Definition and purpose of a good life can vary from people to people. But the basic meaning of a good life is, a life fueled by purpose, self-satisfaction, enjoyment and fulfillment.
It is possible to live a fulfilled life with less resources. But more resource doesn’t mean more fulfillment in life. For example, a good life requires many elements such as good emotional health, a good physical health, family and friendship, career, personal objectives, and a healthy proactive mindset.
Before going in depth, we will have to understand the basic psychology of human needs, which was explained in Abraham Maslow’s hierarchy of needs theory. It is described in the chart
According to Maslow, innate human needs are divided in 3 categories. Basic needs, psychological needs and self-fulfillment needs. In broader aspect, Maslow’s hierarchy of needs is divided into 5 categories. These are explained below:
Physiological needs: This is basic and hereditary needs among all Mammals and animals. The needs are food, water, warmth, and rest. These needs are obligatory to all living beings.
Safety needs: Safety needs are also basic needs. These include security and safety. Such as a house or a shelter.
Love and belonging: Love and belonging is inherent in human DNA, that’s why humans are called social animal. Family, friendship and relationship are also required to live a satisfactory life.
Esteem Needs: Esteem needs meaning recognition of self by societal and career endeavors. Meaning a person desire respect and a feeling of accomplishment.
Self-Actualization: It means to become a best version of oneself and reaching a person’s true potential.
In a nutshell, basic needs and psychological needs are necessary to live a good life. From fulfilling basic needs to building social connection, getting recognition and achieving goals in life are what gives us purpose in life. Last not least, self-actualization needs can differ from people to people. This gives us peak experiences in life. A monk can find self-fulfillment from meditating in a remote cave, and a billionaire may find self-fulfillment from philanthropy.
So, to live a good life you must not only meet your basic and psychological needs. You also need to have your self-fulfillment and self-actualization needs fulfilled. While, a right perspective and determination in life can place you in right place to live a good life. Wrong mindset can be detrimental to living a good life. Even though you might achieve a lot, while still not getting the fulfillment.
Today in this article, we are going to discuss ultimate way to live a good life by adopting right mindset and approaching the right life goal.
Manage your expectations
Desire is the root of all suffering – Gautam Buddha
We all have some sort of expectations in life. It can be related various objective, such as love life, Career or professional life. We are fueled by our desire to achieve extraordinary things. But often time, we overestimate our dreams, and our expectations in those life objectives can be unrealistic. And when our desires turn out to be unfulfilled, we can fall into deep hole of mental agony. Because we put our self-fulfillment on those objectives. This can create unhappiness, sadness and depression in one’s mind.
For example, if your goal in life is to become an actor. You may engage in hard work, and all the possible steps required to succeed. This is a great goal, and you should continue working on your dreams. But if you seriously just wish to become a legendary actor like Tom Hanks or Tom Cruise just by taking some acting classes, the result might be futile. The truth is, life is unpredictable and sometimes it can be unfair. The probability of your success can be reduced due to multiple factor. But if you put your whole happiness on just specific things, such as on your career objectives or your love life. You may feel incomplete with your life.
Although career and life objective are important. It is important to work hard, and do whatever it takes to become successful. But it is necessary to set realistic expectations, and setting goals which are realistically achievable. This not only ensures your probability of success. Also, you are path will be less complicated.
Also, a person who is striving for success, if wishes to live a good life, should also focus on various life elements such as relationships, family, social life, health, and hobbies. It will ensure that he or she is living a life which align with life values, and the outcome will be more self-fulfillment.
Remember that, you are not physiologically wired to born to be successful. Rather you are born to survive, using intelligence to gather resources, and leave your offspring on planet before you die. So, don’t make your life so complicated.
