Experiencing a Fulfilling Life

A Fulfilling Life

Are you surviving, or just thriving? Some people get to a point in their life when everything they do seems pointless. They work that eight hour shift and arrive home exhausted. With little energy left to spare, they either sit in front of the television or their computer until it is time to go to bed. The big excitement of their life is probably their yearly vacation, or maybe a holiday getaway in late December.

Is This You?

Does this sound like you? This is surviving, not thriving. You go through the motions every day, not really caring about much beyond the day to day grind.

At this point, most people have simply lost touch with those things that once brought them happiness and joy. Without meaning, they just drift along.

If you see yourself in these words, then read on to learn four simple changes you can make in your life. These changes will bring meaning and fulfillment back into your dull life:

Engage Your Brain

Our brains are like sponges that absorb so much throughout the course of each day. We actually crave new information. Challenging yourself by leaning a new skill, concept or even language will have drastic affects on how you perceive yourself. Those around you cannot help but be affected by your more positive outlook towards life. Unchallenged minds do not grow, they stagnate and make life a boring experience.

You can find many online learning sites in your quest to learn a new skill. You can choose to learn something new that enhances your current job, or learn something you have always wanted to do.

Look at these websites to see if one fits your criteria:

* Coursera
This website draws information from universities and organizations across the globe. This ensures that you will find a topic you like in their extensive database.

* Open Culture Courses
If you have no idea what you want to learn, Open Culture offers a nice list of free online courses. Here you can find over a thousand different videos, podcasts and lectures from universities around the world.

* Khan Academy
Khan Academy has a well-organized interface that allows you to choose from courses around the world. They offer an impressive variety of subjects to choose from.

Build a Relationship

It takes purpose and dedication to nurture a relationship to full bloom. If you are already in a relationship, you know that your partner is one you can talk to and share your deepest thoughts with. If you are not currently in a relationship, work towards this end goal.

Having friends is truly a wonderful life experience. However, friends are not someone you can always have that heart to heart conversation with. If you do have such a deep friendship in your life, then reach out to them and continue to nurture this relationship.

Ask these people to join you for coffee or lunch, and spend time remembering old times. The rewards you both will receive from this ‘together time’ will be more happiness and joy in your day, and hopefully your life.

Make that effort today to rekindle an old friendship, or start a new one.

Challenges

One way to bring meaning and clarity back into your life is to challenge yourself by doing something that might be a bit risky. This doesn’t mean you have to jump from an airplane if flying scares you. Nor does it mean mountain climbing in the middle of winter.

Think about those challenging situations of the past that made you marvel about what you had just accomplished. Recreate these memories or build new ones to compliment them.

When you challenge yourself beyond your norm your brain begins to refocus and engage with the outside world once more. As you reach your goal you will see just what you have and how much your life is really worth. Challenges put your life in perspective and will always leave you with powerful stories to share with others. Reach beyond your normal activities and you will find a new you.

Travel

While you probably won’t go ‘where no man has gone before’, you can explore the beaten path and find your own adventures. Whether it is a trip across town, or around the world, the destination is just part of the journey.

A fun water park across town might be the perfect place to bring the family. Exploring someplace you have never been, and having fun doing so, will bring focus to the whole family.

Great Adventures

A solo hike is a great way to open your mind and experience the well-being of being outdoors. Exploring caves, floating down a river or even water skiing are great adventures that take you away from home.

If outdoor activities are not for you, then visit your local library to learn about the many indoor adventures you can find close to home.

Not all travel and adventure is going to be positive. However, it is the experience you are looking for. You can always build upon the good and work on the bad. You can do neither if you never leave home.

Learn Something New

Whichever way you choose to enhance your life, remember that the purpose of doing so should be to learn something new. It is the act of ‘learning and doing’ that will bring back the joy to your life. When you enjoy what you are learning, and feel fulfillment while doing so, you give your life meaning.

At this point, you are not just surviving, you are thriving!