If you do your research, the number of people who feel unfulfilled, unsatisfied and disengaged in multiple areas of their life is staggering. When you think about it, however, it kind of makes sense – a lot of tragedies and misfortunes can befall a person during their lifetime, and not everyone gets to live out that fairytale dream they thought up when they were a kid.
There are actually a lot of reasons you may feel unfulfilled in your life, but we need to examine them in order to find solutions. Let’s look at four big reasons you may be experiencing this yourself, as well as potential solutions.
Your Dream Doesn’t Sync Up with Reality
Continuing on from the first paragraph, we all have flights of fancy about our lives when we’re children. Sally wants to be a ballerina, Tom wants to be an architect – but 20 years in the future they’re working minimum wage jobs and hoping they can get promoted to make a few quarters more an hour. This is why dreams are just that – dreams.
There are reasons why it’s important for children to dream, but eventually you’re hit with reality. If you’re still clinging to unrealistic expectations of the future, you’re setting yourself up for failure. Learn that sometimes good enough is as good as it gets – it’s not pessimistic, it’s realism.
You Place Blame On Others
You may not have thought about it like this before, but blaming others puts all of the power in their hands. THEY screwed up and YOU were affected. In this equation, who is dominant and who is submissive? If it was out of your hands, doesn’t that make you a victim?
Feeling fulfilled is about regaining your power, and you can start taking it back by announcing that blame lies on you when it’s due. By acknowledging your faults and owning them, you discover that you’re in control and thus you can edit and mend your mistakes.
You Aren’t Focusing On Yourself
Sometimes we need to take some “me time” in order to rediscover ourselves, and that’s okay. Being unfulfilled can spawn from focusing too much on the needs and desires of other people while neglecting to perform a mental tune-up on your own brain. Sleeping, exercise and quality time are all a big part of focusing on yourself, and they can help you feel like a more complete person.
You Don’t Push Yourself
You may be scared of failure, but who can feel fulfilled when they’re squatting in their comfort zone? Fulfillment is largely about discovering new things and feeling the sense of accomplishment that comes with that experience and bravery.
It’s okay to be daring and try new things. It’s okay to do something outside the norm. It’s okay to be nonconformist every once in a while and do something bold. These are all things that can actually push your inner buttons and begin the motivation process. Don’t stagnate – be productive and you’ll find fulfillment!
