We have all heard the saying, “Live your life to the fullest.” We all want to feel connected to ourselves and others and be a part of something important that makes a difference in the world. We want to fully enjoy our lives. We are at our fullest when there are people who love us, and people we love back. Being inquisitive and learning new things enables our life to be full.
However, life can change in a heartbeat; turn on a dime. The COVID-19 pandemic has certainly taught us this lesson. Besides so many of us losing loved ones to this disease, we also lost a lot of our joys in life such as gathering with friends and family, dining out, shopping, and travel, to name a few. Slowly, some of these things are returning, but with caution. This September is the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. We lost 2,996 people on that date, and many more since due to complications. The lives of many people permanently changed on 9/11 when they were faced with the unexpected loss of loved ones. The terrorist attacks brought on feelings of anxiety and vulnerability as many Americans had their sense of safety and comfort threatened. On a smaller scale, marriages can end in a blink of an eye, we can lose loved ones from accidents, and even lose our job due to changes in the economy.
With our happiness so precarious, it is vital that we live our lives to the fullest with integrity every day. Knowing life can change tomorrow, we need to focus on the here and now. Life is short, and we only live once. Learning to live life to the fullest is an important step in making the most of every day. Here are some ways to try.
Decide What is Important to You
Whether it’s taking care of our children, working hard on our career, writing a new blog post each day, or cooking a fabulous meal, we get to decide how we enjoy spending our time. Our parents, friends, community, and society in general all have their opinions, but at the end of the day, we get to decide what makes us happy.
Be Willing To Take Risks
If we never take risks, we’ll never get anywhere in life, and certainly won’t learn how to live life to the fullest. We need to step outside of our comfort zone or we will stagnate both in our personal lives and careers. It can be as simple as saying ‘yes’ the next time a friend calls and asks to get together rather than staying in alone. It can be taking that step to go out on a date, planning a vacation and actually reserving the beach house, going to that ballroom dancing class, or asking for that raise at work. Time and time again, people will say that they regret the chances they didn’t take in their lives. Don’t let that be us.
Live in the Moment
We learn from the past and look forward to the future, but it is the present that is the only thing in the here and now. We need to learn to practice mindfulness which involves learning to live in the moment. Notice what’s around us, how we are feeling, why we’re feeling that way, etc. Meditation is a way to help with this as it gets in touch with our thoughts and feelings. I try to practice gratitude by writing down three things I am grateful for each day.
Trust Your Instincts
If something doesn’t feel right, we need to trust our instincts and not do it. Compromising our internal codes will only make us feel miserable. Life is full of grey areas and we need to follow our guts and do whatever we want, as long as we can look ourselves in the mirror with self-love. But do be willing to keep an open mind to new things.
Be Kind
There will always be people we meet that need help in some way. Do what you can to help others, even if it is a smile and a kind word. Our society has become so cruel as people can hide behind social media and say things they never would say to someone’s face. Let’s put all that to rest. If others see us being kind, they are more likely to do the same, and soon everyone will be living a fuller life.
Learning to live life to the fullest is a path towards a greater sense of happiness and accomplishment. Discovering what makes our lives feel meaningful and going after it will bring us a sense of fulfillment and enable us to love ourselves.