To achieve happiness, does it mean we have to accumulate many material things? Or is there something more to it than that?
Most people eventually realize that accumulating possessions does not lead to true, lasting happiness. Happiness comes from other sources, and is more related to the present and future than the past.
Here Are Aspects of Life You Should Care About
How You Wake Up
Start your day off with a positive attitude, and you’re more likely to have a good day. A bad day is more likely to lead to another bad day if you let the negativity roll over, but if you start off positive, you’re more likely to have a good day.
What gets you out of bed in the morning? A blaring alarm reminding you of all the things you have to do, or the anticipation of all the things you’ll get to do that day? If it’s the former, what questions can you ask yourself to change your mindset before starting your day?
Is there something you can do today to make your tomorrow better? What would “better” look like if you could see it all at once? Do you have something to look forward to today? Could this be the day that everything changes? If so, what would that look like? How can you change your thinking and behavior to better like yourself and achieve more? Would it be possible to focus more on love, gratitude, and positivity instead of negatives like worry, envy, and pessimism? If you spend a few moments thinking of five things you’re grateful for before starting your day, it might change your whole outlook.
Loving Relationships
Many studies have found that having supportive relationships with your spouse/partner, friends, family, and work associates is one of the most important ingredients for a fulfilling life.
One of the most well-known studies is the Harvard Grant Study which followed men for 75 years, collecting data about their lives at regular intervals. Love and connection with others were found to be the key factors in a fulfilling life.
Happiness in Work
Working towards finding your life passion is ideal, but you should at least be content with your profession for the majority of the time.
And if you’re not fulfilled by your job, it can have a major negative impact on your life. It is important to feel like your work is valuable and that you are respected and capable. You should also feel like you are regularly challenged and motivated by your job duties. If you don’t feel this way about your job, it can have a major negative impact on your life.
If you don’t find satisfaction in your work, it is unlikely that you will find satisfaction in other areas of your life.
Nourishment
You should think about what you are eating and why you are eating it. Are you really hungry or are you just eating because you are bored or emotional? Most of your meals should be healthy and organic, not fast and processed. You should care about where your food comes from.
When it comes to pacing, are you the type of person to scarf down food while you’re buried in social media, or do you take the time to be mindful and present with others? What would it look like to nourish your body instead of just feeding it?
A Sense of Purpose
When you have a sense of purpose or meaning for your life, it gives context and direction to all of your choices and actions.
The purpose of your life changes as you grow by being true to yourself, working hard, and constantly evaluating your wants and gut feelings.
Use what you learn about yourself to make your life more significant, and maybe even leave behind a lasting legacy.
A Healthy Lifestyle
If you aren’t in good health, it is difficult to enjoy life or find it satisfying.
Your happiness depends on your activity level, and good health lets you be as active as possible.
Engaging in exercise and being mindful while eating are not only activities that promote good health, but they also provide a general sense of positivity, wellbeing, energy, and self-esteem.
A Positive Mindset
Positive thinking isn’t just some new age way of thinking. If you start thinking more positive, grateful, and happy thoughts, it actually changes the way your brain is wired.
Positive thinking positively affects your stress levels, your relationships, and even how long you live. When you have positive thoughts, you are in control of your life rather than letting life control you.
Serving Others
Giving back to others provides a sense of purpose beyond your own needs.
Service is more fulfilling when it is done from a place of love or with a life passion. Even if the service is mundane, it can give a sense of fulfillment and peace, because the person knows they have provided comfort, reduced suffering, inspired knowledge, or effected positive change.
Home
I used to live in a hotel, after my last relationship ended. I thought of it as just a place to stay until I moved on, since I was rarely there. I worked in coffee shops most of the time. I never really considered it my home, because to me a home is supposed to have a picket fence and all that.
A friend convinced me that I needed to make my apartment feel like home because we all need a home, even if we are only temporary living in one place. The truth is, wherever you are living is your home. And if you don’t make it your home, you won’t have a place to recharge. It’s not just about having a place to call home. It’s about having a place that improves your quality of life. We all need a place to refuel.
Do you feel like your home is a chaotic mess and more like a prison than a safe haven? If so, what can you do to change that? Maybe you need to have a conversation with your roommates if you don’t get along with them. Alternatively, you may need to find a new place to live. Regardless, there are things you can do to make your home feel more like a safe and comfortable place to relax and recharge.
Fitness
It’s important to make fitness a part of your lifestyle, rather than just something you do occasionally. It should be something you enjoy, or you won’t stick with it. You don’t have to go to the gym to get fit; any activity that gets you moving and sweating will give you dopamine and elevate mood. Most importantly, making fitness a part of your life will help you develop a better relationship with your body, resulting in more confidence and self-esteem. This will have a positive impact on all areas of your life, from work to relationships.
