How To Find True Happiness And Spiritual Fulfillment

People appear to be looking for identity and fulfillment in every direction these days. We are told by advertising that we can never be fully satisfied unless we have (insert product here). Celebrities claim to have finally found peace and happiness in a certain relationship, lifestyle, or social cause – until they grow tired of it and start looking for something else two months later. And popular culture tells us that “being true to yourself” and “listening to your heart” are the keys to happiness.

The number of people who answered yes or no to nine separate questions is tallied by Harris Poll. Though one of the questions asks participants to rate their own happiness, the other eight are designed to help people figure out what makes them happy or unhappy. Finally, the Happiness Index is the average of the percentages who responded with strong agreement to positive statements (about good relationships with friends and family, general health and spirituality, and that general happiness question) and strong disagreement to negative statements (about bad relationships with friends and family, general health and spirituality, and that general happiness question) (about money worries, feeling left out by politics, work frustration and lack of pastimes).

Why are so many people unhappy in a country where we have so much? Perhaps we're looking for happiness in the wrong areas.

Longings and cravings that can only be satisfied via a connection with God were created by God. Yet, so often, we seek identity and fulfillment in the things of this world. We seek to satisfy our longings through profession, money, pleasure, success, relationships, health, hobbies, and so on, rather than looking to God. And there's nothing wrong with any of these things; they're God's gifts, and they're fantastic in the appropriate circumstances. But it's all too easy to make idols out of these blessings, seeking satisfaction from things rather than the One who gives them to us.

Another location where we look for fulfillment is in other people's acceptance. We try to find our identity in what other people think and say about us, rather than in God's approval and what He says about us. Take, for example, social media. We look for likes and comments on our Facebook and Instagram postings, then read through our feeds, comparing our everyday lives to everyone else's “highlight reels.” And it hurts our feelings when someone didn't “like” our post or comment. It's a depressing way of life. It's no surprise that many individuals try to drown their sorrows in brief highs like booze, drugs, sex, and Ben & Jerry's ice cream.

Finding our identity and fulfillment in material goods is an unstable foundation on which to build our life. These items are subject to being taken away at any time. And, in my experience, God will occasionally take those things away in order to show us that only He can replace the gap in our hearts.

I was tall, slender, and socially uncomfortable throughout my first two years of high school. I didn't feel like I belonged with anyone. Others, including family members, would tell me I was too thin and needed to put on some weight. I used to play basketball, but I wasn't very good and didn't have much confidence. Then, towards the beginning of my junior year, things began to shift. My hard effort began to pay off, and I began to gain muscle mass on my previously frail physique. I improved as a basketball player and was named team captain as a result. Girls began to notice me, and others who had before dismissed me as being too skinny were suddenly awestruck by how muscular and fit I had become.

It felt fantastic to suddenly receive acceptance from other people. I began to define myself by the size of my muscles, the number of points I scored in basketball games, and the compliments I received on my mediocre guitar skills. It only got worse when I started college. I continued to take satisfaction in my body image after receiving remarks from girls at the beach and pool about my lean, muscular physique. (Of course, I was too nervous to really chat to these gals, but it was a great little ego boost.) Despite the attention, I was uneasy, fearful of failure, and concerned about losing the adulation that had been bestowed upon me.

I recently blogged about my long-term health issues and how I became ill during my senior year of college. God essentially stripped away all I had come to associate with my identity outside of Him. I was no longer able to exercise or participate in sports. My previously athletic body had been reduced to a skeleton.

I haven't been able to start a profession or engage in romantic relationships since then, which is perhaps a blessing in some respects because I would have most likely looked for fulfillment in those areas as well. I made healing into an idol during most of my battle with chronic disease, believing that I couldn't be genuinely happy until I was healthy again. But I'm finally getting the message that I feel God has been trying to convey to me all along: that genuine identity, fulfillment, and, yes, happiness can only be found in Him.

Life isn't a Hallmark movie, in case you hadn't noticed. Things don't always go according to plan. Instead, the girl you believed was “the one” marries a self-centered jerk. You had an interview for your ideal job, but you do not receive a call back. The miraculous cure does not always appear at the last possible moment. Setbacks like this can be soul-crushing if we are looking for fulfillment in the things of this world. We can, however, bear the challenges of life if we yield our will and aspirations to God and find our ultimate contentment and fulfillment in Him. And instead of building idols out of the goods He offers us, we can actually enjoy them.

