@Pepsimirror
How does anyone “live their best life”. Most people have to work and can’t just go on holidays etc.
For me its doing things that make me happy. I've chosen jobs because I wanted to do them, not for the money or career prospects. If it turned out the boss was awful I've quit with nothing else to go to, living off my savings and throwing myself into finding work.
If neighbors were being noisy and I started to feel irritated I went out. I could have stayed in and been annoyed or been annoyed that I'd had to go out unplanned, but why? Who does that help? Not me. So I went somewhere I wanted to be to do something I wanted to do and was happy instead. Nothing exciting: library, park, friends house, leisure centre, cafe. When skint I use spare cash for experiences, not stuff. So whilst I "can't afford" to waste £3 on coffee shops, I'd rather a chat with a friend than eg a cheap new lipgloss, so the coffee shop it is.
Anything I didn't need to spend I saved for the lean time, which is what enabled me to quit jobs I was unhappy in. I find if I don't waste money it's there whenever I need it, without me having to put too much thought into the situation.
I prioritize happiness. I'd love to have bought a home years ago, I had an opportunity but turned it down because it would have meant being tied into a job I hated. So I carried on renting and took redundancy when it came up.
If I can't sleep at night I won't lay there stressing about it, I'll get up and watch my favourite film or I'll do house chores. Then if I fall asleep at 6pm tomorrow it's fine, guilt free, the chores are done.
If the TV breaks I'll curse it once or twice then put on the radio. There's no point being annoyed about things generally.
I don't argue with friends, if someone I making me unhappy or stressed I stay away from them. I won't make plans with people who cancel on me because I find that irritating. If someone disappeared from my life then shows up a year later wanting a chat that's fine, I'm not cross, why be cross if I enjoy chatting with them?Although if they want a favour its probably a No.
I ignore the weight of others expectations. If I find myself in some situation I don't want to be or feeling something I don't want to feel, I ask myself what other choices do I have? I try not to take actions that will harm others and I'm not selfish, but I do put my wellbeing first most of the time and ultimately others reactions to my choices are their issues to deal with.
Im not happy all the time, nobody is. But I choose living over existing. I choose the aim of happiness and contentment in my actions, even if what I'm currently feeling is misery.
Like others, it was a sudden unexpected death which made me realize nobody knows when their last day is and so I stopped, took a step off the side of the life path I was walking due to others choices and started thinking about what's best for me and what I wanted. I wanted to know that when my last day came I'd be pleased with how I'd spent it, and all the days before it. I didn't want regrets.