Six Habits To Feel Happier And More Fulfilled

On the surface, life appears to be a combination of your thoughts, beliefs, behaviors, and actions, where even the littlest and seemingly insignificant things can make huge impacts, triggering lasting effects.

On a deeper level, your beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, and actions are a product of your identity, which we’ll leave for another time. 

There’s an effect for every cause (your beliefs, behaviors, thoughts, and actions). And how that “effect” affects you largely depends on your outlook and perspective – how you see things and what they mean to you.

Although we could venture deeply into this topic, let’s keep it simple because our goal is to learn what we can do to feel more fulfilled today.

According to studies, people with an optimistic mindset enjoy a more fulfilling, satisfying life because they don’t allow their negative self-talk to engulf their lives or poison their outlook. 

They acknowledge whatever comes along and deal with it with resilience, positive action, acceptance, and faith that everything will eventually work out.

That approach to life isn’t just for a select few who are more special or worthy; it’s available to all of us.

With that in mind, here are six daily routines to help you feel more satisfied and fulfilled in life and with life.

Daily Prayer & Meditation

Taking a few minutes daily for prayer and meditation is a grounding, centering practice that stabilizes your life. 

Prayer, meditation, and Bible reading are associated with improved physical, emotional, and mental health and reducing stress while promoting self-awareness and gratitude.

Researchers say that even 5–10 minutes of daily meditation makes a huge difference in your day because it facilitates inner peace and cultivates feelings of gratitude.

Prayer and meditation can also reduce negative emotions, giving you a new perspective on stressful circumstances. Thus, you become more capable of facing challenging situations with resilience and inner power.

Make a To-Do List

Some people don’t mind to-do lists, while others hate them; pros and cons exist. 

However, listing your home/work priorities and tasks for the day keeps you organized and more productive. It also encourages you to get done what matters most first. All the better if you schedule these tasks on your calendar. 

A to-do list guides your day, reminding you to follow through and stop putting things off. At the end of the day, you’ll feel good about what you crossed off and accomplished, perhaps even proud. It’s empowering!

Enjoy Nature

Research shows that spending time in nature has a marvelous effect on our emotional and psychological health. It amplifies positive feelings while reducing stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues.

As little as 10–15 minutes daily outdoors can improve mood and boost happiness, increasing feelings of life satisfaction. 

Relaxing in nature calms the mind and spirit. And adding prayer and meditation can make you feel connected to something bigger than yourself.

Another great benefit of spending time in nature is that it makes you more active, whether a brisk morning walk or a leisurely sunset stroll in the evening. 

Learn Something New

Staying curious and always learning something new is another way to feel more fulfilled and satisfied with life. 

Gaining new skills and experiences makes you more self-aware, well-rounded, wiser, and knowledgeable. 

With so much information at our fingertips, learning new skills has never been easier. There’s a video, book, documentary, podcast, handout, course, or online class for anything that interests you. 

Self-education enhances the quality of your life in so many ways, not to mention how it improves cognitive functioning by keeping your brain cells active and healthy, defeats boredom, and equips you to be of greater service and help! 

Move

You might be the type that enjoys pushing yourself in the gym, bike, or trail, or you might have a laidback style and go where the spirit leads. You don’t have to do high-intensity sessions multiple days a week to reap health benefits. 

Just start moving your body. Why? Because you were designed to move, not rust!

Set a couple reasonable goals and get out and move! 

Take a five or ten-minute walk during your lunch break, follow along to a fun 15-minute workout routine in your living room, or get a gym membership. Or if you like sports, join a league. 

Physical activity relieves stress and boosts confidence. And it releases endorphins, which is one of the feel-good hormones.

Connect 

We thrive when connected socially. Some of the longest-running research projects spanning decades reveal we’re happiest and healthiest when connected to others. 

Isolation and loneliness significantly increase the chances of early death because of the coping mechanisms we fall into to deal with the pain. 

Whether you’re introverted or extroverted, you’re a social creature. Connecting with friends, family, and co-workers in healthy ways should be a priority if you want to feel fulfilled because it gives you a sense of being cared for and loved. But it isn’t all about you because connecting with others gives you a chance to support and care for them, too. 

Another great benefit of social connection is that it serves as a kind of safety net when facing life’s challenges, and it also improves your ability to bounce back when life goes sideways. 

Social connection reduces stress, anxiety, and depression and strengthens the immune system. 

Social connection improves your overall health and well-being. 

Even a 10-minute phone or video call with a loved one will lift your spirits, promote a healthy lifestyle, improve sleep, and lower your risk of chronic diseases.

When you step back and observe your life, how are things spiritually in the area of prayer and meditation, getting things done and crossing off priorities, enjoying nature in all its beauty, being curious and learning new things, exercising your body, and connecting socially with loved ones in healthy ways or volunteering for a worthy cause? 

Are you living or existing? Surviving or flourishing? 

Only you have the answer. But even more importantly, only you have the power and authority to create and enjoy a more fulfilling, satisfying life through the power of choice. Today can be the day everything changes. 

As you review this list of six things you can do to enjoy a more satisfying, fulfilling life, what are one or two things you can add today or tomorrow that will help you unlock your best life?