When you add up the long list of to-dos, goal set, and plan for your future—both personally and professionally—it can be overwhelming (not to mention frustrating) trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B. However, Anne-Marie Faiola, author of Live Your Best Day Ever, would argue that in order to make a meaningful difference in your life, you need only to take it one day at a time, and that baby steps eventually lead to major headway in personal growth. With the belief that the more knowledge we have, the more power we give to ourselves, and allowing ourselves freedom; we can achieve what we want in life, while avoiding burnout and taking away from family time. So, if you’re ready for a real change, whatever that may mean to you at this present time, read Faiola’s 10 simple tips and strategies, below, and be on your way to the best version of yourself and your best day ever.

Feet First, Not Head First: Small Starts Can Lead To Great Success
“Too often people say, ‘follow your passion,’ as though passion alone is all one needs to find success. You don’t have to dive headfirst into the deep end of the pool, then discover you don’t know how to swim nearly as well as you thought you did. Instead, you can step into the shallow end, and make your way deeper and deeper, one step at a time. Start small. Try something. Does it make money? If yes, great. Do it more and expand. If the answer is no, then you haven’t lost more than you can afford to lose. But, now it’s time to rethink your approach. Try something slightly different, then go a little deeper into the pool.”

Look At Failure From A New Perspective: Use Mistakes Creatively
“Failure is an opportunity to learn and grow. Keep in mind the previous tip ‘feet first, not head first,’ and try to make failures as cheap as possible by starting out small. Leaps of faith are often touted in our culture, but when you take a crazy leap out into thin air, there is no guarantee you won’t end up smashed into pieces at the bottom. Figure out how much you are comfortable with losing before you take the leap. Perhaps the most important tip for looking at failure from a new perspective is to not identify yourself with it. Acceptance of responsibility for actions and mistakes is key, but failure does not define a person. Mistakes don’t subtract from your skills. Learn from these experiences, and become a stronger professional.”

Give It All You’ve Got, And Then Some: Break Free Of The Self-Limitations You’ve Imposed On Yourself
“The world wants people to shine and go forth with their special abilities, talents, and energy. Everyone has experiences that hold them back. Ultimately, it is you who sets limits on what you can achieve. Stop listening to old, discouraging voices in your head, and choose to live in a new reality.”

Find Your Why: When You’re Clear On What’s Important To You, It Will Give Direction To Your Life
“The first step toward understanding your ‘why’ in life is to evaluate values, the things that motivate you to get up in the morning, and what you hope people will remember about you. Discover your personal mission statement, the sentence that will summarize the entire plotline of your life. Once you determine your overall mission, it’s easier to stay focused on the big picture, and have more room for happiness in your life.”

Live In The Now, Plan For The Future: Appropriate Planning Means You’ll Have The Resources You Need Down The Road
“‘Now’ is all about nurturing and expressing the passion that you structure your life around. Today, you might have to do things that aren’t necessarily joyful in order to make sure you have the resources to continue living your passion in the future. This balance is difficult to achieve and no one hits it perfectly every time, but there are realistic things you can do to start being present right now, while simultaneously laying the groundwork for a better tomorrow.”

Be Realistic: Set Doable Daily Priorities
“There is a temptation to give yourself too many things to do each day, but the longer your list is, the less likely you are of accomplishing the items on it. Creating a daily plan based initially on a few main priorities allows you to fit even more into your life later. It puts you in control of your time, gives you more frequent ‘wins’ and enables you to shape the life you want to lead.”

Keep A Balance Between Your Work, Family, And Personal Life: Nurturing Your Own Identity Will Make You Stronger 
“Personal goals and business goals should not overlap. To live a joy-filled life, keep your personal habits, hobbies, dreams, and aspirations outside of business. You are not your job. Keeping life balanced is not easy, and we will never be able to set permanent boundaries between work, family, and individual needs. It’s inevitable that life will spin us around at times, but when that happens go back to ‘find your why,’ realign your circumstances, and find a new balance to focus on living your best day ever.”

Fuel Your Body: A Healthy Diet Supports Your Optimal Life
“I suggest the following nutrition rules in order to keep your body ready to live your best day ever: exercise regularly, veggies at every meal, healthy fats, no sugar, limited supplements like Vitamin D and Fish Oil, hydrate, sleep at least seven hours a night, and ditch the alcohol. Remember, your physical energy is one of your greatest natural resources. Protect it by systematizing your nutrition, sleep, and hydration through small, daily habits that will become easier by the day.”

Surrender Perfection: The Need To Be Perfect Can Paralyze You
“Perfectionism usually gets in the way. And, it typically doesn’t happen; repetition drives mastery. No one is good at anything when they first start out. The moral of the story? Just start.”

Choose Happy: Joyfulness Is A Choice You Make Every Day
“Happiness is a choice, and we can choose to be happy every single day. Research has found that we can actually change the physical structure of our brain with what we choose to focus our attention on, and these neural changes will make us happier and more positive about life in general. The simple decision to smile can make you and everyone around you happier and healthier. So, smile. Make it a habit. Consciously make other new habits that will lead you to your own best day ever.”