Louise Jackson
Life is quite the ride.
We all want to make the most of it.
But how can you do that? And how do you know if you have a positive outlook in life?
Here are the signs that you enjoy life to its fullest.
1. You don’t let fear stop you from doing what you want
Life can feel like a tug of war between desire and fear.
On the one hand, there are your hopes and dreams. But on the other hand, there is a scary feeling that holds you back.
But as George Addair famously once said:
“Everything you’ve ever wanted is sitting on the other side of fear.”
That’s why to enjoy life to its fullest you have to learn to live with fear, but not let it stop you.
The people who succeed, achieve, and embrace the roller coaster of life do just that.
They’ve not managed to conquer their fear, but they are able to put it to one side.
2. You don’t bother sweating the small stuff
You prefer to focus on what you can control in life.
You know that’s much better than stressing endlessly about what is out of your hands.
The power of perspective should never be underestimated in creating a peaceful and joyful existence.
Life can be full of minor inconveniences. But if we’re honest, they’re hardly catastrophes.
If we let them get to us, then daily life becomes so much more of a grind.
In fact, research shows it can have serious implications for your health. These little annoyances can raise your stress hormone levels by as much as 15%.
Whilst some people totally freak out over the smallest things, others have learned how to shrug it off.
3. You’re prepared to be wrong and learn from your mistakes
This one is all about having a growth mindset.
People who believe that their talents can be developed find it easier to accept they’ve got it wrong. Because they know it’s only temporary.
They have the confidence that with practice and hard work— they can get it right.
The benefits are well documented. Having a growth mindset means:
- You’re open to new opportunities
- You accept challenges
- You have better self-esteem
- You’re better at risk-taking
4. You feel deep gratitude for what you have in life
Here’s what people often get wrong about enjoying life to its fullest.
Your best life isn’t waiting for you. It’s right here and right now.
It’s not about how much you have, it’s about appreciating what you do have.
There will always be another mountain to climb. There’s always going to be something else to achieve. You’re always going to look off into the distance and dream.
There’s nothing wrong with that. Pursuit is a part of life and growth.
But it can steal your happiness when you end up neglecting your present. Or when you think that your own happiness lies outside of yourself.
The practice of gratitude helps us to recognize and focus on all that we already have going for us.
A gratitude practice has been scientifically proven to rewire your brain and make you happier.
5. You love to laugh
I know, I know — who doesn’t love to laugh, right?!
But actually, the health benefits of laughing are no joke.
Turns out, it’s true what they say, laughter really is the best medicine.
Studies show that it relieves stress, soothes tension, and even stimulates organs.
In the long run, it boosts your immune system, relieves pain, improves your mood, and helps you deal with tricky times.
So the bottom line is the people who laugh more in life are likely to have a better outlook on life.
6. You’re resilient when things don’t always go your way
Sadly, we all know by now that things don’t always turn out the way we’d hoped.
We fail. We fall down. We feel defeated.
Everybody experiences rejection or failure at some point or another. And it’s never going to feel good.
But that’s why in order to enjoy life to the fullest, you need resilience.
It’s a handy tool in your belt for when things don’t seem to go your way. Without it, it’s all too easy to give up.
But the people who never give up are the ones who always get there in the end.
7. You always try to take a glass-half-full approach
I don’t care how happy-go-lucky you are, no one is chirpy 24-7.
But if you have a positive outlook the difference is that you don’t let negativity derail you.
We can’t always stop certain moods and thoughts from washing over us. But the trick is to see them like stormy weather fronts.
Then we can allow them to pass like clouds without over-identifying too much with these temporary states.
We can remember to question our negative thoughts and our negative self-talk — rather than take them as fact.
Optimism is a common character trait of happy and healthy people. And research shows how much it affects the quality of life.
The framework we choose to look at life through impacts everything.
We may not have a choice in what life hands us. But we do have a choice over how we will look at it.
Whether you go looking for the positives in any situation, or whether you fixate on the negatives is a big deal.
8. You celebrate difference
Here’s the funny thing:
No matter how similar we may be, each and every one of us on this planet is totally unique.
But we can spend a lot of time trying to fit in. We create a lot of pain by fearing or even hating those who are not like us.
Yet difference and diversity is also a strength.
When we can start to let go of comparison, we free ourselves and others from a lot of burdens.
We don’t have to constantly measure ourselves, or other people in some sort of weird mind-made hierarchy.
We can stay in our own lane. We can embrace our differences.
9. You’re not afraid of change
Shall we be honest?
We’re all a little spooked by change—and for good reason.
Researchers think that to a certain extent it’s probably evolutionary.
They say we’re hardwired to be cautious. That means that change can put us into a stressful fight or flight mode.
But we also all know by now that nothing stays the same. And it shouldn’t either.
We’ve all heard that (rather obvious) saying ‘nothing changes if nothing changes’.
At first, it may not sound quite so profound, but actually, it is.
Because without change, without the ability to adapt, we cannot move forward in life.
We stay stuck where we are.
Change is an essential part of progress.
10. You’re willing to give new things a try
Experimentation is great because it allows you to casually try things out without expectation.
If you’re open to trying new things, it means you can tap into your curiosity and creativity.
These are the fundamental building blocks of life.
Largely we learn through experience.
So it stands to reason the more experiences you’re open to, the more you can learn.
That’s why being open-minded and reserving judgment until you’ve given something a go helps you to enjoy life to its fullest.
