How do I Design my Life and Improve Happiness and Fulfilment?
Life is the toughest competition we will ever be in. In search of happiness and fulfilment, we must confront hurdles such as managing money, building relationships, caring for family and finding some small moments to discover our life's purpose.
With such a volume of significant challenges in life, it is easy to see how we can get off track or sense a lingering feeling of being unaccomplished.
These feelings or moments of reflection are our subconscious creating a moment of clarity that invites us to begin designing our lives.
I recently made an episode of the Moonshots Master Series, where I explored this practice, and I would like to share my insights on how to unlock more happiness and fulfilment in your life.
Confront the Whispers Deep Inside
Do you ever have a gut feeling that an idea someone has shared is rash or even crazy? Perhaps your intuition is telling you the person has bad intentions. We have all had that experience of deep discomfort in a meeting when you wriggle around in your seat and fidget because what you're hearing and seeing is plain wrong.
Now, turn the perspective inwards. Do you ever have a moment where you realize your work is making you uncomfortable? Maybe the direction of the company feels really off track. Or perhaps the way your or your teammates work feels unhealthy.
These are moments we too often confront with inaction. We experience a signal from deep inside that things aren't right, yet we continue. But the reality of the feeling from our subconscious is that it can't go away. Our intuition reveals to us that our life is out of balance. We can't ignore these feelings; if left unattended, they are the source of unhappiness, sickness, and poor health.
I know facing these feelings is burdensome: when confronted with a sense of subconscious discomfort, we fill with doubt and fear.
However, suppose you acknowledge this discomfort. Imagine that it's a chance to pivot your life and move closer towards living a life of satisfying work and relations. In that case, these moments of clarity are the chance for hope and possibility in our daily lives.
The other side of these warnings from our intuition is when the good things in life are illuminated. When we find ourselves immersed in our work, so much so time disappears, other moments include a feeling of goodwill when working with nice and talented people or when we are excited to share our work and lives with others. Life is constantly signalling the good in the bad in our lives. It's time to listen.
So, note the whisper of warning or hope next time you hear it. Please write it down, memorialize it and commit to recording permanently. Because, in the early morning or the late evening, when everything is calm, it's time to write and reflect. To master the moments of clarity and use them as your rocket fuel.
Hunt Down the Answers
Capturing moments of clarity when our intuition is alerting us is the start of taking control of your life. From here, we design our life more in the fashion we dream of.
So with the gusto of self-empowerment, let's decode the message inside of good and bad feelings. Let's say you felt proud of your work on your presentation to your company's leadership. Ask yourself questions such as
- What was the specific valuable work that I did?
- How did I achieve it? Such as techniques, habits and attitudes.
- What feelings does this work give to me and why?
Similarly, you can do the same analysis process if you experience negative feelings about your work, colleagues and company. So objectively, ask these questions:
- What specific event or moment do I feel negative about? Explain in detail.
- How did it make you feel and why?
- How does this experience conflict with your norms and values?
Continually Experiment
Asking and confronting thoughts the questions about what is working and was is not in your life is a bold step—well done. Can you feel the self-confidence building? Yes! Because you are not being a victim. Your rising above the situation and taking control of your life.
Now it's time to experiment. Trying new things opens new connections in our brains, and we discover that we can stretch ourselves far beyond our boundaries. So here's a broad list of experiments you can conduct to test and learn new ways to design your life and get closer to living the life you've always dreamt about.
20 Life Design Experiments
- Start your day with a positive mindset and affirmations.
- Establish a morning routine that includes exercise, meditation, or journaling.
- Stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water throughout the day.
- Eat a balanced diet with plenty of fruits, vegetables, and protein.
- Get enough sleep and maintain a consistent sleep schedule.
- Take breaks throughout the day to stretch and move your body.
- Prioritize your tasks and create a to-do list to stay organized.
- Set realistic goals for yourself and celebrate your achievements.
- Learn something new daily by reading, listening to podcasts, or taking courses.
- Practice gratitude by acknowledging the things you're thankful for each day.
- Take care of your mental health by practising self-care activities such as yoga or mindfulness.
- Limit your time on social media and other digital distractions.
- Spend quality time with loved ones and cultivate meaningful relationships.
- Reduce stress by practising deep breathing exercises or engaging in relaxing activities.
- Declutter your space to create a more peaceful environment.
- Volunteer or donate to a cause that's important to you.
- Practice good hygiene habits such as washing your hands regularly and brushing your teeth.
- Take breaks from work or screen time to give your eyes a rest.
- Set boundaries with others to ensure that you have time and energy for yourself.
- Reflect on your day and practice self-reflection to identify areas for growth and improvement.
Look Back to Move Forward
As you devour each day with new vigour, it's time to put in place one of the essential tools for designing your life - Journaling.
As you playfully explore, test and learn, write down your experiences and feelings as you experiment. Ask yourself what you did do and how you feel about it.
What would you like to do next? This question will propel you into a continuous cycle of self-exploration and a newly improved growth mindset.
With your journal, you will have the playbook for designing your life and living up to all the potential deep inside you.