Live Like the Honey Badger: Principle 9

This is the ninth in a series of posts entitled, Live Like the Honey Badger. On Fridays, I address one aspect of developing confidence, self-worth, a fearless nature and the like. Previous weeks are linked below.

Principle 1: Honey Badger Don't Care
Principle 2: Accept Yourself. Your Whole Self
Principle 3: Surround Yourself With Honey Badgers
Principle 4: Break the Mold
Principle 5: It's Not Selfish. It's Self Fulfilling 
Principle 6: It's Your Life. Take Responsibility
Principle 7: Find Your Strengths and Play to Them
Principle 8: Embrace Failure

Principle 9: Define Your Own Happiness

Take a look at yourself. A good look.

Do you know who you are?
Do you know who you want to be?
Do you know where your strengths lie?
Do you know what makes you happy?
Better yet, are you happy?

I am.

I can say, without a doubt, that I am genuinely happy with myself and my life. And I want the same for you.

My happiness is not a result of my life being perfect.

I have struggles and hardships. But I tackle them and embrace them as an opportunity to change and improve myself in ways I may have never considered.

It's not the result of having or being everything I could ever want.

I have imperfections and hang ups. But I know that they don't define me. Maybe I can eliminate them over time and maybe I can't. Either way, I won't let them defeat me.

And it's not the result of having reached all my goals.

I have successes and failures. But I realize that neither outcome is the end of my story. I'm a work-in-progress and I have so much further to go.

My happiness is not defined by any of those things. Instead, it is defined by my ability to be true to myself, to the people I love and the things I place value in. I define my own happiness.

And you can, too.

Stop worrying about what others expect from you and who they expect you to be.
Stop worrying about what is blocking your path to happiness and find away around it.
Stop worrying about what others will think if you stay true to yourself.
Stop worrying about making everyone else happy and take the time to make yourself happy.

Happiness is contagious. If you're happy, the people around you will aspire to do the same. And if you're happy, you'll be better equipped to help those around you find happiness too.

Don't wait for someone or something to make you happy. Take control of your life and define your own happiness.

Live Like the Honey Badger: Principle 7

This is the seventh in a series of posts entitled, Live Like the Honey Badger. Every Friday, I address one aspect of developing confidence, self-worth, a fearless nature and the like. Previous weeks are linked below.

Principle 1: Honey Badger Don't Care
Principle 2: Accept Yourself. Your Whole Self
Principle 3: Surround Yourself With Honey Badgers
Principle 4: Break the Mold
Principle 5: It's Not Selfish. It's Self Fulfilling 
Principle 6: It's Your Life. Take Responsibility

Principle 7: Find Your Strengths and Play to Them

Think back to your childhood.

Chances are you tried a lot of different things. Different sports, different games, different foods, different ways to "outsmart" your parents and probably a million other things. Over the course of many years and perhaps, sometimes instantly, you learned what you like and what you don't. And thus, those experiences and preferences shaped you into the individual that you are.

Now, think about the reasons behind why you like some things more than others.

With the exception of food preferences (i.e. flavors you like/dislike, not the food choices you make), your preferences are largely determined by how you view yourself in relation to the the activity or experience. Take school, for example. We all attend in one form or another. Yet, not everyone likes school. Now, why is this?

I would wager that the people who enjoyed school, especially as they aged, were the people who enjoyed learning, got the best grades and had a drive for academic excellence. In addition, individuals who experienced social acceptance and/or were not picked on, most likely enjoyed it as well.

However, this is not the case for everyone. What about the people who struggled to pass or were social outcasts? Chances are they hated school. And it makes sense.

Generally speaking, we like the things at which we excel and dislike those at which we struggle.

And there is nothing wrong with that. In fact, you'll be happier for it.

Everyone has something they are good at. And most people have lots of things they are good at.

• Maybe you have a endless drive and determination.
• Maybe you are a natural born leader. 
• Maybe you have the ideal body type to run or swim or whatever.
• Maybe you have a knack for organization. 
• Maybe you are creative and crafty. 
• Maybe you are mechanically inclined. 
• Maybe you have a potential you have yet to discover. 

Regardless of what your natural or learned strengths are they all do the same thing.

They allow you to feel good about yourself. They give you more self worth. And they show you that you have potential to be successful.

And the first step to being successful is believing that you can be successful.

So, try new things.

Challenge yourself.

Find your strengths and play to them. You won't be disappointed.