Are you truly happy with your life? Do you feel your life is fulfilling and full of meaning? Or do you find yourself feeling dissatisfied with your lot – more often than not? If so, there are five common things people don’t do that keep them stuck in a cycle of dissatisfaction. Read on to discover the five things that could be holding you back from true happiness.
1. You don’t know your purpose
Many people go through life without ever figuring out why they are here or what their mission in life is. It’s important to take time and reflect on what really matters to you and how you can use your talents and passions to make a difference in the world. (Want some help with this? Take a peek at the Find Your Passion and Purpose Program here.)
When you have found your purpose, it allows you to focus on activities that will bring more meaning and fulfillment into your life. And it makes easier for you to make decisions in line with that purpose.
Knowing your purpose is key to living a fulfilled and happy life. Once you know what you’re good at, what energizes you and makes you want to get out of bed in the morning, you can really live an authentic and joy-filled life.
2. You don’t act on your potential
If you don’t act on your potential, then it won’t matter how much potential you have – nothing will come of it! Take action on the things that excite and motivate you, even if they seem too difficult or impossible at first. Stay committed to your purpose, be strong and keep pushing and learning and adapting. Doing this will help bring out the best in yourself and lead to greater satisfaction down the road.
3. You’re not living in the present
Too often we get caught up in thinking about the future or ruminating over the past rather than being present in the moment. This can lead you to feel unhappy and dissatisfied because we are not acknowledging or appreciating what is happening right now instead, we worry about what might happen tomorrow or regret what happened yesterday.
Focus on appreciating the present moment and find joy from within – each day. Doing so will help you see how much beauty already exists in your life and how much potential there is for growth. When you focus on living in the present moment, you are more connected to yourself and your environment, which leads to greater contentedness with your life as a whole.
Take a few minutes each day to focus on your breathing. Notice how your breath enters and exits your body. Bring all of your attention on to your breathing and you’ll find yourself coming back to the present moment. Then look around and see what you have right here and now and enjoy it.
4. You’re holding onto negativity
Negative thoughts breed negative energy and dissatisfaction which can hold us back from achieving true happiness and satisfaction with our lives. When you have a barrage of negative messages swirling around in your head, it only takes about 16 seconds for you to start feeling negative emotions. When these pile up it can be hard to break out of this cycle without outside help or intervention. Toxic emotions like anger, resentment, hurt can stop us from achieving our goals as they weigh us down and lead us away from happiness instead of towards it!
To break free from these negative emotions try writing down why you feel these emotions so that you can process them more clearly. If you struggle with this, find ways to move forward by working with a coach or therapist to fully release these emotions. That way you ditch feeling dissatisfied, and you don’t let negativity dictate your life story!
5. You’re not dealing with your personal issues
In my experience as a counsellor and coach, 99% of the reason we are dissatisfied with our present situation (or our life) is because we’re trapped in negative thought cycles, unhealthy behavioural patterns or plagued by the issues we have from our past – whether it’s unresolved trauma or unaddressed emotions such as anger, sadness, hurt or shame (to name a few).
It’s important for us to acknowledge these issues and deal with them head-on. Seeking counselling if needed, processing them properly, forgiving ourselves when needed — these are all vital steps towards freeing ourselves from the burden of unresolved issues so that we can move forward without them holding us back anymore and start living a happier more fulfilled life – today.
(If you would like some help to decisively deal with your issues, you will like the Release the Past: Experience Peace and Ease Again Program.)
These five tips are designed for anyone who wants to feel more satisfied with their life but isn’t sure how to do it – knowing your purpose, acting on your potential, living in the present moment, letting go of negativity and dealing with personal issues are all essential steps towards finding true happiness and contentment within yourself and your life overall!
By taking these steps seriously and dedicating time each day towards being mindful of them and working through them individually, anyone can achieve a greater sense of satisfaction with their current circumstances – regardless of where they may be at right now!
So, take some time today for yourself – start making small changes towards achieving a deeper level of happiness today!
