essay on living life to the fullest

Live Life To The Fullest Essay Example

All humans struggle with how to live their life, but little do they know, an extremely limited number of the world's population is living their life to the full. Humans’ sinful nature allows them to yearn for worldly desires and possessions. Although many find temporary joy in conforming to the world, Romans 12:2 instructs us to be transformed by the renewing of one’s mind. In Fahrenheit 451 and The Truman Show, one would learn that humans crave entertainment; and only certain individuals find joy in fulfilling their purpose in serving others and worshiping the Lord for the sake of living their life to the full. 

Humans find joy in earthly belongings because of our sinful nature. These desires will grow as life goes on, because we are not seeking the Ultimate Provider, God. The things of this world are tentative. Truthfully, we have no need for worldly possessions. God is who completes us, and we are made to worship Him and desire for Him alone. 1 Corinthians 10:13 remarks, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man, God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (ESV). While there are infinite temptations in this world, if you have the faith to sustain, the Lord will get you through them. Humans need some sort of Sustainer in this world, or we will not survive. The only thing that is immutable is the Lord. Therefore, while the things of this world are tempting, they will not make us feel restored because they are ever-changing and temporary. 

Humans were meant to serve others and flee from their selfish wants. In the Truman Show, Truman lives his life by living for himself, not by serving others. This explains why he is always searching for adventure and for someone to make him happy (the girl who moved to Fiji). If we live to serve ourselves, we will never rid ourselves of our selfish desires and make an idol of ourselves. In Fahrenheit 451, Guy Montag does live his life to serve the government but honestly, he never seeks to serve any individuals in a way that does not include fire. Many would argue that Guy was serving citizens through his job as a firefighter but all he was doing was burning their houses down because of his lack of acceptance of their opinions.  In Galatians 5:13-14, Paul instructs us, “For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For the whole law is fulfilled in one word: You shall love your neighbor as yourself” (ESV). There are numerous ways to serve others, and everyone was given a gift to serve in some way, but many decide to ignore this gift. Serving people is a way to ultimately serve God because we are fulfilling His plan He has for all Creation. 

Throughout many centuries, humankind has been struggling with the perfect way to live life to the fullest. While there is no clear answer to this question, Scripture gives a solid foundation to help us understand the purpose of life. For example, Acts 17:28-31 teaches, “For ‘In him we live and move and have our being’; as even some of your own poets have said, “‘For we are indeed his offspring.’ Being then God's offspring, we ought not to think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone, an image formed by the art and imagination of man. The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent, because he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead” (ESV). While we struggle with how to perfectly live life, The Bible tells us that our mindset is all wrong. We should not focus on living for ourselves or try to make our lives perfect, because the mistakes and trials in our life are what help us grow in our faith with the Lord. So, what is the answer to living life to the fullest? Is it to make every day about you and your desires or to enjoy all the luxuries of life? Shockingly, the answer is quite simple. If we choose to serve God, trust in Him, and stay in His Word, we are living life to the fullest. 

While the things of this world are tempting, God is enough. There is no need for any worldly belongings because God is constant and immutable. Since God is enough, James 1:22 orders us to honor God in our actions. Scripture makes it clear that we should serve others and put them above oneself. All should give thanks to Him for the blessing of life and show appreciation by living their life to the full. The concept of living life to the fullest is not an easy one but can truly be accomplished through fulfilling the different purposes God has given every one of us. 

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Living Life to the Fullest

“i’m not okay, you’re not okay, but that’s really okay.”.

Posted January 8, 2020 | Reviewed by Hara Estroff Marano

“I’m not okay, you’re not okay, but that’s really okay,” according to my mentor, Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross, the author of On Death and Dying . The premier expert on life, death, and transition, Kubler-Ross also developed an amazing counseling program just as the AIDS crisis began. Her work helped many people. But this column isn’t about death: It’s about living to the fullest right up until the moment that you die, which is something Kubler-Ross taught well.

If you learn to accept yourself for who you really are, with all your flaws and wrinkles, then you are on the path to enlightenment. If you can go for a whole day without lying to yourself and see that your true journey, roadblocks and all, is right there in front of you, then you are approaching self-acceptance. And that feeling of acceptance will both comfort and enliven you.

If you work on yourself every day, and it starts to feel like you should be paid for the great advice you’ve been receiving (from yourself), that’s progress. But the payoff is in the work itself, which just makes you feel and act better. You will begin to see that we are all flawed beings, and your journey through this life will never be perfect and neither will anyone else’s. Judgment will no longer be something that burdens you, and you will shy away from it in others.

