Decades from now, when you look back on your life, will you feel fulfilled and like you accomplished your wildest dreams? Or will you feel like you wasted this one, precious life? Only you can know what a fulfilling life looks like. But whatever fulfillment means to you, there’s a way to reach it and avoid living a wasted life.
Let’s get started!
Focus on yourself and your future
The first key to avoiding living in poverty is to live your own life and go for your dreams, not those others try to foist on you.
You can accomplish this by dropping the standards that others set for you and not being hard on yourself for your former mistakes. You need to be kind to yourself going forward.
1. Forget about the “shoulds” and the “have tos” and live life for yourself
Think about all of the things you can do. Now think of all the tasks you think you need to do or have to do.
If you’d rather not live a wasted life, now is the time to change things.
Whether it’s your family, your husband, society in general, or someone else, a lot of people look to others for what we “should” do and for a schedule for doing so. Many such shoulds are said by well-meaning people.
The likes of obtaining a degree, getting married by the age of 30, having two or three children, and so on are all great things, but they are not right for everyone.
How can you pursue a life of your own choosing? There are many methods of dealing with the “shoulds” life throws at you, and you might spend some effort to actually stop living by another person’s standards.
But a good place to start is reminding yourself that it’s your life, and your opinion is the only one that really matters.
2. Don’t shame yourself for where you’ve been or what you’ve done
According to psychologist Dr. Bren Brown, shame is the unfortunate sensation or belief that one is flawed and therefore unworthy of love or belonging. If you feel that you are inherently bad, you feel ashamed.
We occasionally feel shame about any number of things, such as financial choices we have made, something we may have said at a party five years ago, how our relationships have panned out, or countless other situations.
But believing that you’re a bad person for your mistakes or choices is detrimental to living a fulfilling life. Some ways to cope with feelings of shame when they creep in include discussing them with a friend and realizing your own value.
3. Be kind to yourself
If you want to live a fulfilling life, you should quit listening to negative self-talk. We talk to ourselves constantly. Do you ever think about what you are telling yourself? If you do, you may be shocked as to how you are treating yourself.
Your voice is the most consistent and loudest sound in your entire life. Instead of berating yourself, treat yourself as you would a friend, sister, or child.
The word choices you make are important. It will make it that much more difficult to reach your goals if you tell yourself you can’t do something or are inadequate.
On the other hand, if you choose to be your own cheerleader and treat yourself kindly, you’ll achieve a lot.
Step into your true self
Whether we are in contact with her or not, there’s a real, genuine version of ourselves residing within us. We must not waste our days by living a life of aimless wandering. You must slow down and tap into your true self.
1. Choose yourself and your dreams, no matter how wild they seem
Sometimes we are so afraid of our dreams that we dare not utter them. Sometimes we even refuse to acknowledge them.
To live a truly fulfilling life, you must reject the safe route. Follow those dreams, even if they sound impossible, and you won’t regret it.
You can accomplish your ambitions and achieve financial success at the same time, so there’s no reason not to go all in and give it a try.
2. Look to your younger self for guidance
Do you know what your dreams are? Perhaps it has been such a long time since you let yourself dream that you have forgotten what your true aims are. The best place to look when this happens? With your younger self.
What was she looking for in life? Did she dream frequently of traveling, becoming an elected politician, having children, or living at the beach? Maybe she aspired to become a biologist, astronaut, or baker.
Whatever it was, do not ignore it. You could not open a bakery, but recalling that baking brought you pleasure in the past can show you what would be enjoyable now.
Recall what the little girl version of you would think of you today, and begin pursuing those interests again. You are the only person you need to meet to ensure that you have a full and fruitful life.
3. Keep your curiosity alive
A wasted life is one that is unfulfilling. It is one where there is great potential for a person to become something more, and that person may remain stuck in mediocrity and not realize their full potential. Don’t let this happen to you! One way to achieve this is to stay curious.
Fortunately, curiosity isn’t only for children. Adults can also cultivate their curiosity, even those who have lost it along the way.
Set your dreams in motion
You can make your life what you want by formulating goals and working toward them. You need to surround yourself with supportive people so you can achieve your dreams.
1. Make plans and set goals
Have you ever felt directionless and like life was taking you on a ride you do not have control over? If so, you probably had no goals you were working toward at the time.
If you do not set targets, you will likely spend your life aimlessly. Maybe it will be a fulfilling life, but maybe it will be a wasted one.
Achieving your goals requires effort. Setting goals offers you the guidance you need to achieve your dreams.
Think of all the goals you would like to achieve in your life and set specific plans accordingly. Examples could include professional goals, relationship goals, and financial objectives.
2. Avoid bad habits
We have them, and most of us are aware of our bad habits. The good news is that we also know what it is that makes us feel alive and provide us with the energy we need to overcome the world. These habits are all you need to avoid wasting your life.
The next time you find yourself slipping back into a harmful habit like binge-watching Netflix instead of working on your side gig, remind yourself of your dreams and goals.
This is the best way for you to get back on track to living life to its fullest.
3. Surround yourself with the right people
The individuals that we encounter in life don’t define us. Rather, it’s the people around us that influence whether we live a wasted life or a happy one. It’s time to distance yourself from anyone who doesn’t bring you happiness and support.
If you are constantly explaining your choices to others or justifying them, you do not have the right person in your life.
Just as you say you’re kind to yourself and drop your negative self-talk, you should stop listening to those critical other people as well.
Don’t forget about your finances
Money will help you live your life to the fullest. Keep these policies in mind as you make your way through life. Remember that while money isn’t everything, it is an important tool if you want to live a meaningful life.
1. Spend on the things that matter
You don’t need money if you don’t want to live a pointless life. Determine what you need vs. what you want. Your needs are, and spend your money accordingly. Taking advantage of opportunities to buy items at a discount will save you a lot of money in a short amount of time.
Better still, you may decide to return to those that matter most to you, such as your relationships or experiences.
2. Don’t stay at a job you hate
One of the greatest regrets of the dying is being forced to work at a humiliating job because of their extreme poverty. You spend more time working than you do with friends, family, or even yourself.
You deserve to enjoy spending time doing what you earn the most of your income on! Not allowing yourself to indulge in activities you enjoy just because you earn a paycheck is not a good way to live.
3. Get paid what you’re worth
No matter how good your job is, it will never be perfect. What it should be is something you care about and that pays you for your efforts.
Not only will you feel closer to reaching your financial goals if you are paid what you’re worth, but you will also be more fulfilled and more valued, which is the opposite of a wasted life.
Don’t live a wasted life – you deserve more!
No matter how old you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, it’s certainly never too late to live your life to the fullest.
No one wants to look back on their life and see a life wasted. Go out and live for yourself, set your priorities, and create the life you want to live and deserve.
