In today’s world, ‘Are you living a great life’ messages on social media and on reality shows often show the exploits of the rich and famous as the only way to live ‘a great life‘ and what our lives should look like. It’s nt surprising some people lose touch with what really matters.
Today I want to turn the concept of living a great life on its head, and explore what living a great life, how a happy and fulfilling life might look like.
I am fortunate to be doing a job I love and I have time to enjoy the peace I have created, how many of us can say that, I would like to add you to the people who can say that!
You may have a job that doesn’t necessarily inspire or challenge you the way you would like, but sometimes its useful to look at what your job gives you, or what it enables you to do.
I have just completed some work with a guy who felt his life was unfulfilling, when we actually explored what was going on, he realised that he was in a job which he felt was beneath him, actually it was more that others (his parents) felt was beneath him.
What we learned during our 6 sessions working together, was that his job was a means to an end, to pay the bills and afford him the lifestyle which otherwise made him happy.
He had enough meaning in his life, a great life, he had a job and structure that kept him busy enough to not feel bored and enough money to provide for his family, the real focus of his existence.
What made his life happy and fulfilling was not his job, but what his job enabled him to do. He loved inviting his friends around on Friday night and his family around on Saturday night, having good conversations, food and a few drinks.
He lived for spending time with his family and friends, without his job he wouldn’t be able to have the money and the time to have his weekends with the people who made him happy.
Connecting with friends and family for some people is what life is all about, you may find ‘Life, what’s it all about‘ on the subject interesting.
Sometimes we can lose sight of what is important to us, the pressures to do better are all around us, our peers, parents, even employers can sometimes push us in directions we don’t want or need to go.
So when you next get to thinking about your life, think about what it is you want from it, not what others think you should be doing with your life.
Knowing what is important to you is a good starting point, exploring what you need, to enable you to live a content and happy life.
There are an array of therapeutic coaching tools available to help you achieve happiness in all aspects of your life.
Working with a coach/therapist can help you identify blocks and barriers to happiness and equip you with practical tools to meet your full potential, and the tools will go on helping you become the person you want to be forever.
Start living a great life, the life you want for your self.
Paul Parkin – online coach & therapist
May 2018