Many people wake up every morning and struggle emotionally throughout the day just to keep themselves seemingly afloat. When it’s a struggle to not be self-critical or critical of others, that’s a tough way to go through life. Although it can be difficult to see a way out, there always is one. The key is to be willing to change.

We need to take responsibility for our own moods and lives. We can let the pain of the past or the fear of the future run us, or we can live in the present and know that we are, at this moment, doing just fine.

If you struggle emotionally, remember Kubler-Ross’s words: “That’s okay.” All you have to do is keep moving and paying it forward—that’s how to make your life and the world a better place. It’s such a simple idea, yet it can be hard to keep as a constant in our thoughts and behaviors—and that’s okay, too.

When you can accept that you and your life are a work in progress, you will be easier on yourself and everyone around you. Think of it as a return to civility, to what used to be considered normal behavior, where mutual respect and dignity were part of our collective conduct. If you can visualize what that feels like, and take it in, that’s the beginning of change.

As you start to change, you will have a positive influence on those around you, and you will just feel more alive. It requires nothing more than your desire to make things better, and a little self-direction.

Barton Goldsmith, Ph.D., LMFT is a licensed psychotherapist, a columnist, and the author of 7 books, including Emotional Fitness for Couples.

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• 101 Ways To Live Your Life To The Fullest
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“Your time is limited, don’t waste it living someone else’s life. Don’t be trapped by dogma, which is living the result of other people’s thinking. Don’t let the noise of other’s opinion drown your own inner voice. And most important, have the courage to follow your heart and intuition, they somehow already know what you truly want to become. Everything else is secondary.” — Steve Jobs

How do you feel about your life today? Do you live every day in excitement? Do you look forward to tomorrow? Are you living your best life?

If your answer is a no, not sure, or maybe, that means you’re not living your life to the fullest. This shouldn’t be the case as your life experience is yours to create. We all have good and bad days, and the most important thing is to make the best out of each day, whether good or bad.

Ultimately, you only have one life to live. While you can’t control all the bad things that happen, you can change your attitude toward them — and in the process, create your best life yet.

In this post, you’ll find 101 tips to live your best life. Don’t be overwhelmed by the tips here — use them as a guide and apply just one or two tips a day. As you do so, you’ll notice that you become more conscious as you live each day. You’ll notice that the bad things start to faze you less and you start to proactively take charge of your life and create positive experiences.

Be sure to bookmark this page and refer to it daily!

I present to you, 101 ways to live your life to the fullest:

• Be true to who you are . Stop trying to please other people or to be someone else. It’s better to be an original version of yourself rather than be an exact duplicate of someone else.
• Quit complaining . Don’t be like the howling dog , always howling and never doing anything. Stop complaining about your problems and work on them instead.
• Be proactive . Stop waiting for others around you to do something and take action yourself instead.
• Rather than think “what if,” think “next time.” Don’t think about the things you can’t change. Instead, focus on the things you can act on. That’s the most constructive thing you can do in any situation.
• Focus on WHAT vs. How . Focus on WHAT you want first before you think about HOW to do it. Anything is possible if you set your mind, heart, and soul to it.
• Create your opportunities . You can wait for opportunities, or you can get out there and create your own. The latter is definite and much more empowering.
• Live consciously each day . Stop sleepwalking through life . Your life is something to be experienced, not coasted through.

• Know your inner self . This means knowing who you are and what you represent. Be clear about your identity. Read: Finding Your Inner Self
• Discover your life purpose . Set the mission statement for your life, one that will drive you to live your life to the fullest. Read:  How To Find Your Life Purpose (7-part series)
• Live in alignment with your purpose . What can you start doing immediately that will let you live 100% in alignment with your purpose? How can you live true to your purpose within every situation you are in, every second of the day?
• Set your life commandments . Define your personal commandments to live your best life. What adages and principles do you want to follow in your life?
• Discover your values . Values are the essence of what makes you, you.
• Hold yourself to the highest conduct . Every one of us has our own set of ethics and principles. Live true to them every day. Also, live in full alignment with your purpose (#12), commandments (#13), and values (#14).
• Stop putting life on hold . Are you putting any parts of your life on hold ? What is one area of your life you have been putting off ,  avoiding, or denying ? Uncover that and start working on it.
• Create your life handbook . Your life handbook is your manual to live your best life. It contains your mission statement, values, goals, personal strengths, blind spots, and action plans. Start with a few basic pages, and then build on them.
• Design your ideal life . What is your ideal life? Design it. Firstly, assess your life via the life wheel . Then, ask yourself what it takes to live a 10/10 life. What is the life that will make you shout for joy? There are no limits in life — only those you set for yourself!

