By Donald Latumahina (follow me on Twitter) , September 17, 2008

Do you want to live a happy life? If you say yes like most people do, then it’s important to learn to enjoy life. Some people may think that they can only enjoy life when they already have a lot of money or have a successful career. But that’s not true. You can enjoy your life where you are with what you already have. You can enjoy your life now.

Here I will share with you how to enjoy life. But before that, I’d like to share two tips that are essential to live a happy life. The first one is to be grateful. I can’t emphasize enough how important it is. No matter how many pleasant things you do, if you don’t learn to be grateful you will always see things negatively.

Enjoy LifeThe second one is to slow down. Life has a lot of simple things you can enjoy. But if you move too fast you will overlook most of them. So don’t be in a hurry. Don’t move too quick. Slow down and pay attention to the world around you. Most of the ways I’m about to share will work well only if you slow down.

With those two tips in mind, here are 30 ways to enjoy life. Pick the ones that work for you:

  1. Enjoy your meal. Don’t just eat. Taste it and appreciate its richness.
  2. Learn to cook.
  3. Feel music and not just listen to it.
  4. Play music. More than just listening, playing music allows you to express yourself.
  5. Sing.
  6. Gather with old friends.
  7. Take a walk in the park.
  8. Go hiking.
  9. Read a novel.
  10. Find and watch a movie you like. IMDB’s recommendation engine can help you find movies you may like.
  11. Give yourself a lazy day.
  12. Play board games with your friends.
  13. Have a candle-light dinner with your spouse.
  14. Play mini games.
  15. Read comics.
  16. See beautiful pictures.
  17. Read inspiring quotes.
  18. Learn to paint.
  19. Read a classic book.
  20. Exercise with friends.
  21. Watch funny videos.
  22. Play with kids.
  23. Play a mind game.
  24. Have a cup of coffee.
  25. Get a massage.
  26. Go to a museum.
  27. Go to a theater.
  28. Watch sunrise.
  29. Take pictures.
  30. Browse your photo album for your treasured memories.

I’m sure there are still a lot of other ways to enjoy life. What is your favorite way to enjoy life?

Photo by Per Ola Wiberg


Posted under Attitude

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Currently 24 comments

  1. Comment by Shanel Yang

    Great list, Donald! I like all those! I’d add to it:

    31. Stretch
    32. Take a hot bath
    33. Dance
    34. Give a massage
    35. Daydream
    36. Diary
    37. Read poems
    38. Write poems
    39. Tell jokes
    40. Watch the sun set : )

  2. Comment by Sid Savara

    Donald – Another nice new quotes page is Tina Su’s empoweredquotes.com, one of my new favorite sites.

    In addition to the IMDB recommendation engine, I like to use Netflix and Amazon =)

    Hiking and walks in the park are absolutely underrated. Whenever I can motivate myself to actually go hiking, I end up being very glad I did.

  3. Comment by Donald Latumahina

    Shanel,
    Nice suggestions! I like your suggestions especially read poems and write poems.

    Sid,
    Thanks for the information about empoweredquotes, Netflix, and Amazon. I also agree that hiking and walks in the park are underrated.

  4. Comment by Alexis

    Great post!!

    I love #3… feeling music is incredibly fulfilling, and takes listening to an entirely new level. On that note, I would add: #41- dance!

    and a few more:
    42. spend time with puppies and/or other wonderful pets
    43. Do something for someone else (anything- giving for no other reason that you want to is always fulfilling!)

  5. Comment by sunder swami

    Simple and wonderful post…………….I am gonna cook and eat this weekend.

  6. Comment by Click A Life Coach

    I totally agree with your first two and the rest. Gratitude is one thing we teach our clients. If you want to live a better life start with being grateful what you currently have.

  7. Comment by MyBlogFeels

    Simply a great post.

    One of my favorite quote is “Some pursue happiness, others create it.”. And I think it’s so true.

    I would love to add some of these inspirational tips to my blog @ http://i-feel-happy.blogspot.com/

  8. Comment by Jeff F

    Play or Learn Guitar!

  9. Comment by elmyra duff

    i think we should also add “travel different cities, if possible countries. observe various cultures, food, architecture.”

  10. Comment by Ruth Henriquez Lyon

    Very nice article. If you have interests, you’ll have an interesting–and thus enjoyable–life.
    The problem comes when people can’t find an interest, and therefore feel bored or feel that life has no meaning. You can give them that list of things to do, but you can’t make them want to do any of those things. They have to want to do them. Thus I wonder if the column is preaching to the already converted, at least a little.

  11. Comment by Harshit Singhal

    Earn money and spend it !

  12. Comment by Naomi

    This are some of my favourites

    - have a dance party with friends and music you like, i like this one cause you feel comepletely free.
    - go sky diving :D
    - go buy new cloths you really like, and wear them the next day.
    - get a dog, i would recommend a labradoodle, they’re the ideal dogs!
    - Get a boyfriend
    - Get an idol, some of them are really good rol models, and you can learn from them how to enjoy your life, mine is gerard way.
    he’s a really good roll model.

    that was it , enjoy ;)

  13. Comment by Vijay Pradhan

    life is a, if u doing business or any kind of work then it will be good ya beautiful if no thing to do so boor so that work hard on our life then enjoy fully & happy with all off.

  14. Comment by somebody

    Thanks for the list.. I’m one of those who lives bored and does not want to do anything… I really don’t know how to enjoy my life and it has always being this way. If I look back, i see i have done noting with my life. but i think the list is a good start. I’m not one of the converted people, but i hope i will soon. it takes a lot of mental effort and determination to force myself doing sth… because i just dont want to do anything. I think I am depressed, but if I dont help myself finding a way out.. how will i end up? I’m young… I want to be successful, and have a successful career too because that has always being my goal.. That’s also a way to thank my mother for everything she has done for me… and to make her feel proud of me. Thank you guys.

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