“You only live once, but if you do it right, once is enough.” – Mae West

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Most of us aspire to having a good quality of life. The phrase may mean different things to different people. Collins Dictionary defines someone’s quality of life as “the extent to which their life is comfortable or satisfying.” The majority of us would probably agree with that. It is the elements that constitute a good quality of life we might disagree on.

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In order to feel that I have a good quality of life that sustains and satisfies me, I might feel good health, a happy family, and a broad circle of friends is the winning combination. Someone else may decide that a good quality of life flourishes when one has peace of mind, a steady adequate income, and a fulfilling career. Really, all these things, and more, contribute to the condition.

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The question is less “What is a good quality of life?” and more “How do we achieve a good quality of life?” Let’s investigate a few strategies for attaining the life we want.

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Get Over Yourself

This isn’t meant to be mean. It’s something we all need to do. In order to achieve the kind of life we want, we must understand it isn’t owed to us because we exist, nor is it guaranteed just because we’re here. We need to put away the mindset that good things are going to be handed to us. In order to achieve what we want, we have to decide what it is we want, figure out how to get it, and work hard to achieve it. As Jack Canfield says, “Everything about you is a result of your doing or not doing. Income. Debt. Relationships. Health. Fitness level. Attitudes and behaviors. That person who reflects back at you in the mirror is the chief conductor in your life.” We also have to stop blaming external factors for our failures. They don’t determine how we live. We’re the ones in control, and we must take responsibility for our own lives.

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Take a Time Out

Our lives are super busy. Because we are pulled in so many directions, have so many commitments, and have so many decisions to make, our lives sometimes take us over rather than the other way around. We don’t always take the time to think about what we’re doing, analyze our lives, or think critically about the direction we’re going in. In many cases, we haven’t asked ourselves what that direction is or if we want to change it. So take a minute. Actually, take a few minutes. Find somewhere quiet and think about the direction your life is taking. If you don’t like it, or you feel it’s not serving you well, decide what direction you want to take it in, and figure out how to accomplish it.

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Believe in Yourself

This is nothing new, but it is important, and can’t be said enough. We can only get so far in life without knowing and believing in who we are and what we can do. If we are going to create the quality of life we want, we have to believe we can. We can draw on loved ones for their support, but in order to be successful in our aspirations, we have to draw on our self-confidence, abilities, logic, and intelligence—all those incredible elements in our brain that make us who we are. By doing so, we are more likely to make our dream of achieving the life we want come true.

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We all have the power within us to have the quality of life we want. Getting it is a matter of understanding we have to work for it because it won’t be handed to us, taking time to figure out how to take our lives in a direction that will be conducive to achieving it, and knowing we have the power within ourselves to turn our lives into what we want them to be. No matter the elements that go into the quality of life you want, the only one who can achieve them is you, and the time to start doing so is now.