Guide To Living Life To The Fullest
Most of us have experienced times when we felt like we weren’t embracing life as completely as we’d like to be. The busyness that often accompanies modern living can prevent us from taking time to pursue our passions, focus on self-improvement, and enjoy ourselves. If you feel that you aren’t getting the most out of certain facets of your life—whether it’s your career, relationships, hobbies, or other areas—taking steps to do so may help your mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Below, we’re going to discuss how you can change your mental outlook to find ways to live life to the fullest and flourish.
What is a full life?
Because the characteristics of a full life can change based on the individual, it is hard to nail down an exact definition. Many people place a high value on making a difference in the world, while others may find purpose through self-improvement. People have long put forth theories on what it means to experience fulfillment, and extensive research has been conducted by people seeking to enumerate the qualities that constitute a full life.
In a separate study, the same researchers identified traits associated with fulfillment, including a positive attitude, agency over one’s life, and curiosity. Additionally, they linked fulfillment to tangible sources, including relationships, parenting, work, leisure activities, learning, and spirituality. Overall, the research seems to suggest that a full life is a varied, authentic, and meaningful life.
How to live life to the fullest
While what defines a rewarding, meaningful mental outlook on life can change depending on the individual, there are several strategies that may help you develop a healthy, positive outlook. The following are some tips on living life to the fullest.
Take inventory of your life and start living life to the fullest
If you’ve decided to embark on a journey toward self-actualization, it can help to know which areas of your life you’d like to improve. Taking inventory of your life can help you identify facets in which you’d like to feel more fulfilled. For example, you may find that your relationships are strong but that your career is not as rewarding as you’d like. Or you may discover that you aren’t pursuing your interests in a satisfying manner.
Consider writing a list of various facets of your life, including your work, relationships, mental health, physical health, mental outlook, and leisure activities. Then, try to rate these activities (e.g., on a scale of one to five). You can add as many categories as you’d like so that you can get a broader picture of your life. The areas you’ve rated the lowest (assuming there are any) may be a good place to start if you’ve decided to make changes in your life.
Live authentically
We often feel pressure—whether from society, loved ones, or ourselves—to pursue a particular career path, take up specific hobbies, or behave a certain way. When we do not embrace the qualities that give us a unique mental outlook, however, it can be hard to experience a full life. We may end up eschewing our passions in favor of a path we think we’re supposed to be taking or adopting beliefs that are not in accordance with our morals.
Think about areas of your life in which you aren’t being true to yourself. Do you frequently scroll social media instead of pursuing a hobby you’re passionate about? Are you spending a lot of time with people whose principles do not align with your own? Making changes in these areas could help you live authentically.
Living authentically through your values
Living authentically can mean making decisions based on your values. If, for example, you feel strongly about helping the unhoused, you may dedicate a large amount of time to volunteering, donate money to shelters, or even base your career around addressing homelessness. Making decisions based on the beliefs that are important to you and the qualities that make you unique can help you build a rewarding, content life.
Contribute your skills
An individual’s job can be a significant source of fulfillment. Beyond providing you with financial stability, it can give you a sense of purpose, allow you to utilize your skills, and help you live authentically. It may help to ask yourself whether your work is as meaningful as you’d like. While there is some debate about whether we should pursue our passions in our careers—and moving jobs is often difficult—engaging in work that you do not find rewarding can make you feel as though you aren’t living life to the fullest and lead to a negative mental outlook.
If this is the case for you, consider whether there are other avenues you can pursue. Ask yourself what you would prefer to do, where you would like to work, and how you can take steps toward that career path. Take, for example, a situation in which you work at a bank but have always wanted to be an architect. In this scenario, you may need to find out what type of architecture you’d like to practice, look for master’s programs, and make a transition plan.
Find your purpose
Having long-term goals that align with your values and the feeling that you’re working toward something bigger than yourself can help you shift your self-perception and develop a positive mental outlook. A sense of purpose refers to the feeling that our contributions—and, more broadly, our lives—are meaningful. Research has linked a sense of purpose to an array of positive outcomes, including improved symptoms of depression, reductions in loneliness, and even a decreased risk of mortality.
If you’re unsure about your purpose, think about what motivates, interests, or affects you. Are you passionate about teaching others? Education could be part of your purpose. Are you strongly drawn to cinema? Filmmaking could be part of your purpose. Aligning your actions and pursuits with your values can provide meaning to your life.
