Personal Fulfillment: Simple Steps To Improve Yours

AD // We all face stress and pressure throughout our lives, ranging from the pressure to get good grades at school right through to the pressure to get a ‘good’ job when we get older. Although stress is sadly an unavoidable part of life, when you are faced with a high amount of pressure, it can be all too easy to feel as though you are stuck or have somehow failed and feel like you’re lacking that personal fulfillment.

Of course, deep down you know that this is simply not true, yet when you are faced with the pressure of what you feel is expected of you, any slight deviation from this path can lead to additional stress and worry.

For this reason, it is important to focus on personal fulfillment above any other kind of fulfillment. Put an increased emphasis on the goals that you want to achieve, not the goals that your friends, family, social media, community or society feel you should achieve.

Related read: 70 Personal Development Goal Ideas

Personal fulfillment allows you to focus on the things that really matter to you as an individual, giving you the freedom to assess what you think is most valuable to you, your life, and your happiness.

Of course, this can be easy to say but much harder to carry out in reality, which is why it’s essential to take small, manageable steps to ease yourself into a new way of looking at things. Here are some simple steps you can try out to help reduce your stress levels and boost your personal fulfillment.

Mental health can impact personal fulfillment

There is often a stigma around mental health, yet it is a vitally important subject that we should all feel free to talk about. In the UK, it is estimated that around 1 in 4 people will experience a mental health problem each year, a startling statistic that really highlights the importance of creating an open, positive discussion around mental health.

While mental health can understandably often be a complex issue, there are certain steps that you can take to reduce factors like worry and stress which can have a negative impact on your mental health, instead focusing on positive ways to boost your mental well-being. While this will largely depend on you as an individual, some ideas which may help include making more time for yourself, trying some gentle exercise or perhaps having a digital detox every once in a while.

Generosity and charity

Although the importance of focusing on yourself should never be overlooked, sometimes completing small acts of kindness and generosity can be a great way to help you feel good about yourself. Even if you feel as though you have nothing to give, this isn’t true as giving to a good cause needn’t necessarily mean a monetary donation.

Volunteering your time, having a clear out and donating your old or unwanted items to charity, or simply just offering supportive advice and a shoulder to cry on are all equally valid ways of helping others and spreading a little goodness throughout the world. Make sure to do your research and pick a cause you are passionate about as this should help to motivate you. If you need inspiration, here is just one example of a great project for a good cause.

Related read: 6 Amazing Charities To Support This Year

Live your life in the moment

This may sound incredibly obvious, but how much time goes by when you’re busy worrying about things that are completely out of your control? Instead of spending hours scrolling through your social media, feeling stuck in a rut or spending time doing something you really don’t enjoy just because you feel obligated to, why not put that time to good use and do something you actually want to do?

Related read: Why You Should Have A Digital Detox (& What To Do Instead)

Whether it’s finding time for a relaxing bubble bath, putting together a healthy meal plan for the week or going out for a walk, these moments of escape from the chaos of everyday life can work wonders for your health and well-being. In turn, feeling relaxed will then open the door to positivity and personal fulfillment.

Related read: 4 Steps To Living More Intentionally Every Day

When all is said and done, you are the most important person in your life and it is your own happiness, health and life goals that you should put above all else. The journey to personal fulfillment may be a long one, but the rewards you will experience along the way will surely make it worth the while.