When was the last time you worked out? Are you just going through the motions or focusing on how your body moves and connecting with it? If you’re not challenging yourself to pursue various activities, time is never an excuse.
Experiencing Now
The present moment is all that exists, so if you’re not living in the present, you’re not really living at all.
To live life to the fullest, you should remember that all you have is right now. Make all of your rights count by focusing on the task at hand or experience you are having.
Perspective About Challenges
We often see life challenges as negative things that get in the way of the life we want. We try to avoid these difficulties by being careful not to step on any “landmines.”
If we are faced with a challenge, we may feel defeated and think of ourselves as unlucky. However, if we take some time to think about it from a different perspective, we may realize that challenges can actually improve our experience of life.
Difficult experiences can teach us important lessons, help us to become more understanding and compassionate towards others, and make us braver. Instead of seeing challenges as something negative that happen to us, try to see them as opportunities that can enrich our lives.
Passion / Purpose
You don’t need to have your life figured out to design a life that you’re passionate about. I understand that not everyone can just quit their job and follow their bliss, but making an effort to pursue your passions is when purpose starts to unfold.
What are the things that excite and interest you? Are you taking steps to pursue them? If not, why? Do you think your dreams are achievable or do you have a lot of doubts? What can you do today to make your life more exciting?
Shame
Things that we’re ashamed of from our past can prevent us from moving forward and growing. We might try to cope with these feelings in unhealthy ways, such as through anger, withdrawal, or by trying to please others. All of these coping mechanisms have a negative impact on our relationships.
To be happy, you need to start accepting yourself and being compassionate. Here are some questions to help you start.
- What would it look like if you let go of the past?
- If there’s anyone you need to forgive, is it yourself?
- How would forgiving yourself look?
- Do you often beat yourself up mentally and emotionally for your mistakes, or do you not believe in mistakes and see how everything you’ve done has led you to the next step in your life?
- Are there people in your life who still make you feel shame?
- Do you need to draw better boundaries?
- Do you see the world with judgment or wonder?
- When will you stop judging yourself?
- What would it look like if you loved/liked yourself? But more importantly, when will you start?
Creative Expression
We all have the ability to be creative in our own areas of interest, and we need to express that creativity.
According to creativity author and speaker Sir Ken Robinson, creativity is a process of having original ideas that have value. A big part of being creative is looking for new ways of doing things within whatever activity you’re involved in.
To be creative means pushing yourself to achieve what you’re capable of, which makes all other aspects of life better.
Knowing Your Values
If you want to be content in life, you need to figure out what is most important to you.
What are the things that are most important to you in life? What are the things you want to spend your time and energy on?
Clarify what is most important to you in life and use that as a measuring stick for the choices you make.
Anger and Resentment
Staying angry will bring your energy down and make it impossible to be happy. This was my experience in my twenties. Holding onto resentment creates a barrier to happiness and a dark tunnel you can’t escape from. Life is too short to waste being angry at people who have hurt you. Forgiving them will give you your power back and create more energy for you.
What is causing you to be angry? Are you able to forgive instead of holding grudges because you understand how it can negatively impact you? What do you need to do to lessen your anger? What are you responding to? How much of your anger is due to your own unhappiness?
Having A Vision
You can use your values to help you create a vision for your life. When you live your life based on your values, your interests, and your goals, you are more likely to be fulfilled.
Although your vision may change over time, it can still provide guidance on what you want for yourself. Having a vision can help you make choices that align with what is most important to you.
Appreciating Beauty
All forms of beauty have the ability to lift our spirits and make us feel more than just ordinary.
Art can provide us with aesthetic pleasure and enhance our sensitivity to pattern and order. It does this on a very sophisticated level by increasing our perceptual skills.
Embracing Failure
Although it may not seem like it at the time, failure can be beneficial and lead to a sense of satisfaction. Allow yourself to grieve and question what went wrong, but then use that knowledge to help you succeed in the future.
Failing is a sign that you’re taking action and taking risks. It reminds you that you were brave enough to try.
Seeking to learn from your failures opens you up to growth and future learning opportunities. Don’t try to hide from them, but instead examine them closely to gain as much knowledge as possible.
Your relationship with money
Money is a major source of stress for many people. It can be anxiety-provoking to worry about having enough money, or to lack financial security. But it is our relationship with money that is often the real source of frustration and panic.
What is your relationship with money? Does it control you or are you in control of it? Does money cause you anxiety and suffering?
Do you believe that success is something that you’re born with? Or something that you achieve by doing things that you believe in and make you feel alive and valuable?
How do you define your worth? Is it based on money or is it something that helps you build happiness?
To have a healthier relationship with money you need to redefine what it means to you. You should not allow money to have power over you. To apply this mindset and redefinition to your daily life, you need to change your thoughts and behavior.