• Take action on your goals and dreams. Create an action plan for your goals and work on it!
• Create your bucket list , which is a list of things to do before you die. Then, get out there to achieve them.
• Don’t do things for the sake of doing them . Always evaluate what you’re doing and only do it if there is meaning behind them. Don’t be afraid to quit the things that don’t serve your path .
• Do the things you love  because life is too precious to be doing anything else. If you don’t enjoy something, then don’t do it. Spend your time and energy on things that bring you fulfillment and happiness.
• Discover your passion in life . What sets you on fire? Go out there to discover what you love to do. Read:  How To Know What You Want To Do In Life
• Make your passion a full-fledged career . Then, start pursuing it. Stop working in a job you feel passionless about. Quit your job when you are ready to do it full-time. Read:  How To Pursue Your Passion (series)
• Turn your passion into a huge success . Turn your passion into a multi-million dollar business. Better yet, make it a multi-billion dollar one .
• Learn from criticism. Be open to criticism but don’t be affected by it. Criticism is meant to help you be a better person. Learn from it. Watch:  5 Tips To Deal With Negative Criticism [Video]

• Don’t badmouth other people . If there’s something you don’t like about someone, say it to his/her face — otherwise, don’t say it at all. It’s not nice to badmouth others, and it also reflects a small mind .
• Be empathetic . If everyone only sees life from his/her perspective, we’ll forever be close-minded and insular. See things from others’ shoes.
• Be compassionate . Show compassion and kindness to everyone around you.
• Develop 100% self-belief . Believe in yourself and your abilities. Remove your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones (In Days 26-27 of Be a Better Me in 30 Days , you identify your limiting beliefs and replace them with empowering ones). If you don’t believe in yourself, how can you expect others to believe in you? Read:  How To Be The Most Confident Person In The World
• Let go of unhappy past . This means past grievances, heartbreaks , sadness, disappointments , and anger .
• Forgive those who have done you wrong in the past. This includes backstabbers , those who took credit for your achievements , and those who have done you wrong. “To forgive is to set a prisoner free and realize it was you.” — Lewis B. Smedes
• Let go of attachments . Don’t get fixated on achieving a certain status , fame, wealth, or material possessions . These are impermanent and will ultimately disappear one day when you die. Focus on growing and living life to the fullest instead.
• Let go of relationships that do not serve you . That means negative people , dishonest people , people who don’t respect you , people who are overly critical , and relationships that prevent you from growing .

• Build genuine, authentic connections with people around you — friends, family, colleagues, business partners, customers/clients, and acquaintances. Spend time to know them better and foster stronger connections.
• Connect with an old friend . There is no end to the number of friends you can have. Reach out to people from the past.
• Do a kind deed a day . What is something you can do today that will make the world a better place? Go and do it.
• Help other people who are in need . Volunteering is one outlet. You can also start with your friends and family.
• Help people when they least expect it, without reason . You don’t need any reason to help others. Do it because you want to. Share the love with everyone.

• Fall in love . ♥ :) Read:  How To Find Your Soulmate (7-part series)
• Review your life . Set a weekly review to assess how you are doing for your goals. Review your purpose once every 3-6 months so that you know you’re on the right path.
• Overcome procrastination . Procrastination is a huge waste of your time (and your life). Get rid of it once and for all. Read:  How To Overcome Procrastination (5-part series)
• 30 minutes a day . Set aside at least 30 minutes every day to work on a Quadrant 2 goal that, when you achieve it, will bring about the biggest fulfillment and happiness in your life.
• Get out there and make new friends — whether at your workplace, online, or in social groups. Read: 10 Tips To Make New Friends  and  Cooped Up Indoors? Get a Life with These 7 Tips
• Make deeper connections . Beyond making new friends, aim to make deeper connections. Read: How to Have More Best Friends in Life
• Be your advisor (from the future) . Imagine you’re the future you from 5 years later. How would you advise yourself? Write this advice down. Now, apply them.