How do you find happiness and fulfillment?

Happiness and Fulfillment in Ten Easy Steps

• Spend time with people who make you happy. According to studies, we are happiest when we are surrounded by happy people.

How do I find fulfillment in myself?

Whether it's in your personal or professional life, set goals for yourself. Perhaps you wish to lose weight, return to school for a higher degree, or increase your water intake.

If you set measurable goals for whatever you want to achieve, you'll be more likely to succeed.

After you've set these objectives, make a step-by-step strategy to reach them, and spend time picturing what it will take to succeed. Your goals will become more feasible and tangible if you develop a clear vision for them.

A vision board is an excellent tool for seeing your future and focusing on your objectives.

What will bring me true happiness?

What exactly is happiness? Give it a name. What are you doing to make yourself happy? Are you actually content?

There are various responses to this topic, such as “I'll be content when I purchase a new automobile, a new house, a new store, travel around the world, be with friends or family, win the lottery, get married, have children, play, and party with friends, among other things.”

The majority of these moments appear in your life for a few minutes or days and then vanish. These are fleeting happiness, such as buying a car, a store, or a house, and they can't keep you happy for long.

People enter partnerships or marriages in search of happiness from their partner, and then one day you have a disagreement or a dispute, and you realize your happiness has vanished.

We all want to spend time with our friends and family because we like being with them. We seek enjoyment by traveling and visiting different cities while photographing picturesque beauty.

But don't you believe your happiness has anything to do with material things, places, or other people?

And the truth is that we seek happiness in the world around us. We don't really comprehend what true happiness entails.

True happiness is happiness that comes from inside. True happiness comes from enjoying one's own company and living in peace and harmony with one's body, mind, and spirit. True happiness is a state of mind in which you are in love with yourself all of the time.

“Happiness is the result of one's own efforts. You battle for it, you strive for it, you insist on it, and you may even travel around the world in search of it. You must consistently participate in the manifestations of your own blessings. And once you've found happiness, you must never stop working to keep it. You'll have to put in a lot of work to keep swimming upward into that happiness and staying afloat on top of it forever.”

What steps can you take to acquire this feeling of pure happiness on the inside? I've compiled a list of resources that can assist you in accomplishing this goal:

>The first and most crucial step is to treat yourself like a great lover, as if you were a prince or princess.

>When you're at work, take time for yourself by reading or writing a book, watching a movie, or doing something else. It's the most effective technique to overcome your anxiety of being alone.

>First and foremost, be nice and modest to yourself; only then can you be this way with others.

>Do tiny acts of kindness, such as smiling at strangers or giving up your seat on public transportation.

You are truly happy when you are happy from the inside out, without relying on worldly possessions or other people. When you are truly content on the inside, you exude that happiness to others.

What brings the most fulfillment?

People seek fulfillment in a variety of ways. “We don't always have joyful experiences in life, but we always have the opportunity to find purpose and fulfillment in our experiences, which I believe is extremely empowering,” she says. “It is always possible to find significance in our lives if we learn to broaden our perspective and adjust our thinking emphasis.”

• Concentrate on the people around you. Buniva claims that finding meaning and fulfillment is often as simple as focusing on others and how we may make their life easier and happier. “One of the things that studies shows us is that volunteering provides a lot of satisfaction,” she explains.
• Take a look at yourself. Buniva suggests reflecting on the times in your life when you felt most fulfilled. Is there a recurring pattern or theme? What was it about those encounters that had the most impact on you? Do you wish you could have more of that in your life? “The kind of misleading association we create with owning the newest trends or the nicest house on the block as indicators of happiness is significantly more subtle,” Buniva explains.
• Be thankful. Gratitude allows people to connect to something bigger than themselves. It also has a number of advantages, such as encouraging more pleasant emotions, boosting health, and coping with adversity. Dr. Wanis advises that you can still seek for more while appreciating what you already have. “Enjoy what you have today and know that you can continue to grow and reach your potential.”
• Make new contacts. Relationships, connections to other people, and a sense of community, whether that community is you and your family, you and your partner, or your group of friends, are the most essential things, according to Dr. Wanis. “It's about bonding, connection, and being around people rather than feeling alone, separated, and disconnected, so you feel connected and a part of something.”

What gives the greatest sense of fulfillment?

