You know those phrases that people say to you that you can tell they mean well, but it doesn’t feel like uplifting advice? One of those is the phrase “live your best life.” It sounds like great advice at first but ends up making everyone miserable.
The problem with this advice is that it has become a whole movement. When we are all told to “live our best life” the message can get lost. What started as encouraging advice has turned into toxic positivity thanks to social media.
What “Live Your Best Life” Means
I’m sure that whoever started the “live your best life” phrase meant well. On its own the phrase is encouraging. It’s basically saying that you should live a fulfilling life.
Choose to live a life that you are excited to wake up to and one that you feel content in. When you are truly living your best life you are living authentically with intention.
The Problem With “Live Your Best Life”
Something has since shifted as the phrase grew in popularity (currently at over six million posts include the hashtag at the time of writing this). According to the social media captions, “living your best life” includes tons of vacations, big purchases, attending festivals every other week, and more.
It has basically turned into the picture of a perfect life. The pressure to “live your best life” in the right way can cloud the true meaning of the phrase. Here are some of the issues with this phrase that you should be aware of.
It Invites Performative Happiness Into Your Life
When you showcase your “best life” constantly on social media it starts to cause the narrative in your minds to shift. Suddenly there is pressure to keep up appearances and show off how happy you are.
When you step back and think about all you do on, and off, social media are you really that happy though? Let’s do away with the performances and invite realness back into our lives.
The Comparison Trap Is Also Making Everyone Miserable
I’m sure you’ve been in this situation before. You hear your friends talking about their latest vacation while already planning the next trip. Or maybe you see someone buying a new car and going out to celebrate.
You start to think to yourself, “am I doing this life right?” As soon as you start thinking this way you are headed into dangerous territory. The comparison trap is quick to get you if you start doubting how you are living your life.
Changes The Tone Of A Meaningful Life
If we start defining our “best life” by the amount of vacations we take, fancy coffees we buy, and clothes we wear, we are missing the whole point. It’s hard to realize this though when society tells us the opposite is true.
“Living your best life” has become less about what fills your soul and more about what’s trendy. As much as we all hate this truth, we are still participating in it. It’s not too late to reclaim the meaning of “your best life.” The next section will explore how we do that.
Self-Focus Means Losing Touch And Is Making Everyone Miserable
As we as individuals keep focusing in our what our happiness looks like we gradually lose touch with the world around us. Living your best life can feel fulfilling and if done right has a positive influence on the people around you.
Unfortunately, it’s all too easy to focus in on ourselves too much. Putting extra effort into the perfect life could mean you are missing the needs of those you care about. As a socially and relationally connected person, your picture needs to include more than yourself.
What We Should Be Doing/Saying Instead
Now that we’ve determined what’s wrong with the phrase “living your best life,” let’s take a look at what it does right. Adopting these mindsets will reclaim the meaning of that phrase. When we realize that “living your best life” is subjective it takes the pressure off.
Figure Out What Makes You Feel Fulfilled
“Living your best life” is going to look different for everyone. We all get excited about different things and get fulfilled in different ways. So why are we letting others tell us what OUR best life should look like?
If you are not sure what makes you feel fulfilled, start with these journal prompts. Once you find out what fills your soul, commit to doing more of that.
Don’t Live For The Aesthetics (Also Making Everyone Miserable)
Lastly, remember that what you see on social media are highlight reels. We shouldn’t be basing our worth, life, or anything else on the picture perfect world we scroll through, nor should we want to. Be authentically you and do what feels right and attainable to you and you will be “living your best life.”
Find The Glimmers In The Ordinary
Somewhere along the way we decided that the more exciting and flashier our lives are, the more we can consider it “living our best life.” Now that we know better, it’s time to start looking for glimmers in the ordinary. These are the things in the mundane that you love/appreciate.
By filling your life with these glimmers I’m sure you’ll start to feel like you are “living your best life.” Start waking up early to enjoy the sunrise, put on your favorite playlist during your commute to work, and find little ways to romanticize your life, these are just a few examples.
Thoughts On The “Live Your Best Life” Trend Making Everyone Miserable
What are your thoughts on “living your best life?” Is the sentiment making you miserable as well as everyone else? Or are you living out the true meaning of the phrase? What does “living YOUR best life” look like? Let me know in the comments.
About the Author
Kelly graduated from Liberty University with a degree in Advertising and Public Relations and a minor in Journalism. Even though it took her a little while to find her career path, she was always meant to be in Communications. She remembers writing poems and songs when she was a little girl and pitching to my parents the reasons why I should have a cell phone when I was a teenager. She currently has a blog (budding-joy.com) where she talks about her weight-loss journey, mental health and personal development. Her hope is to encourage and inspire readers and let them know they are not alone. Reading blog posts like that are what helped her in tough times and she wants to pay it forward. She loves dance fitness, listening to music, and creating layouts in her bullet journal. She's a big fan of planning, especially when cute notebooks and pens are involved. Her dream job has changed so much over the years; right now she'd love to co-own a dance studio.
Website: budding-joy.com