• Declutter . Start from your computer, then proceed to your work desk, your bedroom, and your home. When you throw unwanted stuff away, you make room for new things and new energy to enter your life.
• Keep learning . There is something to learn from everything you see, hear, and experience. This includes your mistakes and past mishaps (if any). Learn to interpret each event objectively. Focus on what you can learn from it so that you can apply the lessons moving forward.
• Keep developing yourself . Equip yourself with a huge breadth of knowledge. Learn different skills, pick up different hobbies, and study different fields.
• Keep upgrading yourself. Equip yourself with a huge depth of knowledge. While you can usually only reach level 99  in video games , in real life you can level up to infinity. Go for further studies if need be. Develop your skills . Level up . Invest your >10,000 hours in each skill .
• Try new things . What is something you would normally not do? Get out of your comfort zone to try something different. It can be something simple like taking a new bus route, trying a new food item, picking up a new hobby, or something bigger like studying in a different field, learning a new skill, and traveling to a country you’ll never visit. There are no limits (except whatever is illegal and morally wrong of course)!
• Get yourself out there . (a) Get out there geographically . Go out, travel, and explore the world. Set sail into the sea. Go backpacking by yourself and visit as many countries as possible. Get on a road trip and visit all the places that you see during your trip. (B) Get out there situationally . Stop sticking to routines and comfort zones. Try something different. (c) Get out there in life . Stop watching TV and living vicariously through the TV characters. Go and live the life of your dreams.
• Be the absolute best at what you do . Go for the #1 position in what you do. If you want to spend your time doing something, you might as well be the best at it!
• Don’t settle . In the same vein as #58, don’t settle for less. Don’t settle for someone you don’t like as your partner. Don’t settle for a job you don’t like. Don’t settle for friends who make you feel like a lesser person. Don’t settle for a weight you are unhappy with. Go for what you really want.
• Stretch yourself . What are you doing now? How can you achieve more? Set bigger goals. Explore your limits and break them.

• Create your inspirational haven . Turn your room into a place you love. Do the same for your work desk. Get rid of things that make you unproductive. Surround it with things that inspire you and trigger you into action. Read more: Create Your Inspirational Room
• Behave as your ideal self will . All of us have an ideal vision of who we want to be. What is your ideal self like? How can you start to be your ideal self now?
• Set your role models in life . With role models, you become much better than you can be by yourself. I am personally inspired by Oprah Winfrey (for how she has impacted millions of lives), Lady Gaga (for her talent and not being afraid to be different), Leonardo Dicaprio (for his dedication to his craft and his commitment to environmentalism), and many more. Seeing them and what they do reminds me of what I can be and what I can do, so they drive me to greater heights.
• Get mentors/coaches. There’s no faster way to improve than to have someone work with you on your goals. Not only will they drive you to achieve more, but they’ll also share important advice which you can use to create even more success for yourself. Many of my clients approach me to coach them and the net result is this: they achieve significantly more progress and results than if they had worked alone.
• Uncover your blind spots . The more you uncover, the more you grow, and the better you become. Read: Blind Spots In Personal Growth
• Increase your consciousness . Having a high consciousness level means being able to transcend beyond fear-based reactions and make wise choices that positively impact everyone.
• Ask for feedback. As much as we can try to uncover our blind spots (#66), there will be blind spots that we cannot identify. Asking for feedback gives us an added perspective about ourselves. Some people to approach are our friends, family, colleagues, boss, and even acquaintances. Day 17 of the Be a Better Me in 30 Days is about getting feedback from others to uncover our blind spots.
• Generate passive income . Create passive income streams so that your income is not tied to the time you spend on work. Of course, you’ll continue to work, but only because you want to and not because you have to.
• Help others live their best lives . There is no better way to grow than to help others grow. Ultimately, the world is one. We are all on this journey of life together.
• Get married / Start your family / Have kids!

• Spearhead a humanitarian cause or organization  that you are passionate about.
• Give more value than you receive . There is so much unspeakable joy that comes from giving. And when you give, you’ll find that you receive a lot more in return.
• Be big-picture focused. You can either set your eyes on the big things or get hung up by the nitty-gritty details. The former will help you get a lot more out of life than the latter. Focus on your big rocks  and put first things first .
• Be clear about your end objective . What is the end goal you seek? Is the task that you’re working on bringing you there? If not, put it aside. As long as you keep working on tasks that match your end goal, you’ll eventually reach there.
• Go the 80/20 route . For every goal you have, there are different paths to achieve it. Pick the 80/20 path, i.e. the most effective path that brings you to your goal with the least amount of effort. Read:  The 80/20 Rule: How To Achieve More With Less In Life (3-part series)
• Work on the 80/20 actions (Prioritize) . As you embark on the 80/20 path for your goals, focus on the important tasks and cut out the less important ones. Work on the 20% actions that give you the 80% results.
• Live in the moment . Do you often have a very busy mind? Calm your mind down. Be present. The only time you’re ever living is in this moment. Meditation helps remove mental clutter. Read:  How To Meditate in 5 Simple Steps
• Relish in the little moments . Snuggling under warm covers on a rainy day. Having ice cream on a hot day. A kiss with your loved one. Being with your best friend. A walk by the park. The breeze on your face. Quiet, alone time. Watching the sunrise/set. Soak in all these little moments of life. They are what make up your life.
• Take a break . Being the best also requires you to take breaks when needed . Make sure you rest when needed. Doing so lets you walk the long road ahead.

