5 Signs you are living a wasted life ( without even realizing it.)

Do you ever feel you’re living a wasted life? If you only have one life to live, why not make it the most incredible life possible?

Making the most out of life seems like an obvious conclusion, but like many things, it’s easier said than done.

Great things often come at the risk of negative side effects and sadly many people are turned off by the possibility of having to deal with something difficult. It seems that fear can actually lead to a wasted life. When people are too afraid to leave their comfort zones they end up miss out on fantastic parts of life they could very well be experiencing. When you look back on your life, one sprained ankle will be well worth the numerous adventures you’ve had.
Though it seems easier to protect yourself from the world, you will end up regretting wasting your life. Here are five signs you should look out for, as well as what to do when you spot them.

1. You’ve never been in love

Without at least one good love story, life seems like a bit of a waste. Allowing yourself to fall in love means letting your guard down and inviting the risk of heartbreak into your life. This sounds really scary but, what’s even scarier is living your whole life without even knowing the magical feeling of being in love!

Make a list of qualities you are looking for in a partner and when you find someone who comes close, give it a try! Sure it will be difficult at times but if you have a good support system outside of your relationship, in the form of friends and or family, you will be okay.

2. You’ve never left the country before

Leaving your home country for the first time can be very scary, especially if no one in your family or circle of friends has much experience with it. You may have to speak a language you don’t know well, get lost by yourself, or, god forbid…lose your luggage! However, what you will gain from traveling will heavily outweigh any cons. You will open your mind, try amazing food and of course obtain some bragging rights.
If you have always dreamed of traveling but are nervous to take the plunge, try going with someone you know who has experience or join a tour. It’s important to remember leaving the country isn’t the only way to feed your mind through travel either. If you don’t have necessary funds at the moment, take weekend trips to new cities nearby. Exploring someplace three hours away can still be a great life adventure.

3. You don’t have any hobbies you’re passionate about

In addition to a career, most people have some hobbies they are truly passionate about whether it’s playing an instrument, a sport or even studying a language. If you can’t name one thing you really enjoy doing, outside of work, you are going to end up leading a less fulfilling life…possibly a wasted life.

If this sounds like you and you just don’t know what you like, don’t worry, it’s a great excuse to try some new things out in efforts of discovering yourself and finding meaning in life. Try joining in every activity that your friends and family do and see if anything interests you.

4. You let other’s opinions dictate your decisions

If you live to make others happy, you are not living your life to the fullest. A life not lived to the fullest is almost equivalent to a wasted life. It’s important to have others respect you but not crucial to have everyone like you. What your peers think of you seems important in the moment but later on, you will hardly remember and you will regret letting those unmemorable situations hold you back. No matter what you do in life, there will be some who agree and some who do not. If the outcome is more or less the same anyway, you might as well live your life exactly how you want.
Only take other’s advice seriously within reason. When someone thinks that you should change something, take some time to consider it, and if you come to the conclusion that you disagree with their opinion, let it go. Accept that this person thinks differently than you or in other words, agree to disagree. You are the boss of your life and only you can make your own decisions.

5. You spend more than an hour on social media a day

Social media can be fun, convenient and even addicting. Facebook and Twitter are great platforms to use for simple communication or short brain breaks from work, however, many people don’t know when to cut themselves off. If you are normally on social media for multiple hours a day you are literally wasting your life as there are so many more exciting things you could be doing with your time.
If ripping yourself away from the phone is hard, it’s a good idea to delete any social media applications so that you must manually log in on your browser. Also, try making a pact with a friend to do more outdoor activities together. You’ll be much happier looking back on memories of camping or trips to the beach rather than sitting on your couch posting images to Pinterest.
One day you will be truly thankful to yourself for finally leaving your comfort zone. If you are able to look back on your life and recall memories of love and travel rather than Facebook and Netflix, you can say you haven’t got a wasted life.

By Lauren G.