We all want to live lives that we can look back on with smiles on our faces. Lives that are both content and fulfilling. But what’s the trick to living happy and abundant lives?

While there is no secret recipe for happiness and success, there is advice to keep in mind from people who have traveled a similar path. Boise, Idaho agent Christina Ward recently shared some great guidance on how she’s built an abundant life over the past eighteen years in real estate that I wanted to share with you. Watch our interview and read on for the 5 key points worth tucking into your back pocket to think about employing in your own lives.

1.  Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want.

During the Great Recession, Christina joined Team in Training, for the dual purpose of training for a marathon while raising money for cancer research. She took a great lesson from this experience – you don’t give people an opportunity to say “yes” if you avoid asking them for help altogether. Through fundraising, Christina found that while some people may turn down your request for help, many will say yes. We don’t know what personally motivates people so we should avoid making decisions without involving them in the process. In other words, it’s beneficial to invite people into our lives and share with them what we need help with. Then, let them decide if, when, and how they choose to help us.

2.  Help people reach their goals

Christina recognizes the importance of relationships both professionally and personally. She doesn’t want anyone to feel like she’s interacting with them simply because she wants their business. To her, it’s more important to think of each person as a long-term relationship rather than a transaction. Therefore, her job is an ongoing one where she both helps people to reach their real estate goals and to make useful connections in their lives. Whether she’s helping someone find a home, putting a client in touch with a property manager, answering questions on markets outside of her service area, or connecting people with necessary service providers, she recognizes that the people around her will reciprocate her helpfulness when they can. And if she helps enough people with their goals, she recognizes that reaching her own goals will follow.  

3.  Look for the good around you.

Christina recognizes that things are not always easy. In fact, markets and lives can be downright challenging at times. However, she makes a point to find the good around her, even in the hardest of times. After all, our perspective matters and often sets the tone for how we interact in the world around us. When we work to have a positive mindset, show gratitude, and recognize that despite the hardships we face that there is always something good going on, it influences how we show up for others in our businesses and personal lives.

4.  Always find ways to improve.

Continuously learning, both as a student and as a teacher, is an important aspect of living an abundant life. As a student, Christina makes a point to remove her ego from the room. She recognizes that there is always some insight to be gained that can influence her life for the better. So she approaches the experience with the goal of taking 2-3 things from the class that she can implement in her life immediately. As a teacher, she recognizes that she needs to be an accurate representation of the coursework. She takes the time to honestly reflect on it, asking herself “Do I do that now, or did I used to do that?” so that she can hold herself accountable for behaving at her best.  

5.  Strive to be present.

Being present is no easy task for anyone. However, because being present in the moments that matter is arguably one of the key ways to make life fulfilling, it’s something worth working toward. For Christina, this is where leverage comes into the equation, both in her work and personal life. Whether it’s implementing systems in the office or bringing someone into her home for several hours a week to help with household tasks, she recognizes where she needs help and uses talented people and structure to her benefit.

Christina’s tips have helped to shape her real estate business and life, enabling her to sell 130 homes by referral in just this year. If you’re looking to get a deeper look into the philosophies that Christina applies to both her professional and personal lives, check out her Inspire Collective interview here (you must be an Inspire Collective member to view). What can you see enacting in your own careers and personal lives?