Practice gratitude
Even when things are going well, we can sometimes fixate on the negatives in our lives, resulting in a less than stellar mood. Research shows that gratitude can shift your mindset and improve your mental well-being. Try telling yourself or writing down three things every day that you appreciate about your life. Taking a few minutes for gratitude can help you focus on the positive and take note of how full your life already is while improving your mental outlook.
Know that change can take time
Though the prospect of finding meaning quickly and growing rapidly may sound appealing, such changes often happen gradually. Studies suggest that it can take 2-3 months for behaviors to become habits. As you incorporate new activities into your life or take other steps toward self-improvement, try to do so incrementally. For example, if you’d like to volunteer more, consider setting a goal of donating your time to a specific cause one day a month for a few months; then try doing so two days each month, and so on. Taking small, consistent steps toward change can help you make sustainable progress.
Developing a healthy outlook with online therapy
Studies show that online therapy can help individuals navigate life challenges and foster a healthy mental outlook on their life. In a study on the effects of online cognitive behavioral therapy for depression, participants reported experiencing positive changes in both lifestyle and outlook. Additionally, researchers note that participants developed “a renewed sense of self-belief that they are the agent of their own change”. Cognitive behavioral therapy is a widely utilized modality that can help individuals reframe negative thought patterns, such as those that may get in the way of fulfillment and happiness.
If you’d like guidance on your journey toward living a meaningful, rewarding life, consider connecting with a licensed therapist online. With an online therapy platform like BetterHelp, you have the option of reaching out to your therapist anytime, which can be helpful if you’d like to address topics like your purpose or mindset between sessions. You’ll likely find that online therapy is also an affordable option—BetterHelp subscriptions start at $65 to $100 per week (based on factors such as your location, referral source, preferences, therapist availability and any applicable discounts or promotions that might apply)—so you can put more money toward pursuing your passions and living life to the fullest.
Takeaway
What does mental outlook mean?
Mental outlook refers to an individual’s state of mind that shapes how they view, interpret, and respond to stimuli such as events, people, thoughts, and emotions. Mental outlook is typically considered a habitual or “built-in” trait, but it can be changed with time.
How do you have a positive mental outlook?
There are several techniques you could use to cultivate a more positive mental outlook on life, and many of them begin with how you approach the thoughts, feelings, perspectives, and beliefs you hold individually. Here are a few ways you can shape your outlook from the inside out:
Engage in cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT)
At its foundation, CBT is a systematic, rational-based approach to therapy designed to change how we think, feel, and behave. It works by bringing the individual’s attention to negative thoughts as they arise, identifying how those thoughts influence mental outlook, and questioning their validity. The thoughts are reframed in a more rational, healthier way to change our mental state.
Meditate
Multiple studies over the course of the last decade suggest that meditation can play a dramatic role in shaping our mental outlook. Meditation can help regulate systems in the body that impact our physiological stress reactions, laying the physiological groundwork for change in mindset. With regular practice, meditation can improve our physical and mental health.
Practice gratitude
Viewing the world with a lens of gratitude can help you reframe how you think about negative situations and promote a more positive state of mind. For example, instead of becoming stressed or irritated in your next traffic jam, be thankful that you have a car and some downtime to listen to music or enjoy the silence. If you’re stuck in a long line at the grocery store, take it as an opportunity to browse the magazines, catch up with a friend online, or do some people-watching. At its most basic, counting your blessings daily can help you stay positive in the face of less-than-optimal situations.
Surround yourself with positive, supportive people
Who we choose to spend time with can significantly impact our mental state. Studies show that attitudes are contagious, and simply observing negative behavior can make us feel negative, too. Spending time with people with a positive outlook can encourage you to develop a more positive state of mind, which you can then pass on to others.
Take good care of yourself
Self-love can positively impact our mindset and how we think about the world. Care for your body through regular exercise, a nutritious diet, and quality sleep. Care for your mental well-being through self-discovery (journaling is a good strategy), doing things you enjoy, and managing your stress. Care for your emotional health by spending time with people you love and giving back to others.
What is a positive outlook in psychology for living life to the fullest?
A positive outlook in psychology refers to one’s overall tendency to maintain an optimistic perspective, good attitude, and healthy coping skills in the face of life’s challenges.
What is a healthy outlook on life?
A healthy outlook on life refers to an individual’s ability to remain healthy via positive inner strength and resilience.
How do you train your brain to be positive?
Training your brain to be positive might involve changing your thought patterns and developing new habits, but there are behaviors you can practice every day to shape your outlook. For example, a regular mindfulness practice can help you stay present and train your brain to recognize the positive aspects of your life. Mindfulness can also help you identify negative thoughts, challenge them as they arise, and replace them with more positive, realistic ones.