• Focus on creation . Think about what you can bring to the world and create that.
• Don’t criticize or judge others . Respect others for who they are.
• The only person you can change is yourself . Stop expecting others to behave in a certain way. Rather than demand that others around you change, focus on changing yourself. You’ll be happier and live a more fulfilling life this way.
• Practice gratitude . Be grateful for everything you have today, and everything you will get in the future.
• Express gratitude. Let the people who’ve touched you know about your gratitude towards them. You’ll be surprised what a little act like this can do. If you don’t tell them, they’ll never know.
• Let loose and have fun . Sing at the top of your lungs. Dance in the rain. :D Run barefoot and feel the ground underneath your feet. Hug everyone you know. Release yourself of your self-imposed shackles and be free! :D
• Get into nature . Many of us live in concrete jungles. Get out of the urban city environment and soak in the beauty of nature.
• You have a choice . Recognize you always have a choice in how to live your life.
• Laugh more. :D Are you reading this with a straight face? Smile and have fun. :D
• Embrace change . The only thing that’s constant is change. Change means growth. Rather than resist change, learn to be versatile so you can make the best out of the changes that come. In fact, become an agent of change.
• Be more risk inclined . Don’t be afraid to take risks. The bigger your risks, the bigger your return.
• Embrace mistakes . The more mistakes you make, the more experienced you become, and the higher your chances of success. Make sure to identify lessons from each experience so that you can build on them.

• Challenge your fears . All of us have fears. Fear of uncertainty, fear of public speaking, fear of risk… all these fears keep us in the same position and prevent us from growing. Rather than avoid your fears, recognize that they are the compass for growth. Address and overcome them. Read: 4 Reasons We Should Overcome Fear
• Maximize your mind, body, heart, and soul . Living your best life requires you to maximize yourself mentally, physically, emotionally, and spiritually. If you are highly successful, have lots of money, have a big circle of friends, and are very spiritually aware but you neglect your physical health, that’s not living your life to the fullest. The same for other scenarios where you block off a part of yourself. Maximize all 4 aspects of you.
• Be your best self . When we work on being better people, we live a richer life. Read: 101 Ways To Be a Better Person
• Love yourself . You are the one constant in your life. Remember to always treasure and love yourself. ♥ You deserve nothing less. Read:  How To Love Your Body
• Love others . Be grateful to all the people around you because they help you grow. They enrich your life experience. Without them, your life would not be the same.
• Finally, Love life . I find living to be a fascinating experience. How we’re all on earth with millions of species, 30,000 different life forms, and over 7 billion people, and everyone is thriving in their own way, existing, co-existing, and co-creating. There’s so much we don’t know out there and so much to be experienced that it’s just wonderful. As you live on earth, remember to love life. It’s the only way to live.

Live a Better Life in 30 Days

If you love this post, you’ll love the Live a Better Life in 30 Days (30DLBL). Also known as “personal growth on steroids,“ 30DLBL is a 30-day intensive life transformation program designed by me to help you live a better life in just 30 days. It is packed with 30 high-impact tasks, some of which are inspired by this 101 list post, to be done one task per day.

At the end of the 30 days, you’ll find yourself at a completely different place compared to a month ago.

Read more: Live a Better Life in 30 Days

This is part of the Inspiration & Motivation series. Check out the other articles in the series:

• 10 Powerful Graduation Speeches You Don’t Want To Miss
• 13 Meaningful Movies With Life Lessons To Learn
• 20 Amazing Commercials To Inspire the Greatness in You
• 56 Most Inspirational Songs of All Time
• 15 Beautiful Inspirational Wallpapers For Your Desktop
• 15 More Beautiful Wallpapers With Positive Affirmations
• 101 Inspiring Quotes of All Time
• 101 Things To Do Before You Die
• 101 Ways To Be a Better Person
• 101 Important Questions To Ask Yourself in Life
• 101 Life Principles to Live By Daily

(Images:  Man on mountain , Daisies , Set goals ,  Person meditating , 3 Glasses , Five people , Couple , Letter , Brainstorming , Save the world , White flower , Freedom )

Hi, I’m Celes. Thanks for reading. Personal Excellence is where I write about how to live our best life as we tackle life’s challenges.  About Me »

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'i am' living life to the fullest, despite its perils.

