4 Easy Steps To Take If You Don’t Feel Fulfilled
Now is the time
I have recently listened to an interview with a famous singer: she said she decided to change her life since, despite her brilliant career and happy family, she didn’t feel fulfilled. Wow, I thought, I expected it could happen only to ordinary people like me, and not to the very rich and famous!
Imagine that you’ve finally achieved some of your professional goals, you are in a healthy relationship or you’re happy on your own, and you love your friends. You feel strong. So, why don’t you feel completely satisfied, or joyful?
Sometimes, when you finally get what you dreamed and worked hard to obtain, your success doesn’t give you the joy you expected. Negative and complicated emotions may arise also during good moments in your life.
Why is that?
What’s causing these feelings of unfulfillment and what can you do about it? These are the main solutions I found that made me feel a little better and helped me enjoy my good times.
- Look inward and practice gratitude
The reason why some of you are struggling to find fulfillment in your lives, regardless of their relationships and achievements, is that you aren’t looking inward. If events like a mistake at work, or a discussion with a friend can ruin your entire day or week, you are looking to others for fulfillment. Instead, take time each day to appreciate something you have done, whether it’s an act of kindness or a simple action that you planned and completed during the day. Keep a gratitude journal to remind yourself of all the nice emotions you have in your life. My daily writing on the journal shows me how lucky I am.
2. Practice being satisfied
How many times have you said, “If I could buy that car…” or “If I could speak better English…”? or “If I could just have one good date…” — that is a question I asked myself too many times. When you are busy thinking about all the things you want, you can’t appreciate what you have. The next time you find yourself focusing on what you don’t have — including a boyfriend, stop and consider the things you do have in your life that create happiness.
3. Simplify
Technology has given us access to people, places, and information, but your access to infinite data and constant connectivity can be overwhelming, or at least it is hard for me. Keep track of the number of hours you spend on social media every day. Forget about your mobile, and appreciate the simple things-a walk through the park or a quiet evening with some friends. Don’t make your life more complicated and stressful than what is it.
4. Take a risk
If you’ve laid plans your entire life, it might be time to take an unexpected turn. Maybe the career you thought was perfect for you isn’t as satisfying as you hoped. Don’t be afraid to take a critical look at a part of your life that you consider already settled. I find it a very difficult step to take because it also has to do with earning enough money, which often influences your decisions.
Take a look at your personal life as well: maybe some goals you planned are not fulfilling. Take the risk and sign up for a class about something you are interested in. Making changes to your life when things seem to be going well is a risk, but the reward could be a greater sense of fulfillment.
Even if practicing these four steps helped me feel better and enjoy my life, I must admit that they are not always enough to feel satisfied. I think it might have to do with personality: if you are always challenging, pushing, and wanting more out of life, then you might never be completely fulfilled. You keep dreaming of a great future, you live in the future and forget about the great present you have now.
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