Setting goals and celebrating small victories throughout the process is an impactful way to boost your confidence and reinforce positive thinking. For example, let’s say you’re preparing for a job interview and telling yourself that you probably won’t get the job because you don’t have as much to offer as the other candidates. But you notice these thoughts of self-doubt and negative self-talk and question their validity. What makes you think other candidates will have more to offer? Is this thinking based on direct evidence or past experience?
As you examine these beliefs, you might realize that your assumptions aren’t rooted in fact and past experiences don’t apply to what’s happening now. Instead of “It won’t be me,” you shift your mindset to “Why not me?” As you notice this shift, make it a point to pat yourself on the back and celebrate your ability to approach the situation with a more positive outlook. Even if you don’t get the job, you’ve made significant progress in training your brain to think about things more realistically and positively, and you can use that skill throughout your life.
How do you change your mindset from negative to positive?
Shifting your mindset from negative to positive involves actively working on changing your thoughts and beliefs. It might take some time and effort, but you can change even if you’ve had a negative outlook your whole life. Here are some steps you can take to change your mindset:
Identify negative thought patterns: Start by becoming aware of your negative thought patterns. Notice when you are engaging in negative self-talk or focusing on the “worst-case scenario.”
Challenge those negative thoughts: Once you have identified your negative thought patterns, challenge them. Ask yourself if there is evidence to support them or if they come from long-standing beliefs that you learned early in life. Are they the result of secondhand perceptions? You might find that your negative thought patterns aren’t based on present reality—and you can shift them to reflect a more positive, realistic perspective.
Practice gratitude: Cultivate a sense of gratitude by focusing on what you are thankful for in your life. Take time to acknowledge the small things you may ordinarily take for granted. A gratitude journal can help you keep this perspective and shift your focus from what is lacking to what you have.
Surround yourself with positivity: Surround yourself with positive influences, whether uplifting friends, inspirational books or movies, or motivational podcasts. Seek out sources of positivity that can help reinforce a more positive mindset.
Do something good for someone else: Research shows that helping other people can cause changes in our brain that promote positive thinking and emotions and overall well-being on the most basic levels. It doesn’t have to be a grand gesture—although that’s always nice—a simple gesture will work. Tell someone how much you appreciate them, pay for the person’s order behind you in the drive-through (if you can do so comfortably), or make it a point to show someone you care by asking how they’re doing or paying them a compliment.
What is a healthy mental attitude?
A healthy mental attitude is a positive outlook, valuing optimism, hope, kindness, and resilience. To have a healthy mental attitude means to retain your sense of positivity in difficult situations regardless of everyone else’s attitude.
How do you change a negative outlook?
Self-awareness is foundational for changing a negative outlook. Be mindful of your thoughts and attitudes and the circumstances under which they surface. You can do this through mindfulness practices like meditation, grounding activities, and journaling. Once you’ve identified negative thought patterns, challenge their validity and restructure them. Ask yourself if there’s another way to interpret the situation and try to see challenges as opportunities for growth rather than obstacles.
Limit your exposure to negative influences and surround yourself with positive, supportive people. Be thankful for the people who uplift you and make you feel good. While you’re feeling appreciative of the people you love, take a minute to consider the other things in your life for which you feel grateful. Nothing is too big or small to appreciate—from the things you own that make your life easier to your body that allows you to function to the beauty of your neighbor’s flowers.
Take good care of yourself by engaging in activities you enjoy, moving your body regularly, eating to nourish your health, and sleeping well. Allow yourself the grace to be imperfect, and remember that everyone has their bad days. Treat yourself with the same kindness, patience, and understanding that you would offer a friend or loved one.
What is a person who has a positive outlook in life?
A person with a positive outlook is someone who generally views situations, challenges, and the future with optimism. In the face of adversity, they maintain a hopeful and constructive attitude. This type of person expects good things to happen and sees problems as temporary and solvable rather than permanent and insurmountable.
People with a positive outlook bounce back quickly from setbacks, maintain a growth mindset, and strongly believe in a better future even when things aren’t going well. They believe they can influence their own destiny and handle challenges as they arise. They adapt well to change, avoid rigid thinking, and keep an open mind to new ideas and experiences.
Individuals with a positive outlook also support and uplift others with their positive energy and often look for the good in others. They live with gratitude for their experiences and relationships. They don’t take themselves too seriously and can use humor as a tool to keep things in perspective.
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