For people who love themselves and their lives, they feel like they only need to answer to themselves. If you hate them, they couldn’t care less. They love their lives!

2. They do things because they want to do them, not because they believe they have to do them.

Happy people don’t believe that they have to do anything than what is otherwise mandatory, like showering and paying your taxes. They don’t feel compelled to do things just because other people want them to. They don’t handle being coerced into doing things either.

3. They love their friends but don’t rely on them.

This one applies very much to me. Of the friends I have, I care deeply about them. But when it come down to it, I never rely on them for much of anything. They’re friends, not tools in my life. My independence is important to me, and over-reliance on your friends can kill a friendship.

4. When you ask them what they do, they don’t give you a job title.

If you were to go on a date with someone who loves their life, asking them what they do probably won’t result in being told that they’re an accountant. They’ll talk about projects they’re working on, maybe how they’re dealing with problems, or what they genuinely enjoy doing.

5. They live in the moment, but dream in the future.

We’re always told of the importance to live in the moment, but people who love their lives dream of the future. It’s easy for them. They anticipate the future being a magnificent place for their life to be.

6. When you ask them where they live, they say, “At the moment…”

“At the moment,” is such a fun sentence. It shows a deep desire for impermanence. Traveling does the soul some good, and the stagnancy of staying in one place can be a bit of a bore.

7. They have their own philosophies, their own religion they created and live by.

Books aren’t needed for you to know how to go about your life. People who love their lives don’t require a book or philosophy or religion to tell them what to do. You can live your life by whatever philosophy you wish. You’re fortunate enough to have the faculties needed to know right from wrong.

8. They embrace their impermanence.

People who love their lives have gotten past the fact that they’re mortal. Having that knowledge can feel cruel at times, but that’s all the more reason to love your life. Happy people don’t fear death. They don’t avoid the thought of it either. They can’t control death, but they can control life.

9. They see the world as their playhouse and their mind as the conductor.

There isn’t a single way that the world is – a single reality in which you should live. And happy people who love their lives are all too aware of it. They’re the conductors of their own lives, and the world is their playhouse.

10. They don’t bother changing others, but instead learn how to deal with them appropriately.

Not only is devoting your energy to changing someone worthless at the end of the day, but how would you feel if someone thought you were all wrong and tried to change you? If people want to change, they can, but they do it of their own accord.

This article was written by Paul Hudson and originally posted on Elite Daily. For more of his thoughts and ramblings, follow him on Twitter and Facebook.