Often, when people talk about what makes for a good or successful life, a lot of emphasis will be placed on things like material affluence and success, or popularity.
While these things can certainly be important in a variety of different ways, a huge part of what we are all actually looking for in life is simply a good degree of personal well-being – a sense of happiness, meaning, and contentment with ourselves, and the way we are living our lives.
There are all sorts of things that could be contributing to a lack of well-being in your life, and it’s important to be aware of them so that you can take proactive steps to change the situation as required.
Here are just a few things that may be contributing to a lack of well-being in your life.
The Absence Of Valued Goals That You Are Working Towards
Many people find themselves moving through life more or less without a sense of purpose or direction, largely as a result of not having any clear and valued goals that they are working towards.
While it’s certainly good to know what you want in life with regards to luxury items such as a 2021 Chevy Silverado, it’s even more important to have a clear idea of what a meaningful path through life looks like to you, so that you can consistently move forward and avoid feeling as though you’re wasting time and opportunities.
Often, a diminished sense of well-being in life can be brought about simply by passivity and a lack of direction, rather than anything more explicitly negative.
Set yourself some goals that you really value and find meaningful, and work consistently towards them.
A Sense Of Learned Helplessness That Goes Unchallenged
Feeling powerless and incapable of influencing your life in a positive way is bound to lead to a massively reduced sense of well-being, and heightened levels of stress, anxiety, and misery, at the same time.
The psychologist Martin Seligman popularised the term “learned helplessness” to refer to a condition that can be observed in both humans and also laboratory animals that have been conditioned through repeated stress to believe that they are powerless, even when circumstances change and they actually are capable of making an impact on the course of events.
Learned helplessness is essentially a psychological trick we play on ourselves. If you find yourself feeling as though there’s nothing you can do, and that things are helpless, it’s important for you to actively take steps to challenge that perception.
Consistently do things – Even small things – that challenge your sense of what’s possible.
A Lack Of Regular Social Interaction And Connection
As the saying goes, “people need people,” and even the most introverted and solitary individual needs some level of social interaction and connection in order to really thrive and enjoy a developed sense of well-being.
If you don’t have a social circle, it’s important to try and find one, whether through hobby groups, work, clubs or classes, or any number of other avenues. And if you have loved ones who you don’t currently spend enough time with, try to prioritise those relationships more.
