7 Tips For Living A Connected Life

/ September 10, 2015

7 Tips For Living A Connected Life

friends, connection, happiness

Celebrating a friend’s birthday a couple of years ago.

An article by James Clear reminded me of some gaps in my life. It’s been a painful stretch the last few years and I’ve made it worse by isolating. I know the importance of doing these items, but after reading his article, it really hit home for me. So I’m writing a love note to myself in the form of these reminders. I hope they help you too!

Here is James’ article on 10 Common Mistakes that Prevent You from Being Happy and Healthy. It offers some very common things we do, like stay in jobs we hate, that work against our highest good. To me, doing what you love and being connected are the most important items on his list.

Since I prefer positive focus, I’ve adopted his ideas to create a list of things to help us live connected and happy lives. In fact, I believe that connection is the most important ingredient in a happy life. Meaning often comes from contribution, which in turn creates connection and contentment which are deeper than the passing feeling of happiness. I’ve written previously about the power of meaning to create lasting fulfillment.

Here are my top 7 tips for living a fulfilled and connected life.

  1. Do what you love. This is the piece that’s tripping me up. I know that doing what you love creates a flow of happiness, contribution, sharing and connecting. I love my writing and blog, but haven’t aligned them with making a living. I aspire to do what I love, helping the world and being rewarded for my gifts. That’s my vision and goal.
  2. Focus on contribution. This is the most important way to create connections. I believe if we all focused on giving, we could turn the world into a loving, harmonious and healthy place. Service is the foundation for a connected life. By helping others, you connect beyond yourself, live purposefully and create meaning and lasting happiness.
  3. Nurture your spirit. Most of us have some kind of spiritual practice. Do anything that helps you find peace, quiet and stillness. For some people, meditation works. My results are erratic, but I usually find peace in nature with no effort. She offers her gifts freely! Even sitting still can quiet the mind and body, returning us to our source and wholeness.
  4. Nurture your body. For me, time in nature, filtered water and exercise are the foundations for good health. Taking care of our bodies helps us live our dreams and bring more grounded love into the world. Here are my top 7 healthy habits. Gardening is a joy that nurtures me too.
  5. Love what you do. This might be the secret ingredient to make everything else work better in your life. Many of us want to do work we love (myself included) and I’m not suggesting that we give up exploring our passions and gifts. I’ve found that “how” we live in the world is often more important than what we do. So while you’re exploring your dream work, love what’s in front of you. Enjoy the events and processes of daily life.
  6. Practice gratitude. Gratitude is the foundation for building a life of blessings. If we don’t appreciate what we currently have, it’s not likely we will attract or create better circumstances. Here is a heartfelt post and poem called open your heart to gratitude.
  7. Hang out with people you enjoy and who feed your spirit. We all need people, even introverts who like to isolate like me! I’ve had periods in my life when I was more socially engaged and MUCH happier, so I vow to make this #2 on my list after getting a job! Thankfully, I still have friends locally, around the country and the world. Thanks for your love and support. One day maybe I’ll act on my idea to travel the world visiting friends and supporting myself with odd jobs!

May you find those people and activities that nourish and connect you to something bigger than yourself. Blessings, Brad

 

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37 thoughts on “7 Tips For Living A Connected Life”

  3. I am learning this in different seasons of my life. And what it actually means in a practical way. So very good to be reminded especially to be connected to all things and people who will nourish and lead me on to bigger things in life! I wish you the same Brad! Thank you! Sharon

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  6. What a great post Brad! I can feel your writing comes from the soul and I want to thank you for sharing your gifts and connecting on this blog. Love and blessings, Lisa

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  8. Great list, Brad. Number six is essential, and I would highly recommend, if you can’t or don’t to to church regularly, to get Sarah Young’s devotional, JESUS CALLING, and read it faithfully every day. No, it is not like other devotionals you may have read. You also need to be sure to read her introduction; it’s powerful, inspiring, and life-changing. If we are going to discover our purpose and fulfill our destiny, we have to learn to listen to the one who created us and who is trying to lead us into that destiny. Love and hugs, N 🙂 ❤

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  11. Great post Brad. One thing that you mentioned at the beginning, “I believe that connection is the most important ingredient in a happy life.” I totally agree with that. I believe that we are created beings and that we were made for relationship and made to create. We’re wired that way.
    I homeschool my 8 year old son with Asperger’s Syndrome. The schools in Brazil just don’t cut it for him. I was watching a TED talk by this 13 year old boy that decided to ‘hack’ his education. He used the science of happiness to do so, incorporating the eight area that constitute this science. I can’t remember the name of the man that first started talking about and researching the ‘science of happiness’, but if you’re interested at all, the Ted Talk is here:

    Have a great weekend Brad and take good care.
    🙂

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    • Thank you Staci. Yes, we need each other and were wired that way! Thanks for your kind and thoughtful comments. I love this TED Talk and actually included it in my Awesome Stories a while back. Kudos to he and his family for encouraging his creativity and initiative to learn his own way. Maybe with your care and homeschooling your son will find his unique ways of learning and expressing too. blessings, Brad

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      • Oh yes, that’s my hope. That he discovers what really makes him tick and invests whole-heartedly into that.
        I also loved Ken Robinson’s Ted Talk on education. Absolutely amazing.
        Have a wonderful week Brad.
        🙂

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  12. Brilliant post Brad.. and I agree with all of your tips.. and you know how I connect with most of them :-).. I stayed in a job way too long and the result was my body then protested to let me know it was hurting 🙂 That is also partly why I retired early.. I knew the stress levels dealing with danger every day for my own health needs were no longer good for me.. There comes a point when you have to ‘Support’ yourself.. 🙂

    I am sure if you adopt these into your daily living Brad you will soon turn around your life, to embrace the positive and bring about changes you wish in your life..

    Love and Blessings Sue

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  13. 7 things I could not fault. I recently after about 6 months (many reason but mainly due to an operation and just assign it as an excuse) off restarted a yoga class. Admittedly at a different and much more spiritual studio but what my mind has been calling for, and the difference in my mentla wellbeing

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