We all have the goal of being successful. I don’t know one person on this planet who doesn’t want to be successful at something. The common goal is to retire our parents, have decent materialistic things, and never have to want for anything. I have those same goals; I’m not knocking that at all, just keep following me.

In an interview with Tavis Smiley, rapper J.Cole spoke something that stood out to me. Cole said, “When I was young, I thought success was all I needed. That’s what was going to bring happiness.” He then said, “When those things came, the happiness wasn’t there. I realized why that was. There was such an attempt to achieve those things, to keep going, that you lose sight of the people and the blessings you have around you.”

These words stood out to me because we get so caught up in the chase of things, we forget the blessings and the little things in life that bring true happiness. So I’m going to share with you on how to actually “Love Yourz."

Always live in the present.

The first step to loving the things in our lives would be to always live in the present. In life, we get so caught up over the things that happened in the past and we become paranoid about the things that could happen in the future. Point blank the past has already happened, and that’s something we can’t change. The future is unknown, so we can only make decisions based on the present. You might as well enjoy the decisions for your life that you make in the present, because you don’t know what the future holds.

Always do what makes you happy.

The second is step is to always do what makes you happy. This is something that a lot of people today struggle with. Youonly have control over your happiness. Not your mother, significant other, or even society. You will be unhappy for the rest of your life if you don’t do the things you love. You will eventually get over a disappointment, but regrets stick to you a little longer.

Stop trying to make everyone comfortable.

The third step is stop trying to make everyone comfortable. I struggle with this one a lot. We go through life seeking approval from others. We don’t want to ruffle any feathers or step on any toes. We want to move in silence and in harmony. I’ve realized that just isn’t possible. When you are fulfilling your purpose there are always going to be opinions and naysayers. When you really start to focus on what is important, you will accept that and be appreciative of the process.

Always be humble.

The next one I have to really explain thoroughly. It’s to always be humble about everything in life. Yes, it’s always great to celebrate your accomplishments because you work hard to fulfill them. It’s okay to share your testimony with people in hopes of motivating others. Just always remember to be grateful from where you came from and where you could’ve been. I think sometimes people get blinded by the ugliness of the success, and forget about the beauty in the struggle.

Always cherish the ones closest to you.

The last step is to always cherish the ones closest to you. When we are constantly on the go, we forget about the people who actually love us and want to see us happy and successful. Those people who want to see you happy but not successful, I call those haters. Those people who want to see you successful but not happy, I call those people opportunists. Those people, who want so see both, cherish them. Start being the best friend, lover, cousin, etc. because those people will be there for you during the bad times and the good. It will save you a lot of drama and disappointment in the future.

I hope these tips help you, because you ain't never gon’ to be happy 'til you “Love Yourz.”