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About halfway through her first book of nonfiction, Edinburgh-based author Maggie O'Farrell explains her latest project to her mother: "I'm trying to write a life, told only through near-death experiences," she says. It's not exactly an autobiography, more like "snatches of a life. A string of moments."

Most of these dramatic moments will come as no surprise to her mother, who miraculously survived the various near-fatal accidents and illnesses of O'Farrell's hair-raising childhood along with her daughter. "You were," she says with a sigh, "a nightmare to rear" — contrary, wild, willful, intractable, rash. She adds, "If you have easy children there's no justice in the world." As readers of these often harrowing pages will discover, justice has been served.

I Am, I Am, I Am takes its title from what Sylvia Plath described in The Bell Jar as "the old brag of my heart. I am, I am, I am." O'Farrell's memoir is a frequently nerve-wracking read, particularly for cautious, apprehensive worst-case scenarists. Several chapters into it, with my heart beating Yikes, Yikes, Yikes after intense descriptions of a terrifying encounter with a man seething with ill-intent on a remote solo lakeside hike, an ill-advised night dive off a pier spurred by teenage bravado, and a plane losing altitude as rapidly as the dashed academic ambitions from which O'Farrell was fleeing, it occurred to me that this might be precisely the wrong book for me. And yet, it isn't. As its title suggests, its pounding pulse is ultimately life-affirming. It's an extraordinary book, a reminder that while life has its limits and can be unpredictable, we should push against limitations and not give in to fear.

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It is also, like O'Farrell's seven intricately constructed, blissfully absorbing novels, full of surprises. As in her fiction, including The Hand That First Held Mine and This Must Be the Place, moments of beauty ambush the reader as unexpectedly as malevolent predators. An intrepid adventurer, O'Farrell emerges from a lung-and-body-bashing riptide in the Indian Ocean with a heightened appreciation for her exotic experience: "The feeling of having pulled my head, one more time, out of the noose becomes intermingled with, indivisible from, the mimosa trees, the goats, the wave that turned me over, the toasted-resin smell of cinnamon bark," she writes. Her senses — and sentences — are vividly alive.

O'Farrell eschews chronology, instead dipping and swerving through time, as she does in her novels. By saving for last the seminal experiences that have most strongly shaped her past and present, she amplifies their impact. Unlike many of the common, not-so-near-misses enumerated in earlier chapters, these are unequivocally traumatic. "Cerebellum 1980" revisits her terrifying hospitalization with severe encephalitis at age eight, which she calls "the hinge on which my childhood swung." The illness left her with permanent damage, and she credits her mobility to the determined physiotherapists who ignored her doctors' bleak prognoses.

Her survival against all odds explains much of the risk-taking detailed in earlier chapters. "Coming so close to dying as a young child," O'Farrell writes, "only to resurface again into life, imbued in me for a long time a brand of recklessness, a cavalier or even crazed attitude to risk." She acknowledges that it could have gone the other way, adding, "It was not so much that I didn't value my existence but more that I had an insatiable desire to push myself to embrace all that it could offer." She had become, she says, "sanguine — perhaps to a fault — about death."

Such sanguinity does not extend to her three children, as we learn in a searing final chapter that opens with a mad race along Italian roads to find a hospital during one of her middle child's periodic anaphylactic attacks brought on by a life-threatening immunological disorder. O'Farrell's un-self-pitying ferocity recalls the heartache of Dawn Davies' powerful title essay in Mothers of Sparta, which chronicles the maternal grit required to raise her sociopathic, autistic son. O'Farrell describes the challenges such parents endure: "Your lives are conducted with a constant background hum of potential peril. You begin to experience the world differently ... You must always be tabulating and assessing risk."

Dedicated to her children, I Am, I Am, I Am is filled with lessons the rest of us would be wise to heed. Mortal threats are more common than we think, her book demonstrates, but you can't let them stop you from experiencing life to the fullest. "You need to expect the unexpected, to embrace it," she writes, adding, "the things in life which don't go to plan are usually more important, more formative, in the long run, than the things that do." O'Farrell is here to prove it. And so, she asserts movingly, is her daughter: "She is, she is, she is."

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12 Ways to Live Life to the Fullest

Feel like you’re lacking a life purpose? Here’s how to get out of that rut—and start finding more fulfillment.

So we spoke to wellness experts, therapists, and doctors, each of whom gave advice on what it means to live a fuller life—and tips on how to actually make it stick!

Listen to your inner being.

