“I want to be happier and more fulfilled.” This is the answer I get when exploring reasons why people want to achieve their goals or if they’re feeling stuck.
In today’s article, I share 5 things you can do to create more happiness and fulfillment. These steps don’t have to be followed in the same order. You can start from any and work your way around them.
5 Steps to a Happier and More Fulfilled Life
Step 1: Let Go
Let go of the past
Start by letting go of your successes and failures of the past. As a wise person once said, “Yesterday is history, today’s a mystery. All we have is the present moment. That’s why it’s called the present (gift)”.
All your achievements and mistakes lie in the past, it’s time to re-write the future while enjoying the present.
Let go of negative emotions
If you are prone to flying off the handle on a regular basis or due to small irritations, then it’s time to take control of your emotions.
One solution is to learn deep breathing exercises. Each time you feel your emotions taking control, you focus on your breathing and let go of the emotions.
You can also seek the help of a qualified counsellor or therapist if you have emotional trauma from the past that’s preventing you from living a happier life today.
Let go of toxic relationships
Who are the people you hang out with the most (including friends, colleagues and relatives)? Do they build you or break you?
How do you feel when you are with them? Do you feel put down, drained of energy and mostly negative? Or do you feel invigorated and energized after hanging out with them?
Do they help you rise above your limitations or do they keep you focused on your limitations (so you continue playing small)?
You are the average of the 10 people you hang out with the most. Think about that especially if you’re hanging around toxic people.
Let go of the past. Let go of all negativity in your life and anything or anyone that makes you doubt yourself. Overcome your failures. Start thinking positive thoughts in order to build a positive self-image.
Step 2: Create Positive Energy
Be grateful
Gratitude moves your mind from negativity and into a positive mind-frame instantly.
Be grateful for what you have, for your health, for the things you own, or even just for being alive. No matter the situation you are in, it could have been worse.
When you’re grateful, you attract more success and balance into your life. Take time at the end of each day to be grateful for 3 things or people in your life.
Additionally, you can create a Gratitude Journal and write your 3 daily gratitudes in there. When you’re feeling low, take out your Gratitude Journal and read through it for quick motivation.
Think positive thoughts
Create a vision of the life you want. Use this vision to give yourself a boost each day and start living as if you are already the person in your vision.
Make your life fun and enjoy every moment. Pay attention to your language and keep it positive. Think about what you want to achieve and not what you want to move away from.
Finally, stop worrying about what people think of you and adopt Wayne Dyer’s affirmation, “What you think of me is none of my business!”
Create a positive and empowering environment
Given that the mind stores and utilizes all the information it’s collecting, then it’s important to feed it positive information as much as you can.
With this in mind:
- Dump the junk music, movies, TV and radio programs you listen to or watch.
- Reduce addiction to social media.
- Get out of the numerous groups that consume your time (and energy).
- Read or listen to empowering books.
- Listen to music and podcasts that uplift you.
- Watch movies that motivate you and build your life.
Having an empowering internal environment will significantly increase your chances of being happier and more fulfilled.
Reward yourself
Set up a system for rewarding yourself when you achieve your goals or sub-goals. The rewards can be as small as buying your favourite coffee or as large as taking a holiday.
When you reward yourself consistently, you’ll be more motivated to work on your goals. The achievement of your goals will in turn lead to increased happiness and fulfilment.
Set up your Success Team
Get clear on what you want to achieve this year and then seek the people who will push you into success. All successful people have a team that believes in them and helps them move in the direction of their goals.
Your team should include: a power-friend, a mentor, an accountability partner, a mastermind group, and/or a coach.
Equally important, ensure that your success team only has people who empower you and none of the toxic people you should have let go of earlier.
Step 3: Take Action
Take Action on the things you want to be, do or have
You cannot be happier or fulfilled if you’re not working on the things you like. Here are tips to start working on what you want:
- Create your GOALS for the next 12 months.
- Make a MASTER PLAN for achieving your goals.
- Make sure that your goals and master plan are aligned with your VALUES, BELIEFS and personal VISION.
- Pick one goal out of your list and take ACTION on this goal daily for the rest of the year or until you achieve it. There’s no giving up, slacking off, complaining, or blaming others. You just work on the goal one day at a time.
"A poorly developed plan that’s executed is more effective than an outstanding plan that’s not put into action!" ~ Brian Tracy
Clear up pending stuff
It’s easy to ignore negative things and take action only on positive things. Clear out the stuff that’s accumulated in your home, car, workplace and computer.
Create and implement a plan to get free and clear of debt. Confront an unfaithful partner or spouse… Take action on everything that’s not working in your life as you clear internal and external clutter.
Start small and work up to the big ones as your action-taking muscles strengthen.
Take advantage of unfolding opportunities
Anything that you or the people around you are complaining about or having challenges with is an opportunity for you to grow.
Also, be on the look-out for any signs that lead you towards the achievement of your goals. The opportunities that don’t make sense today are the killer businesses or career-building ideas of tomorrow.
Step 4: Make Positive Change in Your Life
Change your thoughts to change your life
Identify your negative thoughts and beliefs and change them into positive empowering ones. This action alone is enough to turn your life around in 12 months.
Invest in ICAN (Improvement is Constant And Never-ending)
Invest in your personal development on a month by month basis. Use books, courses, mentors and coaches to improve your life and increase your success rate. Always be on a learning curve.
Dare to do things differently this year. Tell yourself over and over again: I CAN, I WILL, I DARE, I DO! Then move to make the changes you need to make in your life.
Take Action NOW! Are you feeling stuck, unhappy and unfulfilled? Book a Strategy Session today and find out how you can get unstuck and clear obstacles to your success, happiness and fulfillment.
Step 5: Take Control of Your Life
There’s always a way…
If your goal requires time or resources that you don’t have right now, scale it down to something you can achieve with minimal resources and start there.
For example, a few years ago, I wanted to attend a coach training program that cost $6,000. I was stressed because I didn’t have that money.
So I signed up for a program that cost $700. The training I got in this shorter program helped me make money to pay for the $6,000 one.
Back to you…Never give up on your goals! Brainstorm and come up with ways to start working on your goals within your current means then take action on your ideas.
Smile and enjoy the process
Change never comes easy, even when you initiate it yourself. It takes a lot of work to turn your life around and things can get rocky before they get better.
Stop once in a while and enjoy life in a responsible manner. Make fun and self-care a part of your weekly activities. Unplug from your work or business during this downtime and spend time with loved ones or doing things that you love.
Are you ready to create a happier and more fulfilled life?
Happiness and fulfilment are inside jobs. No one can create them for you. You have to take 100% responsibility for creating a better quality of life.
The 5 steps outlined here will get you started. However, you’ll find that doing it alone can be hard. You’ll also find it easier when working with an expert or in a group.
If you’d like to fast-track the process to more happiness and fulfillment, sign up for the Break Free coaching program. This is a 12-week program where you will:
- Identify what means the most to you.
- Create goals that move you towards the things that matter.
- Get unstuck and overcome the obstacles that are holding you back from higher success and fulfillment (personally and professionally).
- Learn strategies for reducing overwhelm as you work on your goals.
- Break free of self-limiting thoughts, beliefs, attitudes, behaviours and habits.
By the end of this program, you will soar in your career or business and create a more successful, happier and fulfilled life.
Click the image below to find out more about the Break Free program.
(Main article image courtesy of Unsplash)
