A Better Quality of LIfe?

I have had fun poking around this website by the International Society for Quality of Life Studies.

Want Better Self-Esteem?

Check out these suggestions!  In short, shut up your inner critic, remind yourself of things that you like about yourself, make choices you can be proud of and be kind to others (then you can like this about yourself if nothing else!), and let go of perfectionism and comparing yourself unfavorably with others.  The perfectionism tip really resonated with me.  I think every time I go on Facebook, I am struck by how much less accomplished and awesome I am than all of my Facebook friends (read: that guy I met once who friended me five years ago whose face I couldn't pull out of a crowd).  I have to remind myself that we are all walking different roads, we all have different challenges we need to face and overcome in this life, and the point of life and God's challenge to us is almost certainly not to be the prettiest, go on the best vacations, marry the most perfect spouse, find the picture perfect career, and then combine all of those into some kind of magazine spread of perfection.  No, we need to figure out who we are meant to be, how our talents can better the world around us, and how we can do the most we can possibly do with what we have been given.

The Habits of Supremely Happy People

This article had good advice, and I wanted to share!  In short, give back to others, practice gratitude, connect on a deeper level with others, and try to be happy.  I have been doing a lot of reading on the subject lately, and I'm convinced that the key to happiness is to learn to appreciate what you have and look outside of yourself.  My new focus has been to think about what I can give to the world and to put on the back burner what I want from the world for myself--sort of a variant of JFK's famous quote: Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.  If we apply that concept more broadly to what we have the ability to give the world, then I think we are on the right track to feeling more fulfilled and also to making the world a better place for everyone.  Maybe then, to quote another truism, a rising tide will lift all boats, and we will also be lifted personally.