We all experience life uniquely. Everyone reacts differently to change. When we are faced with making choices, different things influence diverse people to make distinctive decisions. What makes you happy is exclusive to you. And, with all the havoc and chaos in this world nowadays, burnout, anger, irritation, and resentment has substituted our motivation and positive outlook on life. 

There needs to be some sort of self-rediscovery to pinpoint what makes you smile, thrive, and feel positive every day. If you are feeling drained as the year comes to an end, now is the time to rediscover how to dance with your own life following these 3 steps: Change, Choice and Happiness. 

Rediscover Change, Choice and Happiness.

Step 1: Change

Change is inevitable. To be happy you need to make a conscious decision to change what makes you unhappy.

• Be open to change. 
• Take the risk to change what you don’t like. 
• Do some self-exploration, determine what it is you would like to change and the bad habit surrounding the cause. 
• Be realistic about what you want to change. 
• Constantly reinvent yourself by making small but regular improvements. 
• Practice the new habit daily. 

We are all meant to move forward and to keep growing both personally and professionally, but no one can do it for you. This brings us to step two…making a choice.  

Step 2: Choice

“Life is a matter of choices, and every choice you make makes you”, is a quote by John C. Maxwell. In essence what you choose for yourself, and your life determines who you are and who you will become. 

• Choose to see the smaller things in your life that make you excited and happy.
• Appreciate and be grateful for what you have.
• Think twice before you complain.
• Wake up and choose to be happy today.
• Choose to do good onto others. 
• Choose to only speak positive words and to build up people and not break them down. 
• Smile and find joy in everything by celebrating even the smallest victory. 

You have the power to choose. Being happy, positive, and staying motivated is a conscious decision you need to make daily.

Step 3: Happiness

Things will get better if you allow it, and work at it. You might feel alone and unhappy even if you have a lot of people who love you and want to be around you. Start with yourself because happiness is a choice no one can make for you, and whom no one can enforce onto you. 

• Slow down. Take it day by day and habit by habit. 
• Try to understand what is right for you right now and develop that skill. 
• Stop resisting happiness and accept it. Realise that you are allowed to be happy, so embrace it.
• Practice mindfulness and find peace. 
• Forget about yesterday and appreciate and enjoy the present.
• Worries steal happiness. Consciously choose to not worry and focus on the positive now and not on the “what if’s”.
• Don’t be too hard on yourself. Give yourself a break and practice self-care.
• Learn to love yourself.

Success and happiness mean different things to different people. Many will argue that if they own a big house, or get that promotion, or marry and have a family, or own their own business etc., they will be successful and automatically achieve that happiness status. Newsflash, it works the other way around. If you find a way to “Dance with your own life” and discover your core happiness and choose to be happy no matter what, you will achieve success at all levels of your life.  

Because happiness is a choice, you need to constantly and regularly change and reinvent yourself through effort, self-care and dedication. This is the only way to dance with your life again.