You deserve to live the best, most meaningful life possible. If you’re unsure if you’re living it, take a moment to assess your life. These signs will help you see if you’re living the fulfilled life you deserve.
It’s easy to look at your life and see the things that didn’t work out as planned. You might recall a person you lost, a goal you didn’t achieve, or a dream that didn’t work out. Everyone has these moments, but you shouldn’t fixate on them.
When you fixate on the things that didn’t work out, you’ll always feel empty or sad. You’ll lose meaning and feel unfilled, searching for something to help you feel better. It’s time to stop looking for fulfillment from outside sources because it’s already within.
These feelings indicate that you aren’t living the meaningful life you deserve. If you think that’s the case for you, these signs can help you identify areas of your life that need work. Or, they’ll help you realize that you’re already living a meaningful life.
Ten Signs of a Meaningful Life
These signs can help you determine if you’re living the meaningful life you deserve. Life is short, and it goes by fast, so you must make the most of each day.
1 – You Have Enough of What You Need
Think about your life and how many of the essentials you have. You’re already off to a good start if you have food to eat, clean water to drink, and a roof over your head.
Next, consider whether your vital organs are functioning and intact. If so, that’s another blessing that shows you have a chance at a healthy life.
You might think these things are minimal and don’t signify a meaningful life, but they are plenty. Many people don’t have these things, so don’t lose sight of the blessings in your life. Let these necessities be enough when you’re going through a hard time, and you’ll always have something to be thankful for.
2 – You Have People Who Cherish You and Want Build a Meaningful Life With You
When you feel empty, take a moment to think about all the people who care about you. Consider those who would be affected if you suddenly weren’t in their lives anymore.
Don’t only think about the people who love you deeply and know you intimately. Many other people in the world would be sad about losing you. These people are the ones who appreciate you and know you in different ways.
Think of those who recognize your voice on the phone or smile when they see you. You might think of the person who remembers how you like your coffee or enjoys seeing your life updates. People who see you as a meaningful person don’t always have a deep connection with you.
3 – You Have Responsibilities–and Feel Fulfilled by Them
It’s sometimes hard to think of the daily tasks of your life as meaningful, but they are. The seemingly mundane reality of each day can begin to feel pointless if you don’t have the right mindset. However, even if your life doesn’t match your childhood fantasies, it is still fulfilling if you have priorities.
From making appointments to driving to and from work, you can find meaning in every task. The fulfillment comes from having responsibilities that affect someone else, whether directly or indirectly. Think of the people you impact by following through on your daily commitments.
Even if someone else can do the same thing you do, you still did it. That means that you’re the one who made the difference in this situation. Each day as you fulfill your obligations and responsibilities, you bring more meaning to your life.
4 – You Made Sacrifices for Someone You Cared About
If you ever gave up on a dream, you might still wish you’d made it happen. However, even if you had to give up on something, you can still live a meaningful life today.
You might have had to give up a dream when you had children or got a steady job. Or, you might have had to let go of something you wanted to move to a new location with your spouse. Whatever didn’t go the way you’d dreamt, remember that it is all okay now.
If you have people worth making sacrifices, try to count your blessings. You only made sacrifices to promote the happiness, safety, and well-being of someone you cared about. Some common instances of making sacrifices for someone you cared about include:
- Passing on your dream college to be with your high school sweetheart
- Not moving for your dream job to care for your parents
- Letting go of your wish to have pets because your partner is allergic
- Traveling the world because you have children
While it’s easy to dwell on missing the chance or thinking you made the wrong choice, it’s essential that you shift your mindset. Shifting your mindset isn’t to say you should give up on your dreams to benefit others. Instead, it’s to say that it means you had deep, impactful relationships.
These decisions also helped shape your decision-making process while being considerate of others. These seemingly bad decisions show that you’re a good person, and you should never shame yourself for that.
Let it be enough that you have a good life now. Every decision you made led you to the people and places you’ve experienced along the way.
5 – You Couldn’t Control the Things That Went Wrong
When things don’t go how you wanted them to, you might regret the situation later on. However, don’t dwell on things that were beyond your control. If you know you can’t change things, it doesn’t reduce the meaning of your life.
Since the world isn’t perfect, things won’t always work out. Things not going as planned don’t mean that your life isn’t fulfilling. Release the thoughts of things you couldn’t control, and you’ll find the meaning you deserve.
6 – You Embrace Challenges if You Have a Meaningful Life
When you acknowledge something isn’t right for you, it’s time to change. Sometimes you might be afraid to delve in and face the challenge. However, if you can embrace the challenges and see the good in your situation, you live a meaningful life.
Challenges don’t have to be defeating. Instead, they can be the changes that make your life better. Making the most of each challenge can make all the difference. Plus, it helps you make decisions for your future, too.
Making the most of the challenges and using the tools you have right now show that you live a fulfilled life. Then, you can learn to make better choices for the future. These experiences bring meaning, strength, perspective, and wisdom to your life.
7 – You Try to Build Meaningful Routines
Routines enhance your ability to make good choices. When something is important to you, nurture those steps. If you don’t wait until you feel ready, you’ll feel more fulfilled. Jumping in and practicing routines can make all the difference.
Taking small steps can help build momentum, helping you see all that you can accomplish. Each time you fulfill the routine, you’ll experience happiness, grace, pleasure, and excellence. As long as you keep trying, you’ll realize how meaningful your life is.
Building routines also shows a healthy balance between enjoying life and doing meaningful things. It builds a solid foundation for happiness, allowing you to embrace your life. A meaningful life is all about working at it each day, not waiting for the big moments.
8 – You Can Identify the Source of Your Intense Emotions
Intense emotions are part of life, including negative emotions. It shows intelligence if you experience anger, sadness, embarrassment, jealousy, guilt, resentment, fear, or regret. Using these emotions as signals to build emotional processing skills shows that you have a meaningful life.
When you avoid overthinking these emotions, it helps you understand the underlying issue. Then, you can work on making things right. Being able to do this shows that you have a fulfilling life.
9 – A Meaningful Life Means You Value Your Time
Time is a resource that will eventually run out. If you think of time any other way, it can interfere with achieving your personal goals. However, if you value your time, it helps you prioritize your goals and face your problems.
10 – You Don’t Limit Yourself
If you don’t limit yourself to things you couldn’t do in the past, you’re doing well. It helps you let go of your failures as you implement better habits. Removing these limits indicates that you’re doing better than before, and that’s all that matters.
Final Thoughts on Living the Meaningful Life You Deserve
You’ve made it this far in life, and it says so much about you. The aspects of life that you often ignore show that you’re living the meaningful life you deserve. Regardless if life worked out the way you dreamed, you’ve still built a beautiful life.
Your life doesn’t have to look like anyone else’s to be meaningful. Embrace the people and things that mean the most, and focus on bettering yourself each day. You can find meaning everywhere, especially in the repetitive parts of your day.
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