When asked what makes us happy, we frequently think about our accomplishments. However, they are not always the same. When someone once asked me, “What brings you the most fulfillment?” I recall thinking to myself, “What gives you the most fulfillment?” I quickly began to recall all of my achievements throughout my life. However, when I went deeper, I discovered that not all of them satisfied me.

A sense of accomplishment is not the same as fulfillment. Yes, we feel joyful and satisfied when we complete a task or achieve our objectives, but a sense of fulfillment is much more profound. A sense of fulfillment indicates a sense of contentment. A deep sense of fulfillment that makes us feel whole or complete. Our beliefs are closely related to it. We can't be fulfilled by something we don't appreciate highly enough. It comes from realizing our ambitions and aspirations, and it is frequently the outcome of our realizing our full potential.

Finally, fulfillment comes from living your life according to your values.

It stems from living a life that reflects the true, authentic you – doing the things (and with the people) that matter most to you, and contributing and making a difference in the ways that matter most to you.

The route to obtaining fulfillment in your life, in my perspective, encompasses three essential aspects –

• Find out what your values are — think of them as your north star. Your unique compass pointing you in the right direction. Understanding what truly matters and gives meaning to your life is critical to finding fulfillment in both your personal and professional life.
• Understand and build on your talents – We typically focus on how to overcome our limitations, forgetting that we all have inherent strengths.
• Things that we're inherently good at and, more than likely, enjoy.
• Finding ways to capitalize on your abilities in life and at work will enable you to prosper.
• Live your mission in a way that is true to the'real' you –
• Too frequently, in our efforts to ‘fit in' and match the expectations of others, we lose sight of what is actually essential to ourselves.
• Your purpose will be guided by your understanding of what is actually important and meaningful to you.
• You will find fulfillment in your life and job if you connect with and live your purpose.

So, the next time someone asks you, “What brings you the most joy?” don't quickly respond with a list of all your achievements. Consider what experiences in your life have provided you with the greatest sense of fulfillment. Which events in your life have had the most impact on you, and why? Look into it. It's well worth the effort.

What is true fulfillment in life?

Contributing to others provides genuine fulfillment. People appreciate volunteering because it benefits others while also making them feel good. Prosocial behavior makes us feel more connected and boosts our empathy for other people's circumstances.

Where I will get happiness?

Now that you've learned about satisfaction, here are six steps I propose to everyone who wants to feel more happy in their daily life. Simple modifications in how you think about happiness and where you obtain your happiness can make a big difference. Here's how to be happier in your life and at work in six easy steps:

Stop chasing happiness

Many people associate happiness with achieving particular objectives or dreams. Happiness becomes a reward rather than an emotion that deserves to be felt on a daily basis as a result of this practice.

Allow yourself to feel happiness whenever it comes your way, rather than chasing goals and, by extension, happiness.

Remove your own barriers to happiness

Following up on point 1, the second disadvantage of placing your happiness on external goals is that you may develop problematic thought patterns. You may forget that feeling joyful originates from within and may be found by turning inward rather than waiting for an external action to trigger it if you hang your happiness on anything external.

Instead of making happiness a long-term goal, think on what makes you happy on a regular basis. That time might be spent with family, friends, or a loved one, or it could be spent doing something fun like painting, cycling, or cooking.

Allow yourself to incorporate these happy moments into your life on a regular basis.

Practice looking inwards

The third stage is to practice looking inwardly in order to find satisfaction within yourself. This is a time-consuming and effort-intensive task that pays off in the long run.

Begin to check in with yourself on a regular basis and identify how you're feeling. If you're stressed, consider applying a stress-management approach, or create a self-care plan if you feel like you could take better care of yourself.

Build your self-esteem

You can start addressing any areas that are bothering you once you've started checking in with yourself. Internal issues can often lead to low self-esteem, so it's worth spending some time taking care of yourself.

“The best way to improve your self-esteem is to treat yourself as you'd treat a valued friend, in a positive but honest way,” the NHS says.

This is an excellent way to assess how you care for yourself, particularly if you work for yourself. Thinking of yourself as your best boss or best friend can help you reframe your relationship with yourself and enable you to be kinder and more fair to yourself.

Furthermore, even at work, allow yourself to be vulnerable. Noticing your problem areas, or your flaws, is a vital first step toward getting help or overcoming your problems entirely.

Be present

Taking time to be present throughout your day, similar to practicing looking inwards, will allow you to genuinely take in your environment and connect with your emotions on a deeper level. Mindfulness at work is becoming a new technique that companies like Google and Facebook are urging their employees to adopt, so you might want to give it a shot in your role or with your team.

