1. Have Goals and Don't Be Afraid to Take Risks

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Goals, whether short term or long term, are important to keep you excited about life. Don’t stop dreaming and don’t stop planning ways to achieve your dreams. Remain flexible and don't be afraid to try something new. If you don't take risks, you'll never grow and learn new things.

2. Do What You Love or Love What You do

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When you wake up in the morning, do you find yourself excited to start working? Life is short and there is no time to waste doing work you don’t love or enjoy. If you are not doing what you love, then maybe you can try to fall in love with your work. You either change your work or you change your attitude towards it.

3. Be Honest

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Too many people have been hurt by lies and deceptions. Life is hard enough as it is; there is no need to complicate it further with dishonesty. Live by the truth and you feel liberated.

4. Be Respectful

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Treat others as you would like to be treated. And I'm not just talking about fellow human beings; the rest of nature also deserves to be treated with respect. Always remember that respect begets respect.

5. Learn to Let Go

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A Buddhist proverb tell us, “Pain is inevitable; suffering is optional.” Don’t hold on to things and people who cause you pain. They are not worth your time. You don't have to suffer on their account. If you don’t let go of negative things, you will miss out on the beauty of life.

6. Don’t Stop Having Fun

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Don’t take life too seriously because in the end we will all die. Find the fun side in everything you do, whether it may be in work, lazy days, conversations with friends, or family get-togethers. Be a kid again and see the possibilities in everything.

7. Find Time to Relax

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You don’t need a lot of time to relax. You can take short breaks throughout the day to loosen up and rest your mind and body. You can also take vacations or have fun on weekends.

8. Stop Chronic Worrying

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Constant worrying won’t do you any good. You are only stressing your mind and body about things that might not even happen. Instead of wishing all your worries to go away, learn to manage them. Turn them into something constructive.

9. Be Grateful and Happy

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Life may be messed up sometimes but as a whole, it is absolutely beautiful and exciting! There is so much to be thankful for every day. There are so many reasons to be happy. Learn to look past the problems in life and be grateful and happy to be alive.

When the going gets tough and you start to question yourself, go back to your principles. They will help you decide your next actions. Don't compromise them just to please other people. Ask yourself this: where would I be without my principles?

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