Have you ever felt like there should be more to life?
“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honourable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”
— Ralph Waldo Emerson
This week I’m going to share with you 5 things you could add to your life that in time will make you feel more fulfilled, balanced, healthy, and motivated
5 Ways to Enrich Your Life
- Gratitude
Learning to focus on the positive rather than the negative is a radical shift in the way we approach life if we are prone to negativity. You are responsible for setting the balance between a negative and a positive general outlook on the world. This is a mindset and a discipline that can become a natural habit. Consciously notice and acknowledge things that are good in your life and in the world as often as you can. Sharing these things with others can make for a lovely discussion around the dinner table. - Relationships
Spend time with people who are growing or developing and who encourage you to do the same. Authentic people who you can be authentic with. If you find yourself having to act or self-censor around someone, they are probably not good for you. Try to find people who are willing to challenge you kindly when they are worried you are making bad choices as these are the people that truly want the best for you. - Nature
Spending time in nature often is undoubtedly good for us, perhaps on a cellular level. People who spend time in nature look very different to those who live mostly indoors. There is a freshness and a healthy vitality about them. Nature is an effective antidote to the madness of society, and it is a natural antidepressant. Whether you enjoy hiking, surfing or cycling, find something you love doing regularly outdoors and you will be happier, healthier and more balanced in no time at all. - Purpose
Your life has to have some sort of meaning if you are to enjoy getting out of bed each morning with excitement for the day ahead. People with a sense of purpose are more content, more focussed and more driven. There is wisdom in finding deep meaning in the day-to-day stuff of life. Trying your best to be a loving parent, a passionate musician or a devoted spouse each day is a significant and beautiful contribution to life. - Service
In the world of psychology at the moment there is, in my opinion far too much focus on the self. There is an almost obsessive narrative in which the happiness of the individual is seen as the ultimate achievement. I don’t believe that this self-seeking attitude is in any way good for the human spirit, nor do I believe it will lead to genuine fulfilment for the individual. One of the most effective ways to bolster your own mood if you are feeling low, is to do something helpful or kind for someone else. Offer help to someone who is struggling, send a nice text message to a friend, buy flowers for your wife. If you do this consistently, you will feel better, and the world will be a slightly better place. Make a shift from ‘me’ or ‘I’; from thinking about yourself to thinking about others.
I’ll be back next week with some more relationship and mental health advice so if you’ve enjoyed this please do consider signing up to my monthly newsletter. Until then, remember…. Tell The Truth.