Learn to be happy with what you have, practice gratitude
Appreciation is a wonderful thing it makes what is excellence in others – Voltaire
In this Capitalistic world, we are swayed by those luxurious materials and all those mindboggling human inventions to comfort. We want those. Because we believe that we will be happier with those elements. Otherwise, we won’t. We associate materials with our happiness. Sometimes we become so weak that we need the buzz of wealth to feel high of life. We dream of big cars, mansion, and a spectacular bank balance. And lack of those items makes us sad and depressed. The more we get, the more we want. And it makes us more miserable. Although there is nothing wrong with dreaming of materialistic elements in life. Often times we are not happy with what we have.
If you are someone like me, who is from a Middle-Class family. And wishes to buy extraordinary things in life such a luxury car or a Rolex watch. I dream about those too. But lack of it doesn’t makes me sad or depressed. Instead I am grateful for what I have. Because I know that contemplating on what we don’t have doesn’t make a difference in our lives except making us more miserable.
The key to living a good life is to staying happy with what you have. And practicing sense of appreciation will give you more fulfillment in life. Work hard and dream big. Have patience, you will get what you want, although not immediately but definitely. Meanwhile practice a bit of thankfulness to achieve mental satisfaction. That mental satisfaction can ignite a positive fire of feeling to do more initiation in life.
Focus on personal development
Excellence is the gradual result of always striving to do better – Pat Riley
Not everyone is born genius. Not everyone is born into an educated caregiving family where parent teaches children some valuable lessons. Sometimes we have to take our own initiation to build a new self where better habits are formed, and useless habits are eliminated. It will help us navigate a better and successful life.
Focusing on personal development such as learning a skill which pays, getting a degree, exercising and dieting to become healthy, becoming more disciplined, building leadership skills etc. will help give more fulfillment in life. If you believe that you are not living your absolute best life, it can be a turning point for your life.
Personal development will boost your self-image and self-esteem, making you more confident and resilient in your life. Personal development will also aid you in your professional life. Thus, making you more successful and allowing you to live a good life.
Emphasize on emotional health
Your mental health is everything- prioritize it. make the time like your life depends on it, because it does – Mel Robbins
Mental Stability plays a huge role in happiness, career success, better relationships etc. Without a sound and healthy emotional health, a person experience various issues such as depression and anxiety, chronic stress, mental fatigue. That’s why optimal mental health is a prerequisite to living a good life. With a safe and sound mental health, a person can experience greater joy, enjoyment and fulfillment in life.
Although there are multiple factors which can ensure better emotional stability. For example, lifestyle factors such as quality sleep, nutrition, stress reduction techniques, exercise etc. There are also many practices such as mindfulness practices, journaling, cognitive behavior therapy, positive thoughts and affirmations and gratitude can also help in better emotional health.
People who experience frequent mood swings, excessive worry and depressed mood for longer than 2 weeks may experience medically diagnosed mental illnesses such as Major Depressive Disorder or Generalized Anxiety. These mental illnesses can affect a person’s life quality. In that case, professional help from a psychologist or a psychiatrist is necessary. Because untreated mental conditions can worsen a person’s life satisfaction.
In conclusion, better mental health will result in better life satisfaction, more fulfillment, happiness and better relationships. People should focus on practices and lifestyle adjustments which can result in better mental health outcomes. If needed, people who shows sign of mental illnesses shouldn’t hesitate to consult a professional in the relevant field.
Take care of your health
Take care of your body. it’s the only place you have to live – Jim Rohn
Good health requires good sleep, physical movements, nutrition, sound mental health etc. The more you fulfill those steps the healthier you become, the chance of illnesses reduces and the more vitality you have in your life. Good health is also a prerequisite in living a good life. Because you can ensure better energy, better brain, better cardiovascular system, better sleep and better mental outcome through your health.
Most of us know health is wealth. If you have all the money, time and materials in the world, but not a good health. All of it are meaningless. A good life requires a good health. That’s why people who live longer life carry a good health, and people with good health live longer. For example, the highest life expectancy in the world is Japan. They have the best infrastructure, education, financial system. They also live a very healthy lifestyle. That’s why they live longer. They are also happier. Not only their society emphasized on material elements, they also emphasized on health and well-being.
