed and shifts their focus away from living their own lives. And not surprisingly, these unnecessary opinions are destructive in some way, either attacking a flaw in the individual or someone else. I finally learned to see what is important in my life and ignore the rest and it’s great!

    I think it is possible that your last point can be developed. Using the ideas of the previous nine points it should be possible to integrate work and “not work” within our lives - should we choose to - to the point where there is only “living”.
    Best wishes,
    Carl.

  67. October 23rd, 2009 at 7:01 pm
    ME Liz Strauss said

    Yeah, Carl,
    Everything I saw can be developed more … I like where you took this idea.

    I too keep what I need and throw the rest aside. :)

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