For most of us, life isn’t what we expected it to be while growing up! We’ve found ourselves out of that picture that we drew while still young and are now recollecting ourselves.
I vividly remember standing at the edge of my home hoping to get married five years later. I was around 19 years old, and hoped my husband would be a good man, loving and caring. I pictured myself completing university, getting a good job, and settling down with my own perfect family. It’s never bad to dream, but what happens when all those dreams fail to come to pass?
I had a totally different perception of the world we live in. Not everyone has the same values as you, sensitive about others or mindful about the choices they make. That was the first mistake I made. I maintained my beliefs and mindset only to move from bad to worse.
My first relationship was what redefined the way I see life right now. Sometimes it’s not that you lack whom to talk to, but it’s trust issues that widen the distance. Sometimes you want to talk, but are scared of what they might think about you. But through all that, what can you do as you wait for things to become better?
Wellness and fulfillment in life
According to the Global Wellness Institute, wellness is the active pursuit of activities, choices, and a lifestyle that lead to a state of holistic health. You can also define wellness as the healthy practices we take in life to bring about or maintain our mental and physical health. When one is intentional about his or her physical and mental state, they are more likely to prevent the adverse effects of life’s trauma. Moreso, they are able to thrive through circumstances.
On the other hand, fulfillment refers to the feeling of satisfaction and happiness in life. Fulfillment is the end result of doing something you are passionate about or something that gives you peace and happiness. Commonly, fulfillment is produced from the choices we make every day or during our lifetime.
Many people live a fulfilled life, not because they are rich or have the best families, but because they always choose to do things that add value to them or to others. For example, practicing empathy and following your inner desires can be some of the few things that lead to fulfillment in life. Both wellness and fulfillment are crucial to living the best life and here are some of the best tips you can follow to make that happen;
- Find who you are!: Your values and beliefs are core aspects of your personality. It is easy for people to live a meaningful life when they’re clear about their values and beliefs. However, it is very easy for life to sway one who doesn’t have strong beliefs and values. With that, ensure to understand and follow your values. The more you deviate from what gives you a sense of fulfillment, the more you’re likely to be unhappy. Use reflection models to understand who you are based on your inner self, life experiences, and desires.
- Better build than destroy: Most happy people in life live by the principle of building others. There is no way you can come up in life when you’re destroying others. Down the road, life’s forces will catch up with you. With that, consider building others to live a happier and more fulfilling life. Give where you can and it will certainly get back to you down the road.
- Practice emotional intelligence: Emotional intelligence is a skill that helps people to understand and manage their emotions and those of others. Emotional intelligence is important because life is always going to throw stones at you and it’s how you respond that matters. Bagging pain and acting out of anger is a definite hallway to self-destruction.
Yet, people who are emotionally intelligent live happier and longer because they know how to deal with their emotions and feelings. Developing emotional intelligence takes practice, but it is associated with a range of benefits that can improve personal wellness and fulfillment.
- Run on a schedule: An idle mind….is a devil’s workshop. Do you have a job, run a business or you’re a housewife? Have you just gotten fired or are still aligning your life in a given area? Create and follow a schedule. Running on a schedule is one way of making every hour and day count. That’s regardless of what you do.
- Don’t get stuck in your past! Grow, evolve, and change, that’s the only way you can live a thriving life. Avoid holding onto something you can’t change or a past experience that you can’t undo. If it hurts you, find someone to talk to or find other means of getting past it. Music is a good therapy you can consider to deal with pain and disappointments.
- Invest in self-care: Are you fostering a roadmap for self-improvement? Invest in yourself. Unfortunately, many of us get lost in our jobs, or family responsibilities and fail to take good care of ourselves. Treating yourself to a special cup of coffee on a big day is one way of improving mental wellness. Besides, taking care of your looks and altering your wardrobe are other tips for living a happy life.
- Sleep better: Sleep deficiency and sleep disorders are associated with a range of repercussions. Truth be told, depending on what you’re going through, you may not be able to get quality sleep and this can lead to insomnia if not dealt with. Stress is a major trigger for poor sleep among adults and it increases cortisol, which increases the brain’s use of glucose. Depending on the cause, receive therapy, try to go to bed early, and exercise regularly for stress management.
- Hang out more with people that make you happy: If you are sad, disappointed, or going through a difficult phase in life, it’s essential to hang out more with people that put a smile on your face.
After all, “a glad heart makes a cheerful face, but by sorrow of the heart the spirit is crushed.” Yes, there are moments when you must be alone, but let it not be a lifestyle, especially at the expense of your joy. Learn to be happy throughout seasons and circumstances.
To encapsulate, life is full of challenges yet there is no single antidote for that. Sometimes, you have to go through something in order to learn how to deal with it. But in all cases, one must be open to learning. Also, you must maintain a positive attitude.
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