“Learn to trust and listen to that spirit inside of you that wants nothing more than to direct you closer to the person you are meant to be and the life you are meant to live,” says Kamilah Martin , a nonprofit executive turned consultant focused on empowering Black women through community. “Accepting, even celebrating, the discoveries that show up” is her advice for anyone looking to live a fuller life.

Understand the power of authenticity.

“Being your true, authentic self ...allows you to follow your passion,” says Jason Phillips , a licensed therapist. Authenticity is about being true to one's own personality, spirit, or character. “When we don't accept who we are," he continues, "we live life—but it's not to the fullest because we're operating from someone else's perspective and doing what someone else wants us to do.”

"Living life to its fullest means not holding back, having the courage to live the life that is truest and most authentic to each of us—and not the life that is expected of us by others or society,” says Tammie Chang , MD, a board-certified physician and author of the book Boundaries For Women Physicians , which focuses on self-care and avoiding burnout.

Get rid of the “supposed tos.”

“My life for many years was dictated by the ‘supposed tos,’” Martin says. “This is the career I'm supposed to have, the marriage and family I'm supposed to have. This is the way I'm supposed to carry myself. This is how I'm supposed to speak, look, behave.” But when you clear all that away, you’re left with the person you truly want to be. “The joy and fulfillment comes in the journey of releasing and in the confidence of trusting yourself,” she says.

Discover helpful techniques.

Phillips employs what he calls the three A’s: awareness, accountability, and action. “First, have awareness that [you’re] not happy with where [you are]…and want to change something,” he says. “That can come through conversations or an event in your life.” Second, accountability is about being in the driver’s seat. “Take control of this narrative,” Phillips says. “Feel like [you] can control [your] life.” Third, make the change. “Maybe that’s going to therapy. Maybe that’s developing yourself personally. [It’s] whatever you need to do...so that you can now take action and control your life.”

Visualize your future self.

At the Co-Active Training Institute , Chang learned a technique called future self visualization. “[It] takes us to meet ourselves 20 years into the future, and to gain the wisdom of our own older, experienced, and wiser inner selves,” she explains. “Some of the greatest wisdom we have is right there inside of ourselves. Just like getting to know yourself and leaning into your authenticity, letting your inner voice guide you is a way to achieve a fuller life. “The experience empowers us to live in a way that is more full, more in alignment with who we really are, and to give ourselves permission to let go of the ‘shoulds’ in our lives."

Define your core values.

“So many of us struggle to find our meaning, purpose, and anchor in life,” Chang says. Her solution? Uncovering the three to five core values that make you tick. This might seem easier said than done, but Chang has a few questions that can help you explore. “What would you take a stand for? What makes you mad—like mad —and why is that? What are the peak moments of your life until today? What are the common threads between these moments or experiences?” For Phillips, identifying those values is crucial, too, whether it’s gaining financial security or finding a sense of spirituality. “Once you define your values, you can look at your behavior and notice [if] your value is in alignment with your behavior,” he says. “If there's a disconnect, you now have a starting point of where to remedy as opposed to feeling lost and stuck.”

Let beliefs lead to passions.

Once you’ve defined your core principles, you can follow that path to finding things you’re passionate about—in turn, filling your days with what you enjoy. “When we do the things we're passionate about, we can wake up looking forward to the day,” Phillips says. For Martin, that was learning photography recently. “That gift has blossomed into some incredibly beautiful opportunities,” she says. “Leaning into this hobby and passion has brought so much unexpected joy and fulfillment.”

Help someone.

One possible thing to feel passionate about: . “We are wired to experience joy in the serving and helping of others ,” Chang says. “It’s the most natural form of experiencing an emotional high.” Giving back can come in a variety of forms, from volunteering your time to donating money. Whatever it is, the cause you choose to support should align with those values you defined earlier.

Strengthen your inner circle.

Adding more fulfillment to your life might also mean seeking out connections with those around you. “ Finding your people , the ones who cheer you on and lift you up on a soul-level, is life's work,” Martin says. “Your community is going to be one of the biggest factors to propel you and your dreams forward—or hold you back.” That means you should always be on the lookout for ways to improve your circle, even if it means making a change when that community is no longer serving you. “The older I get, the more important it is for me to really surround myself with the people and energies that bring me growth, safety, and pure joy and peace,” Martin adds.

Seek peace, not happiness.

“Chasing happiness can actually lead to misery,” Martin says. Phillips agrees: “Sometimes we may not be happy on the journey to actually becoming who we are or becoming who we want to be.” A fuller life doesn’t necessarily mean being happy all the time—rather, it’s about being in touch with your inner self and deciding what you need in that moment. Martin suggests letting the happiness come to you instead of doggedly searching for it. “Listen to what life is putting in front of you and lean into the surprising things that bring you true peace,” she says.

