Do you ever get that feeling like you’re always striving? It doesn’t seem to matter what you do or gain, you never feel satisfied. Do you always look to the future for fulfilment? Are you always planning for that next thing?
Or maybe you feel tired of the ups and downs of life. Like nothing ever goes right. You’re wondering when you’ll ever be truly happy.
These are struggles that many of us face. Life can be challenging and full of hardships. On top of that, we live a society that constantly tells us what we need to do and have. There is a lot of pressure on us all.
The solution is to embrace life’s journey.
Easier said than done, right? In this article I’ll discuss how you can enjoy the journey of life.
Understand and Accept the Truth
It’s important to understand the truth about your life journey. Ready? Ok, don’t say I didn’t warn you. It never ends. That’s it? What do you even mean by that? Let me explain.
It doesn’t matter what you do, gain, or achieve, there will always be something else you need or want. There will also always be constant changes. Everything is impermanent. Life is full of ups, downs, beginnings, and endings.
This is scary and liberating at the same time.
Why? Because it means there is no end point. There will never be an arrival. A moment where you can sit back and say “ok, I’m finally fulfilled and happy. I’ve done and gained everything I ever wanted”. Instead, new desires, goals, ideas, projects, and pursuits will continually pop up in your mind.
But would you want it any other way?
Humans need meaning and purpose. We want to learn, develop, evolve, and improve until the day we die. It’s in our nature. It’s the reason we’ve come so far as a species. The secret is to not look to the future for fulfilment.
That’s an illusion that many of us fall for. Sadly though, life doesn’t work like that. And if you constantly seek the future, you cause suffering upon yourself as you make an enemy out of the present.
Once you truly understand this, it’s liberating. You don’t go on a holiday or roll-coaster to get to the end. You enjoy the trip or the ride. Life is the same. You’re here to experience it, moment by moment.
“Don’t worry, don’t be afraid, ever, because this is just a ride.”
— Bill Hicks
Reflect on Your Progress
I’m guilty of this. I can get so preoccupied with the next goal that I forget all I’ve achieved. Can you relate? It’s easy to get tunnel vision and lose track, especially when life gets hectic.
Reflect on the progress you’ve made.
Get a pen and paper. Write a list of all the things you’ve learned, conquered, earned, and improved. This could be over the past year, decade, or even your lifetime. Whatever period feels more significant to you.
This will hopefully do the following:
- Reinforce that you are making progress
- Encourage you to be proud of yourself
- Motivate you to continue along your path
Really take the time to reflect on your list. You can even write down what it took to get there. Grit, determination, hard work, sacrifice, and so on. Pat yourself on the back and say aloud that you’re doing well.
Then, continue on your journey forward with inspiration, discipline, and determination.
Cultivate Gratitude
It’s easy to lose track of what we do have. The fact you’re here reading this, means you can pursue your dreams and goals in the first place. How many people on this planet have that opportunity?
Cultivating gratitude isn’t difficult. It’s simple. Take some time to reflect and write down what you’re grateful for. That could be a safe place to live, a loved one, friend, your health, or simpler things. The change in seasons, sipping a cup of tea, or the taste of your favourite snack.
You get the idea.
Why not express your gratitude to someone? Tell them that you value their personality, loyalty, and love. You’ll brighten up their day.
Cultivating gratitude encourages you to appreciate what you have NOW. Instead of looking towards the for contentment.
“Be thankful for what you have; you’ll end up having more. If you concentrate on what you don’t have, you will never, ever have enough.”
— Oprah Winfrey
Be Present
Our minds usually dwell in the past or anticipate and plan the future. Do this too often though and you miss the here and now. The best way to be present is by practicing mindfulness. Either by meditating or being mindful throughout your day.
When you practice mindfulness, you pay attention to thoughts, feelings, emotions, and sensations. This helps you be more aware of your mind, body, and environment. You learn to recognise unhelpful thoughts, regulate your emotions, breathing, and nervous system.
Mindfulness also helps you to enjoy life more. You can relish in the small steps that you take every day by focusing on them intently. Helping to bring you more peace of mind in the here and now.
If you want to learn more about the practice, read my article ‘What is Mindfulness?’.
Learn to Ride the Waves
Large ocean waves can have devastating effects. When they come crashing down, they cause destruction and chaos. Our emotions, feelings, and the motions of life are like waves. Sometimes things are calm and still. At other times though, a storm is underway. Everything can be turbulent, unpredictable, and in turmoil.
But what do surfers do when they encounter waves? They elegantly ride them, instead of being swept away. You can do the same. How?
- Accept that you can’t and won’t ever be able to control life completely.
- Drop your expectations. Things won’t always go as planned. Sadly, none of us are entitled to everything we want.
- Embrace change, challenge, and failure. Not only are they part of a life, but they’re also often our greatest teachers.
- Use tools and strategies to help you manage life’s ups and downs. Mindfulness is an excellent place to start.
Life will always be full of difficulties, trials, and tribulations. Once you acknowledge and accept this, you can begin to ride the waves. You can go with the flow.
“Ride the waves of emotions. Ride the tides of experience. Let them come. Let them go.”
— Kathy Overman
Try New Things and Challenge Yourself
There’s nothing worse than being stuck in your comfort zone, or in a routine that you’re sick of. If you choose to stay there, how can you grow and develop? Try a new hobby, learn a skill, join a class or club. Go for a hike, travel, test your mental and physical limits.
When you try new things and challenge yourself, incredible things happen.
You can identify your strengths and weakness. Find out your likes, dislikes, and discover yourself you are unleashing your full potential. It can make the journey feel exciting again. And who knows, you may even find a new sense of purpose.
Your life may go in a completely new direction, one you never could have imagined.
Don’t you want to find out?
If you need some ideas, check out my article ‘5 Inspiring Challenges to Empower Your Life‘.
You Can Find Contentment on the Path
By doing the above, you can take positive action to embrace the journey of life. Rather than always anticipating and striving for the future, you can choose a mindful way to be. Let me remind you of the points we’ve covered together.
- Understand and Accept the Truth
- Reflect on Your Progress
- Cultivate Gratitude
- Be Present
- Learn to Ride the Waves
- Try New Things and Challenge Yourself
Remember there is nothing wrong with being ambitious and setting goals. The problem is when you expect the future to fulfil you. That constant seeking causes you suffering. But now you know how change your mindset.
Did you find these suggestions helpful? What prevents you from enjoying your life journey? Let me know below.
Take care of yourselves,
Chris from Mindful Way to Be
