lifestyle and culture

When you feel like being an adult is an active struggle, it’s easy to become envious of women who seem to have it all figured out. You know who I’m talking about—the women who naturally attract money, promotions, love, glowing skin, and shiny hair into their life. To us mere mortals, it seems as though these women glide effortlessly through life, but the truth is, they simply follow the same 20 life rules. Keep on reading to learn all about the life rules successful women follow, and watch everything around you fall into place.

1. Love the skin you’re in
Successful women are not immune from insecurities—they are human, after all. Nevertheless, they still make an active effort to love the skin they’re in. They’ll speak kindly to themselves and engage in self-care rituals and activities that nourish their soul regularly. Likewise, they’ll also admire their body—they’ll run their hands over it in the shower, look in the mirror, or hug themselves, and this helps them connect with themselves and increase their self-love.

2. Always rise to the opportunity and accept new challenges
Successful women have no trouble rising to the occasion. They’ll never say “no” to any new opportunity or challenge that comes their way because they know that life is a never-ending learning journey. While mindset helps them grow in every aspect of their life, it’s especially beneficial for their career—it makes them reliable and hardworking, and that only contributes to their success.

3. Ask for help when you need it
Although we’re taught that doing everything on our own is a sign of success, successful women know better. They know that doing it all often leads to exhaustion and burnout, which is why they ask for help when they need it. They’re not ashamed of this either. In fact, they know that setting aside your pride and seeking help from others is a sign of strength—not weakness.

4. Take control of your finances
Successful women work hard for their money, and they’ll be damned if they don’t have a handle on their finances. They make it a point to go out of their way and stay in the know when it comes to their finances. They’ll track their income and expenses, review and adjust their budget as needed, and conduct research and ask a financial expert questions when they don’t know something. Regardless of what they do, they don’t leave their financial situation up to fate.

5. Take care of yourself
Women who are thriving in life seem to have a natural glow to them, and it’s because they prioritize taking care of themselves. They know that health is wealth, so while they enjoy looking good, they enjoy feeling good even more. So, they’ll attend routine health checkups and dental cleanings, exercise regularly, hydrate and eat a well-rounded diet, and get plenty of rest. Likewise, they also won’t deprive themselves; they know life’s about balance, and will indulge from time to time in moderation.

6. Invest in and bet on yourself
Successful women have no trouble focusing their attention and putting their money towards whatever’s going to help them reach their goals. This might mean pursuing a postsecondary degree if it’ll benefit their career or taking a certification class in order to make a career change. Or, they might buy a new outfit for a once-in-a-lifetime interview to help boost their confidence. Whatever the case may be, these women have no trouble betting on themselves, and that inner confidence radiates outwards.

7. Put yourself out there
Putting yourself out there can be scary, but successful women do so in spite of that fear. This goes for both work and relationships. They know that stepping outside of their comfort zones is a surefire way to get noticed. So while it may be intimidating, they believe in themselves enough to take that leap of faith. More often than not, this move pays off tenfold in the end when they land their dream job or manifest their ideal partner.

8. Don’t spend your life worried about others
Letting go of caring what others think is sometimes easier said than done, but it’s a rule successful women swear by. They know that when it comes down to it, you can’t please everyone. Which is why they’ll surround themselves with an uplifting, positive social circle. And being surrounded by people who only want the best for you ultimately makes this rule an easy one to follow.

9. Build an emergency fund and save for retirement
For successful women, knowing that they can fall back on themselves financially if push comes to shove is non-negotiable. So, they prioritize building an emergency fund and saving for retirement. Not only does this help them become financially independent, but it also sets them up for success and the ability to fully enjoy the fruits of their labor and embrace their golden years when it comes time.

10. Never compete for your partner’s love or attention
It’s not uncommon to come across someone who makes you feel as though you have to compete for their love and attention. However, successful women won’t tolerate feeling this way from a romantic partner. If their partner ever makes them feel like this, they’ll talk to and see if they can get through to them, or they may cut their losses and part ways. Of course, every relationship is different, but ultimately, successful women don’t have time to play games and vie for their partner’s love.

11. You are the author of your life
It’s easy to let other people or the things that have happened to you define who you are, but successful women refuse to fall victim to that mindset. Instead, they take charge of their story because they know they are the sole author of their life. And while there will always be things that are out of their control, this ultimately makes them a force to be reckoned with.

12. Talk to the people you care about regularly
Everyone is busy, and it’s easy to get lost in the hustle and bustle of everyday life. But time can slip away all too quickly and life can change in an instant. So, successful women make it a point to talk to and connect with the people they care about regularly. It doesn’t matter if it’s over text, a call, FaceTime, or in person—all that matters is that they’re connecting. Plus, it helps remind everyone that they’re not alone, which is something we all need.

13. Have a morning and nighttime routine
It’s not uncommon to feel like your career, relationships, and overall responsibilities demand more of your time as you get older. But successful women make sure these demands don’t take away precious time for themselves. Instead, they combat this by having a morning and nighttime routine. Besides all the benefits that can come from having these routines, this allows them to steal and carve out extra time for themselves no matter what. And this helps them stay grounded and make strategic moves in life.

14. Don’t apologize for your success
Unlike many of their traditional male counterparts, women often feel the need to apologize for their success. While successful women certainly won’t brag about their accomplishments, they won’t go out of their way to hide them either. They know how hard they work for what they have and they refuse to apologize for it. And they know that their accolades simply reflect the time, effort, and dedication they’ve put in—and that’s something to be proud of.

15. Know what you bring to the table
The saying “know your worth, then add tax” applies here. Successful women know exactly what they bring to the table and have no trouble asking for what they deserve. They refuse to settle for being underpaid and underappreciated in every aspect of their life. So, they’ll ask for a raise if the odds are in their favor or take their talents elsewhere and surround themselves with people who love them exactly as they are.

16. Balance is essential
Successful women don’t buy into the mindset that life is all work and no play. Instead, they know that balance is essential. This is why they have a life outside of work—whether it’s a hobby, side hustle, or simply going out with friends. Likewise, they also carve out time for themselves and treat themselves and splurge every once in a while. In short, they let themselves enjoy life and luxuriate in it.

17. Support other women
Society often pits women against each other, but successful women are actively working to change that. Rather than compete against each other, successful women lift up and encourage each other wholeheartedly. They know that a win for one woman is a win for all women everywhere.

18. Compromises shouldn’t come at the cost of happiness
It’s no secret that relationships consist of compromise, but flourishing women don’t let those compromises come at the cost of their happiness. So while they have no problem being flexible, they won’t agree to anything that jeopardizes their overall well-being (think: giving up their career, etc.). After all, the right partner will make sure their happiness is a priority and won’t ever put it on the back burner.

19. Look at the glass half-full
Despite the fact that successful women aren’t immune from hardships, they still choose to look at the glass half-full. This doesn’t mean that they fall into toxic positivity—they’ll still cry, scream, and get their emotions out when they need to. Rather, it means that they remain optimistic in spite of life’s trials and tribulations. And this positive outlook is ultimately what helps them attract abundant success into their life.

20. Set goals and go after them fearlessly
By now, you probably know that goal-setting is vital, and successful women swear by this as well. Not only do they set goals, but they also formulate plans to reach those goals and go after them fearlessly. Ultimately, they never lose sight of their dreams. And they know that no dream is too big or unattainable—they believe in themselves and their abilities and will wake up every day and take tangible steps in the real world that help them bring their wildest dreams to fruition.

10 Things Successful Women Do Before 9AM More