The start of a new year is always a great time to sit back, take stock of your life, and think about the improvements we could all stand to make in our lives. Whether you work too many hours, have slacked off at the gym, or desire to improve your personal relationships, there are many small changes we can make everyday to move us towards our goals.

One great life lesson to get you started is “Less is More”. Trying to do it all, be it all, and have it all is exhausting. Small, simple changes in the way we live can simplify our lives and leave us feeling relaxed and happy, instead of stressed and overwhelmed.

Domonique Bertolucci, a happiness expert and bestselling author of a successful series of inspirational books, brings us her newest work, Less is More: 101 Ways to Simplify Your Life: a collection of inspirational messages and advice that encourages the reader to enjoy life more by living a little more simply.

We offer you these 15 tips as inspiration to start your journey.

Live Your Life

‘Your time is limited so don’t waste it by trying to live someone else’s life.’
–Steve Jobs

When faced with a choice or decision in life, ask yourself, ‘What will make me happiest?’ While there will always be more you can do or achieve, being happy with who you are and the life you live is the only real goal to strive for.

Believe in Yourself

‘Men are not great or small because of their material possessions. They are great or small because of what they are.’
–James Cash Penney

If you find yourself thinking you need this or that in order to fit in, make the grade or be a part of things, remind yourself that nothing you can ever buy will make up for how you feel inside. Instead of spending your money buying things to build you up, invest your energy believing in who you are.

Don’t Try to Please Everyone

‘As soon as you’re done trying to please everyone else you actually have time to make yourself happy.’
–Delaney Curry

Trying to keep everyone happy is one of the fastest ways to make yourself unhappy. Although you might know a lot of people, there are probably only a few people who you really do love and cherish. Do what you can to bring joy and happiness to their lives and don’t worry about trying to please the rest.

Love Unconditionally

‘That’s what people who love you do. They put their arms around you and love you when you’re not so lovable.’
–Deb Caletti

It’s easy to love someone who is behaving in a lovable way. But it’s when they’re not being quite so lovable that they really need it. Love the people in your life for all that they are and with all of your heart. Loving unconditionally is the only real way to love.

Recharge Your Batteries

‘A little while alone in your room will prove more valuable than anything else that could ever be given you.’
–Rumi

When you live a busy life, it’s important to take time out to unwind. Regularly. Rather than waiting until your stress levels are at their peak, make time each day to sit quietly and relax, regardless of whether or not you feel like you need to.

Just Listen

‘Men are not great or small because of their material possessions. They are great or small because of what they are.’
–James Cash Penney

When someone comes to you with a problem, it’s all too easy to fall into solution mode. As good as telling someone what to do can make you feel, what they usually want is just to have you listen and, through your listening, have the chance to hear themselves think.

Enjoy the Ride

‘It is good to have an end to journey toward; but it is the journey that matters, in the end.’
–Ernest Hemingway

If, despite your efforts, you have failed to achieve a goal you have set, don’t be too hard on yourself. Remind yourself that what will matter at the end of your life isn’t how many things you have achieved, but how much you enjoyed the things you did.

Get in Touch

‘No act of kindness, however small, is ever wasted.’
–Aesop

Don’t put off getting in touch with a friend until you have time. If you find yourself thinking of someone, call them. Don’t let being busy be your excuse. Now is the perfect time to get in touch, no matter how briefly.

Try New Things

‘Life is like riding a bicycle. To keep your balance, you must keep moving.’
–Albert Einstein

Avoid getting stuck in a rut. Although doing the same thing over and over can offer some minor comfort, to live a truly balanced life you need to fill it with a variety of experiences. Make a point of trying new things. You don’t have to like every single one of them, but it’s only through experience that you’ll know what you do enjoy.

Take Small Steps

‘If all you can do is crawl, start crawling.’
–Rumi

Every achievement in life begins at the beginning, so don’t be put off by the gap between where you are now and where you want to get. Ask yourself, ‘What is one small thing I can do that will take me one step closer to my goal?’ If you keep this up, over time these little steps will add up to a giant leap.

Rest Up

‘Healing is a matter of time, but it is sometimes also a matter of opportunity.’
–Hippocrates

If you are feeling unwell, rest. It’s such a simple notion, but something people rarely do. If you try to soldier on through an illness, you will usually just make it last longer. But if you can stop, rest and allow your body to heal, your recovery will be complete in no time.

Love Yourself

‘Your relationships with others are always a direct reflection of the relationship you have with yourself.’
–Michael Thomas Sunnarborg

When you find yourself criticising a friend, stop. Most of the time, the things we find most annoying about others are mirrors of the qualities we like least about ourselves. Before you judge a friend for not being perfect, take a moment to forgive yourself the same.

Do Your Best

‘If you look for perfection, you’ll never be content.’
–Leo Tolstoy

There really is no such thing as perfection. It’s entirely subjective, which makes it an impossible goal. Remind yourself that as long as you do your best, your best will always be good enough.

Be Confident

‘You wouldn’t worry so much about what others think of you if you realized how seldom they do.’
–Eleanor Roosevelt

If you are feeling nervous or self-conscious about a social situation, there really is no reason to. If you find yourself worrying what other people think, stop. They’re far too busy worrying what you think about them to be bothered thinking about you.

Go with the Flow

‘If things start happening, don’t worry, don’t stew, just go right along and you’ll start happening too.’
–Dr. Seuss

One of the biggest causes of stress is trying to force things to turn out the way you want them to. The truth is that in life, some things will go your way and unfortunately others won’t. Rather than trying to force the outcome you want, look at how you can work with things the way they actually are.