Living fully is not a state, but a path in which we understand that we are worth more than what we have done or achieved. It means appreciating our magical essence and understanding that we are a very precious asset.
Written and verified by the psychologist GetPersonalGrowth.
Last update: February 19, 2022
Living fully is possible if we appreciate what we have, what we are and what we have lived. The art of feeling complete also allows us to be enterprising, explorers of better life paths with the necessary strength given by experience and self-love, ultimately safe. Few psychological states are as powerful and fulfilling.
TS Elliot used to say that the fullness that the human heart craves is always available. Yet, we don't see it. We do not know how to reach that dimension because in many cases we fail to grasp a fundamental aspect: fullness flows in us only when we get rid of the superfluous.
It's about understanding that we have more than we think. We have to put aside the fear of losing certain people or things to discover that sometimes we can live well without many of these realities. After all, living fully is like waking up aware of who you are in order to live with greater balance.
It is often said that this dimension comes at a precise stage of our life cycle, which is the product of maturity. In recent years, attention has focused on the decade between the ages of 50 and 60 in which, presumably, the highest degree of psychological well-being is reached.
We would like to underline, however, that as far as age is concerned, nothing is absolute. Everyone reaches the pinnacle of personal development and fulfillment at their own pace. Others, however, never reach it.
"To get away from where you are not, to get there, you have to take a road in which there is no ecstasy."
-T. S. Elliot-
Live fully, live in balance and personal satisfaction
Living fully is not a state; it does not mean reaching the top of Abraham Maslow's pyramid of needs, the place where self-realization resides, and thinking that it all ends there, that we have finally achieved happiness.
In reality, living fully is a path: it means being an active part of the flow of life, feeling strong and capable towards events.
It is not, therefore, a dimension of personal development that is easy to reach or conquer. The social sciences have a lot of interest in understanding why we achieve this development in such a long time. Now more than ever, social psychology investigates our internal resources to achieve well-being.
Daniel Kahneman, a psychologist at Princeton University, often says that much of this research presents a curious problem: people don't know how to define happiness exactly. In a study he conducted and published in the journal Science he showed a very interesting data, which, it seems, is clear to most of us.
In his work, Dr. Kahneman has shown us that, on average, people know that money does not bring happiness. We also know that happiness differs from personal fulfillment. Yet, most of us aspire to this very last dimension: to feel complete, fulfilled, in balance with ourselves and with life.
What are the secrets to living fully?
Living fully is the opposite of living an empty life. The latter condition occurs when one is discouraged, distressed, full of fear and feels alone. It is clear that, in some way, we will always have to deal with these psychological realities.
Nonetheless, the person who strives every day to live fully is able to manage them better. So let's see how to reach and develop this dimension.
We are not what we do, we are what we carry inside
We rarely ask ourselves the question: "What do we carry in our being?". We often define ourselves by what we do (I am a nurse, a mechanic, etc.) or by what we have experienced. To live fully, however, it would be advisable to be aware of what defines our personality:
“I am passion, I am hope, I am optimism, I am determination, I carry with me my compassion for my work, I carry my love for my family, I like who I am and what I have achieved”.
Let us feel alive in the "here and now", with all its possibilities
Living fully is not a state, rather it is a path and above all an attitude. It means being clear about what we carry within us and making the most of the present, the "here and now".
If we live with passion, we get in tune with our reality and we can make the most of it. Likewise, if we feel affection, we can take care of ourselves and our loved ones.
Furthermore, if we are curious and we like to learn and always try new experiences, we must take advantage of every second to live and feel life. It is about finding a balance and harmony between who we are and what surrounds us.
Living fully does not mean regretting what we lack or suffering for what we have left. It means feeling able to accept what cannot be changed, having the courage to transform what can be changed and moving forward without losing one's personal balance.
