A fulfilling life is a happy life, yes, but what else is there to be being fulfilled? Are happiness and fulfilment one and the same or do they differ? And if they are different, how so, and can you have one without the other? Let’s take a look at the key elements of a fulfilling life and see how and if they’re different from those that make up a happy life.
Passion
Having a passion in your life is a key element of fulfilment. In fact, it’s hard to imagine living a truly fulfilled life without it. But what is passion? It’s something that excites you, that motivates you, that drives you onward. It’s something that never gets old, that you never get tired of, and that you would love to do all the time.
Hmm…that sounds a lot like a purpose, doesn’t it? These two tend to be one and the same.
Satisfaction
People who’ve lived a fulfilling life are satisfied with their life and the things they’ve achieved. They have few regrets and would change little or nothing about how they’ve lived.
What does that sound like? How do you achieve satisfaction in your life? By reaching your goals and living your dreams.
Self-Love
A fulfilled life leads to self-love, which means the people who live such a life like themselves and take care of themselves. High self-esteem and good self-care are also the hallmarks of a happy person.
Positive Relationships
The most fulfilled people have at least a handful of deep connections with other people. The absolute number doesn’t count; it’s the quality, not the quantity, that matters. These relationships are positive and healthy. They have no or very few negative relationships and no toxic ones. Toxic relationships have no place in a fulfilled life.
Again, this is another component of being happy. Happy people also have healthy relationships.
Positivity
Fulfilled people are positive people. They look on the bright side and don’t get discouraged easily. It’s hard to get them down. They bounce back from stress and negative events faster than other people.
By now you’ve certainly noticed that having a fulfilled life is pretty much the same thing as living a happy life. While they may be slightly different, they share the same basic components. One translates directly into the other. Living a happy life leads directly to leading a fulfilling life. If you want to be fulfilled in life, work on being happy first!