Being present can also help you experience happiness more frequently and on a deeper way.

Take time to appreciate yourself

Taking time to appreciate oneself is the final stage in my six-step process. Take pride in your work, your life, and your achievements. You can obtain satisfaction by just reminiscing on past events, some of which were accomplishments and others which were simply enjoyable.

Try reflecting on your path on a frequent basis if you're a freelancer or entrepreneur. It's easy to get caught up in the future and forget how well you've done in the past. You'll not only re-experience the emotions that specific milestones produced, but you'll also uncover ways to improve yourself and your business by focusing on your past experiences.

What is true fulfillment?

The number one sign of people I like is their gratitude. Really. Looking back on all of my relationships, the people with whom I am closest are the ones that express gratitude the most. It makes me pause and think about two things:

Surprisingly, these individuals are also excellent performers. They deliver on a professional, emotional, social, physical, and familial level. They achieve as a result of their ability to learn and improve.

Success is about more than just getting things done; it's about feeling fulfilled. It's all about learning from mistakes and striving for continuous improvement. It's all about taking what you've got – what you've been given — and making the best of it. When we are happy, we perform better. Living up to your potential is what performance is all about. It's all about execution when it comes to performance. Having a concept or a strategy and then figuring out how to implement it. We often focus on the technical skills required, but your mental state is also vital.

Positive psychology is a branch of psychology that focuses on happiness. According to study, activities that you choose to do might account for up to 40% of your happiness, according to positive psychologists Ken Sheldon and Sonja Lyubomirsky. You perform better in all facets of your life when you are happier. The quality of your job improves. Your bonds will be strengthened.

“We are wiser, more driven, and hence more successful when we are happy—when our thinking and mood are positive.” “Happiness is at the heart of everything, and success revolves around it.” Shawn Achor (Shawn Achor)

Dr. Martin E. P. Seligman, a psychologist at the University of Pennsylvania and another top researcher in this field, investigated the impact of numerous positive psychology therapies on 411 people, each compared to a control assignment of writing about early experiences. When participants were given the task of writing and personally delivering a letter of thanks to someone who had never been adequately recognized for their compassion, their pleasure levels skyrocketed. This intervention had a bigger impact than any other, with benefits lasting for a month.

Positive psychology keeps coming back to the same theme in its quest to discover the key of happiness: appreciation. Researchers have discovered that persons who are intentionally involved in attempting to become more grateful are more likely to be happier. Gratitude is a state of mind. It's an emotion we want to feel because we want to appreciate the positive things in our lives.

In a Forbes article, Amy Morin, author of 13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do, outlines 7 Scientifically Proven Ways that thankfulness can improve your life:

Gratitude, both privately and publicly, brings satisfaction. In my experience, people who accomplish specific things are able to experience higher degrees of happiness as a result of their thankfulness.

• Make a note of it! Make a list of what you're grateful for every day. Every morning, make a list of ten things for which you are grateful. Before you go to bed, jot down another ten things for which you are grateful. Our world is shaped by our words. Our perceptions shape our world.
• Let it out! Commit to telling one person each day why you are grateful for them. It may be a friend, a spouse, a coworker, a child, a cab driver, a cashier at the grocery store… anyone. Telling people you're grateful for them raises your consciousness and makes others happy. Don't just say “Thank You.” Be precise in your gratitude and, better yet, send them a letter.
• Forget about it! All challenges, hardships, pain, and setbacks have only as much power as we give them. It's just as vital to let go of the negative as it is to focus on the positive. Concentrate only on what will help you attain your goals and toss out the rest.

It's unrealistic, if not impossible, to be happy all of the time. Adversity is necessary for us to grow. The significance we attach to each situation determines our happiness. We have the ability to choose to be joyful based on our actions. Pain and struggle are necessary for mastery and growth. What defines our happiness is the meaning we give to our misery. We have power over our personal happiness if we can be grateful for the events and enjoy what is happening.

Tell them how much you value them. Recognize the negative, then choose to move on and dismiss the negative thoughts' influence.

How do we get true happiness from God?

The man who fears the LORD and delights greatly in his commands is blessed. ” So, in addition to trusting in the Lord, you and I discover satisfaction through surrendering our will to God's Word and what He asks of us. That is what it means to delight “greatly in his commandments.”