To take care of your health some of the actions you can take are described below:
- Sufficient quality sleep to ensure better physical and mental recovery.
- Whole foods, herbs and supplements to ensure adequate nutrition.
- Exercise for energy and vitality.
- Relaxing activities to reduce mental fatigue and promote mental detoxification.
- Avoiding sugary and processed food to reduce the chance of health complications such as diabetes and high blood pressure.
- Work-life balance to ensure both productivity and enjoyment in life.
Invest in healthy social relationships
One best book is equal to hundred good friends but one good friend is equal to a library – APJ Abdul Kalam
Humans are social beings. Healthy relationships help us thrive, enjoy our life and reduce stress. While toxic relationship can negatively impact our health.
Human brains are wired to seek social interactions. Whether you are an introvert or extrovert, you still need some sort of social interaction to feel energized. Positive social interactions, a good friend or a good spouse can immensely benefit your life.
Healthy friend circle, relationships, family and community engagement can help us live a meaningful life and form better relationships.
Live your life mindfully
The Past Is History. The Future Is a Mystery. Today Is a Gift. That’s Why It’s Called the Present
Mindfulness means being in aware and conscious state of something. Mindfulness is a quality which is most people losing these days. Mindfulness living requires staying and living on present moment’s thoughts and actions, while not contemplating on past or future. Mindfulness living is an art, if adopted, can show you the beauty of lfie.
In the age of technology, social media and binge-scrolling. People’s mind is getting so bombarded with information that, it is forgetting to remain mindful. Also, chaos of day to day life is making our mind overthink. When we overthink, we are not seeing life as it is. Instead we are basing our thoughts, emotions and decision based on impulses and anxiety. That’s where the problem arises, and we make major bad decisions. We fall into chronic stresses, our brain becomes foggy, and some of us indulge in instant gratification activities such as porn or drugs as a source of escapism.
But living a mindful life not only enhance your mental clarity. It also purifies your thoughts, emotions and cultivate your inner happiness. Mindful living can also foster growth, happiness, and creativity. Also helping us finding inner peace.
Some people live a mindful life. For other’s it requires practice and dedication. First step to adopt mindfulness living is to start a meditation practice or breathing exercise. Simple meditation practice such as focusing on breath, or focusing on thoughts is a great way to start. The more you practice the more you become better at it.
Track your habits
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit – Aristotle
Habits are course of action, behavior or routine which subconsciously occurs automatically and repetitively. Habits are fixed behavior which occurs at daily basis. There are good habits, which helps us progress in life. And there are bad habits, which negatively affects our daily course of action.
To live a good and fruitful life, it is necessary that we build good habits such as waking up early, eating healthy, exercising regularly, reading books, positive thinking etc. Also refraining from or beating negative habits such as drinking, smoking, procrastination, waking up late etc.
Tracking habits enables us differentiate good habits and bad habits in our life. So, we can break the pattern of bad habits, and build more quality habits. Thus, enabling us living a good life.
Participate in meaningful activities
Meaningful activities are actions or activities which gives a person excitement and sense of purpose. These activities are attuned to an individual’s personal preference or choice.
Anything we do, if doesn’t serve a purpose or give us meaning, makes us bored and often force us to give up. Because we tend to achieve success in a task, which we enjoy. It can range from a daily hobby to a career choice. That’s why Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple, advised people to choose passion which makes us interested. Even if nothing makes us interested, we should keep searching for a purpose. We will eventually find a purpose which makes us interested.
Doing whatever we like, not only makes us achieve accomplishment. We also feel happy, and further keep doing it because we enjoy it. Suppose, if you are passionate about becoming a Musician, you should continue towards your path. Results are not important. The important thing is the satisfaction which comes from your passionate. It will make your life worth living.
