Live a little. What does that even mean? For me, it is about taking chances, making funky decisions, and hopefully living it through it all. Life was meant to be lived (surprise!) but honestly, I think some people let autopilot take over far too often. Whether it be fear, laziness or another bizarre sentiment stopping you, here’s on stepping back to live a little.

The number one thing that we must focus on to live a little is of course our attitude. All these precious expectations and ideals of what our life should look like eventually wear our hopes down. We feel demoralised when we can’t do something and then we start telling ourselves we can’t do it – our own words can be our own worst enemy. Inadvertently, we put ourselves in a claustrophobic cage because of this pressure. Then we start limiting our views and we start taking less chances until eventually we fall into a simple routine. This is boring. You deserve more.

Why do we get so worked up about things that are so unimportant? I’m talking about that 10% exam, that 15-minute work presentation, or that dinner party we are hosting. By stressing and stressing, the situation turns much more dire. Stress has been proven to be the trigger for many diseases and pathological conditions. So, all that worry just gives us unnecessary pain or shame. Ok sure, if we are stressing, it means that we care. In the end, all this excess worry and pressure does nothing for us, so why would we let it dominate and control us so much. Surely, we can show our care in a much healthier and different way.

Here are 10 tips that help me to relax and live a little:

1. Stop taking yourself so seriously.
Really, if you go around thinking that you need to follow a pattern and fit the expectations of what others think. Even other people are not going to take you seriously. At all. In fact, your strict way of living will probably make some people laugh, and not in the best kind of way. Life shouldn’t be boxes to tick constantly, so find the strength to be a little silly sometimes.


2. Don’t be a perfectionist.
A bit of a strange take, but perfectionism is not realistic. We waste so much time trying to do things perfectly that we miss out on other things and are never satisfied. It took me so long to realise this myself - I have never fit the “perfect girl” mould. Instead, I know I give it my all to deliver quality that I am proud of. Letting go of the unrealistic expectations led me to start producing better work because I wasn’t putting myself under such strain and I was happier. I was genuinely pleased with my passing mark in the electrical engineering final exam (some of you understand the struggle).


3. Think but don’t overthink
Not every decision in life needs us to laboriously consider every hypothetical scenario. Second guessing and third guessing ourselves isn’t healthy and creates a mental trap. Be positive about the decisions you make, see them through and learn from them. Again, stressing about that 1% chance of a catastrophe that might happen is not going to guarantee it will or will not. Use your thinking as a useful tool, not a self-destructive weapon.


4. Stop making surface assumptions and get the facts.
Create a strong foundation for your opinions based on research and validated information. Shocker, you are not all-knowing or a mind reader. If you want to know something, you need to ask. People are often disappointed in others because of the mis-founded assumptions they have of one another. How many times have you fought with someone because you expected them to just sense what you value? For example, I value my close ones being there for my birthdays but not everyone has this same view, so I let people know that their presence is something I would value.


5. Realise you can only control YOUR response.
People are going to say things to you and lots of unexpected things are going to happen to you – this is all outside of your control. What you can control and modify is how you react. So don’t waste your energy trying to regulate others, but instead focus on what you can do and how you can behave.


6. Be kind even in the face of hate.
It’s funny how disarming a nice gesture is and how much better you will feel as a result. So many people let their emotions regulate how they act towards others, which is quite unfair.


7. Be honest.
I mean, speak the truth, and not just to others, but to yourself as well. Being transparent in the way you talk and having a clear mindset is always welcomed. I love brutally honest person; it is so refreshing these days.


8. Set yourself personal goals and milestones.
If you shy away from “goal setting”, I need to say to you that you need to mature a bit. Individual goal development is so crucial for self-development and progress in your life. Maybe start small by having a look at your bucket list and set a goal of trying to complete one item per month.


9. Ask others.
A You can learn so much from talking with other people. There is so much value in the different backgrounds, different experiences, different studies that other people bring so don’t be afraid to start that conversation. Don’t be afraid to utilise the expertise that they bring, alas the best way to find something out is to ask someone who knows. It is well-known that humans are social creatures, and we like to chat. I know that I’ve never thought someone was strange for starting a conversation with me; in fact, I have respected them more.


10. Take a breath.
Sometimes it will help you to just settle your mind and take a leap (this time I mean it figuratively).

Living a little doesn’t mean you need to be a crazy tornado. You are the one who can determine what it means. Give yourself the space and room to make the most of life. We are lucky to be living in our modern world where strict regulations and rules do not have to dictate how we live our lives. You have the option to explore, the option to grow, the option to seek your own path. Take opportunities and put yourself out there. Invest in you. Say yes and figure it out later- Maybe those young kids did get “yolo” (you only live once) right.

My challenge for you is to spend just 10 minutes, the time really will go fast, writing about one of these tips. See what you can do and make it easy to live a little. All the best!