Brave-Up on the OLC: 15 Things You Should Keep Doing No Matter What [Part 1]

Life is immense. Its basket is filled with endless opportunities and experiences for everyone. Regardless what life throws at you - whether it is an obstacle or a treat - it has a purpose. Maybe its purpose is to teach you or possibly to test you. No one knows for sure except for you. Even though life is "limitless", there are certain things you should keep doing throughout your time on Earth. Usually it is because those things are good for you or works wonders.

Here are 10 of the 15 things you should keep doing in your life no matter what:

1. Keep Progressing Yourself

Progress your skills, intellect, and character. Strive to be the best version of yourself. The only one stopping you is YOU.

2. Keep Reading

Many people around my age (20s) despise reading because it is usually associated with work - school work. For more than a decade, what you read was decided and forced upon you. Dry textbooks, mediocre novels, and poems that were more frustrating than puzzling - it isn't hard to understand why reading was never a leisure activity while growing up. However, if you decided what to read and when to read, the veil that cause people to envision reading as work would be lifted.

Reading can be a fun activity again by:

• Finding a topic you are greatly fascinated with and purchasing the books or magazines about that subject. Your inclination to read will naturally disappear.
• Getting quality suggestions on what to read through friends, co-workers, and people online. Be sure to read book reviews!
• You are the ultimate decision maker on what you read. But remember to feed your intellectual curiosity in your adventure.

The world has an enormous amount of history and is constantly evolving. It is books that document everything. So discover your curiosity and absorb knowledge. There is no such thing as bad knowledge, except for no knowledge.

3. Welcome Change

In some ways, change is an attack on our method of living. It looks to alter the way we have been doing something for a period of time. The thought of this is scary to some individuals. Although you are losing something routine - comfortable even - you are getting something in return that may be even more enjoyable or productive. You don't know unless you try it. Accepting change allows life to feel more engaging and less predictable.

If the results are inadequate, try something else.

Bottom line: You tried something new, you experienced something new - now you are more knowledgeable and informed. Feel free to boast on Facebook now.

4. Keep Believing In Yourself.

Life is a journey about fulfilling your dreams and goals. In that journey, many terrible things will happen - people are going to betray you, disappoint you, stomp on you, make fun of you, and try to manipulate you. No one in this world knows when those things will happen. It could be today, it could be tomorrow, or it could be in your dreams. But when it does happen, you must be prepared for the it. To be prepared for such grand challenge only means one thing: To believe in yourself.

There are many interpretations on what that really means. My definition is easy: Believe in yourself that YOU CAN DO IT. Sounds vague doesn't it? It is supposed to be.

Some people theorize that these terrible events are crafted to test our will, belief, and resilience. Others think differently. Regardless what theory you fancy, when the time comes: keep your head down - keep your arms moving - keep your legs pumping - and believe in yourself that you can do it. You can get by this.

We have lift off.

5. Keep Laughing.

The news has a lot of influence in how we view the world. Many people understand that media outlets purposely over-report negative and security debilitating news to its viewers for profit reasons. Regardless of this knowledge, many people are unable to put off the idea that the world is actually getting more dangerous and twisted. In a world that appears to be constantly getting darker, more violent, more complicated, and more cynical - laughing and a sense of humour is the only way of keeping yourself sane.

Laughter and a sense of humour has many benefits:

• Strengthens your immune system: Decreases stress hormones and increases your body to generate anti-bodies that fight viruses
• Relieves tension and stress by relaxing the body
• Fostering tighter relationships: Strong connections and memories are created through laughing. We tend to share stories and re-enact those moments to others.
• See difficult situations in a positive outlook: See things (like negative new reports) in a less threatening manner or the irony of life

Laughter makes us feel good and it gives us the courage to smile in difficult times. Continue to keep laughing throughout your life and you will go a long way.

Continue reading to find out what the last 5 things you should keep doing in your life no matter what.

Jason is a Criminology major who is hooked onto policing as a career. But that isn't all, he is also hooked on helping others become the best and strongest versions of themselves. Through his blog, Brave-Up, he looks to educate, motivate, inspire and raise questions about counter-productive social norms within our society. "Man up" is now an archaic term - because Brave-Up is NOW. You can find Jason on Twitter at @BraveUp_jy