What it takes to have a Meaningful and Happy Life

Rebecca Lewis April 27, 2015

You don’t have to be the richest or most powerful person in the world to be happy. Neither do you have to be a saint, a pope, or the Queen or King to live a meaningful life. Research tells us, over again, that to achieve happiness and find meaning in our existence, there are just a few things we need.

Here they are…

Gratitude

You could have everything you need and ask for. But if you don’t appreciate it, you will find yourself looking for more and not being contented with the life you have now. Being grateful fills our heart with satisfaction. It makes us see the blessings and opportunities that surround us. Each day, before you close your eyes to sleep, write down five things that you are grateful for. It can be a place, a person or idea which made you smile or touched your heart. They don’t have to be big things. Even the small positive things count, and can be a source of long-term happiness.

Faith and Belief

People who believe in the existence of the Supreme Being – the creator – tend to live a very meaningful life. Faith gives you the strength to overcome any difficulties and challenges that come every single day. It gives you hope and power to keep moving forward. Faith gives your life direction. It makes finding your purpose easier. Remember though, that for your beliefs to be right, that of the others shouldn’t be wrong. We have different faiths and beliefs. We may doubt the basis of other’s beliefs. But we must never judge them. Respect should always be the rule of thumb.

Kindness

They say “the more you give the more you receive”. Numerous studies have shown that it is through giving and not receiving do we find more lasting happiness. But generosity isn’t giving to others what they want. It is giving what you, yourself, want. Giving, just because you feel obligated to, does not give you that rewarding feeling there is when you give because you want to. Giving your time, sharing your blessings, and being there for other people (friends or strangers) are acts of generosity that can make your life happier and more meaningful.

Love

As human beings, we are capable of loving others to the best of our abilities. Love can be painful at times. But it makes you complete as a person. Love is a source of inspiration, strength, courage and meaning. Lucky are those who love freely and allow themselves to love. Whilst loving someone necessitates a deep understanding of that person, once that understanding is found, you develop a bond that grows and grows stronger each day.

Hope

Like faith, hope paves our way to happiness and meaning. But in this so often a troubled world, hope seems difficult to find. Yet, it can be a source of strength in the toughest of times. Believing that there’s something good out of every bad helps us find peace and inspiration trough life’s trials. Hope makes us realise that everything is possible, that we can always bounce back from a downfall, and we can always do better.

Relationships

Staying in touch with friends and family gives us long-term happiness and add more meaning to our life. Investing on relationships, rather than material things, makes our life worth living. Studies suggest that the time spent with friends and family makes a big difference on how happy we feel.

Awareness

For us to appreciate life and live it to the fullest, we must first learn to cultivate awareness. In this technological world, it is hard to fully immerse in the present moment, as we are from time to time distracted with our computers or mobile phones. We can be in the most beautiful destination in the world, live in a mansion, or be with the most awesome people. But if we don’t practise mindfulness, we fail to notice these wonderful things.

Fame and fortune can give you joy, but their effects don’t last a lifetime. On the other hand, gratitude, love, faith, hope, relationship and mindfulness don’t only bring happiness in your life. They also add more meaning to it as well.