Living For Yourself is A Necessity

What will your answer be if I ask, “Who do you live for?” Do you live for yourself or for the person you love the most?

If it is the latter, you need to think more deeply.

If you live for the person you love the most, you are willing to die for them. Are you?

Most likely, your answer will be ‘No.’ Nothing is more important for us than our lives. It also means that you live for yourself and are living in a delusion that you live for somebody else. 

What is the reason behind this delusion?

The reason is the simple fact is that you haven’t entirely learned to live for yourself. So, although you value your life, you haven’t yet found meaning in it. The meaning in your life comes only from the person you love the most.

It’s not entirely wrong, but don’t you think it makes you too dependent and vulnerable?

Thus, you must learn to live fully for yourself before living for someone else. When you do, you will not only be alive but will also be happy independently.

So, the question is – How can you start living for yourself?

Let’s find out.

How To Live For Yourself

Living for yourself may be challenging at first. It may seem very selfish and wrong. But it’s because you have not lived for yourself till now.

Please do not feel guilty about it. Living for yourself will only make you stronger and give you a richer life experience.

Learning to live for yourself needs you to slowly shift from living for others to living for yourself.

Remember, by learning to live for yourself, you are not disrespecting or stopping to love the people who matter to you.

Now, let’s discover the steps to help you start living for yourself. 

Let Go The Pressure of Expectations

Our past behaviors shape people’s expectations of us. If you have lived for others for a long time, they would expect it to continue.

At first, it might seem impossible to go against these expectations.

But you cannot escape disappointing people once you decide to live for yourself. You have to replace their expectations with your aspirations.

So, learn to say ‘No.’ It’s an essential skill which you need to start living for yourself.

If the people who matter love you truly, they will understand.

Stop Worrying About Being Judged/Criticised

When you suddenly start thinking for yourself, people will get surprised or even angry. They will have opinions that might eventually take the form of complaints.

Look at it as the price of making a significant positive shift in your life. It’s a famous saying, “When people start criticizing you, it shows that you are on the right path.”

So, do not take criticisms to heart and stay focused on your goal.

Relax And Spend Some Time Alone

When you are out of the influence of people, consider spending some time alone. During this time, process the change that is taking place in your life. Find inner peace and enjoy spending time with yourself.

Remember, to learn to live for yourself, you must first learn to enjoy your company.

Thus, you might have to fight loneliness and find strength in your aloneness. 

Reflect on Your Life And Find Who You Are

When you have learned to live with yourself, it’s time to reflect deeply.

Before you can begin living for yourself, you must understand who you are. It will help you connect to your inner or true self, which is highly useful in learning to live for yourself. So, reflect on your life story till now and the things that define YOU.

Find the reasons behind important life events, how you reacted to them, and how they shaped you.

Acknowledge all the crucial beliefs & experiences that have shaped and made you who you are.

Understanding all these things will help you in your journey ahead. It will fast-track you on the path to begin living for yourself.

Do Things That Make You Happy

Living for yourself is about figuring out what makes you happy and then doing those things.

Thus, when you have understood yourself, half the job is done. Now, you need to start doing what makes you happy.

Some general things you can do for happiness are staying positive, loving yourself, finding your soulmate, pursuing your favorite hobbies, making your passion your profession, and sharing your joy with friends & family.

Happiness entails giving more time to the things that make you happy. So, if you like traveling, travel more. Similarly, if you enjoy looking good, invest your time in self-care, fashion, and makeup.

When you start doing what makes you happy, you are already living for yourself.

Set Goals And Go After Them

Living for yourself may feel meaningless if the activities that make you happy do not bear favorable and progressive outcomes. So, do not forget to set your goals and chalk out suitable plans & strategies.

Achieving these goals will make your happiness more meaningful and fun.

If you wish, you can even make a living out of living for yourself.

Today’s social media age gives you that luxury.

Live For Yourself, But Remember To Stay Grounded

Living for yourself will bring your life back on track. It will give your life the missing link.

However, there is an important caveat that needs your attention at this point.

Living for yourself doesn’t mean you forget others, especially those who love you. Making this mistake might make life empty and colorless. So, when you have learned to live for yourself, it’s time to return to your social roots.

Share your love and wisdom with the people you love the most in the world. Only when you do this final thing, will you truly start living for yourself.