Success without fulfillment is a loss. True success lies in fulfillment.
What does fulfillment mean to you anyway?
Fulfillment has many different meanings – it all depends on the connotation you give it. It could be so effortless. It could be as elementary as reaching your aspirations. You may find fulfillment once you have attained a goal that you set out for yourself. It may also be as simple as being comfortable in your own skin, admiring the journey that got you to where you are right now.
On a personal level, when I think about what fulfillment means to me, it all narrows down to just being content with what I have achieved in one day. I set daily intentions and I feel complete when I sit down during an evening, reflecting on my day and writing in my journal. Fulfillment is unique to every single one of us. It’s an inner glow that bubbles up inside us. It’s the gratitude and peace that we connect with internally.
We all have an aching desire to live a meaningful life. However, no one really seems to know how.
We confuse fulfillment with what we have instead of what we do. We as a human beings seem to focus on more havings in our life – a bigger car, a better job, a modern house and so on – when the true meaning of fulfillment is an internal feeling. To put it pure and simple, fulfillment is to be happy. It is doing exactly what makes us happy.
What are those specific actions, feelings or accomplishments that will make your heart sing? That very thing that you can’t live without, that very thing that you want so bad that not doing it isn’t an option anymore.
Let’s do some soul searching and explore 5 steps to fulfillment that work a treat!
Love Your Journey
Some of us who are so focused on the outcome actually lose sight of the journey in the process. That’s where most of the learnings come from. When I reflect on where I am today compared to where I was five years ago, I am so grateful of the journey that got me here. It wasn’t always high fives all the way. There were times where I fell down and grazed my knees. There were times when I felt helpless. No matter what the experience, it was an adventure and I loved the journey that got me here.
Follow Your Heart
Remember what we said earlier about actions that make your heart sing? The key is simple – do them. What has helped me in my journey was creating a habit to do something I truly love every single day. If, for some reason, I get to the end of my day and I haven’t specifically completed something that made my heart sing, I will reminisce on the happiest moments in my life that will activate my heart center. We can get so caught up in this busy life that we forget to connect with our heart, just to make sure it is humming like a bird. If you make it a practice that every day you will do one thing that you love, you will feel greater happiness. All you need to do is tap into your heart and listen; you are the only one who knows what fills you up.
Stay True to Your Values
Hold on to your values – don’t compromise them. Your values are your guiding light. Your values are how you make your decisions. They are your unconscious drivers. They are your truth; they are what you believe in. The more you honor your values, the better you will feel about yourself and those you love. A trick is to stay in tuned with your gut. Follow your gut feeling. If you feel resistance, ask yourself – why am I feeling this resistance? You may just find your values have been compromised.
Read the Signs
Sometimes we remain so focused on the how to get what we want out of life that we become so inflexible with our approach. We get stuck. We lose direction. We struggle, when all we need to do is read the signs. Remain flexible. When things don’t go your way, that means there is something greater for you. Even if the path or signs go in a completely different direction to your plan, trust your instinct and keep an open mind. I believe we always receive an answer to our question. For example, I may find myself asking a question, then that very next day I will either hear a song on the radio or drive past a billboard that answers my question. That to me is reading the signs. I am aware and open to the signs around me.
Find the Blessings
Find the blessings in everything that you do. If you look at everything as a blessing, you will open up your neurology for the learnings and receive an abundance of information. In comparison, if you see everything as unfortunate, guess what? You will get more of that very thing you have labeled as unfortunate, closing off your neurology to any possibilities or new information. Blessings move you towards your outcome, whereas feeling less than or unfortunate will stop you right there in your tracks.
We all want to feel fulfilled, happy and abundant and we all have different ways in getting there too. However, following these simple five steps to fulfillment and being in tune with what is working for you and what is not working for you will most definitely bring more happiness into your life.
Start today, bask in the simple pleasures of life, treasure those you love, spend a night watching the stars and have more fun, don’t take life too seriously. All of these gifts, these simple gifts we have at our reach, are the ties that bind our hearts.
Doing what you like is freedom, liking what you do is happiness.