Feel all the feelings.

“We are human beings, designed to experience the full range of emotions—good, bad, ugly, scary, and wonderful,” Chang explains. “The deeper we can feel into our daily experience, the more fully we are living in integrity.” She cautions against “dulling our emotions” with mindless activities or substances, because even though they might help numb some of the less pleasant feelings, they ultimately will not lead to personal fulfillment.

Hold no regrets.

"When you come to the end of your life, what is it that will have meant the most to you? To your loved ones? To those you’ve never even met?" says Chang. "Know that you have an impact on countless others throughout your lifetime, and that the ripple effects of you, your being, and your impact, is there. You matter. Make your life on this Earth count. Don’t just go through the motions. What will your life have been all about when you come to the end of yours?"

Cassie Hurwitz (she/her) is an associate editor at Oprah Daily, where she covers everything from culture to entertainment to lifestyle. She can typically be found in the middle of multiple books and TV shows all at once. Previously, Cassie worked at Parents , Rachael Ray In Season , and Reveal. Her love language is pizza (New York slices, Chicago deep dish, and otherwise). 

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“Begin at once to live and count each separate day as a separate life.” ~Seneca

At times, it’s seemed as though life contains an endless supply of days.

I thought this for sure when I was younger. It didn’t matter how long I held a grudge or how long I waited to do something I wanted—there would be an unlimited pool of other opportunities. At least, that’s what I thought back then.

Maybe it’s a rite of passage from childhood to adulthood, the moment when you realize life happens now and that’s all you’re guaranteed. It doesn’t really hit you when you merely know it intellectually, like you know your ABCs, state capitals, and other concrete facts.

It hits you when somehow you feel it. Your health declines. You lose someone you love. A tragedy rocks your world. It isn’t until you realize that all life fades that you consider now a commodity, and a scarce one at that.

But maybe that’s irrelevant. Maybe living a meaningful, passionate life has nothing to do with its length and everything to do with its width.

With this in mind, I recently asked Tiny Buddha’s Facebook friends, “How do you live life to the fullest?” I was inspired by what they had to say, so I’ve used them to create this list:

1. Live in the moment. Forget the past and don’t concern yourself with the future. (Tanner Christensen)

2. Fully embrace the now, no matter what the situation. (Patrick Flynn)

3. Do the things you love. (Diego Felipe Villa Serna)

4. Learn to forgive and embrace unconditional love. (Ann Glasgow)

5. Live every day as if it’s your last, embracing each experience as if it’s your first. (Jennifer Fertado)

6. Believe in “live and let live.” (Satyendra Pandey)

7. Use quiet reflection, honesty, and laughter. (Erin Rogers Kronman)

8. Be other-centered. (Tricia Mc)

9. Find calm in making art. (Z.r. Hill)

10. Focus on today and how you can do your best to live it to the fullest. (Amelia Krump)

11. Participate in life instead of just watching it pass you by. (Lindsey Wonderson)

12. Stay healthy, eat right, and most importantly, be kind to all. (Tho Nguyen)

13. Forgive yourself, appreciate others, listen to your gut, do things you enjoy, and remind yourself that we are all loved and connected. (Sandra Lumb)

1 4. Don’t sweat the small stuff. (Allison Gillam)

15. Question everything, keep it simple, and help whenever and however you can. (Lynda Corrigan Sutherland)

16. Try to enjoy every minute of every day. (Maria Ahlin)

17. Appreciate life’s every second. (Anna-Karin Boyaciyan-Demirciyan)

18. Step through new doors. The majority of the time there’s something fantastic on the other side. (Terri Mindock)

19. Remember that all is a gift, but the most precious of all gifts is life and love. (Debbie Teeuwen)

20. Keep your spirit free, be flexible, let go. (Leslie Brown)

21. “Do one thing every day that scares you.”   ~Baz Luhrmann (Adam Raffel)

22. Don’t attach to outcomes. (Wp Ho)

23. Spend as much time with a two year old as possible. (Jackie Freeman)

24. Enjoy each and every moment of life. Every day is a new challenge and opportunity to discover something new. (Chirag Tripathi)

25. Budget travel. It is always an adventure! You get to enjoy what fate has to offer with limited means. (Ruby Baltazar)

26. Be honestly thankful for every breath you take. (Jonathan Carey)

27. Just be. (Catherine Halvorsson)

28. “Trust yourself. Trust your own strengths.” ~Gandalf the grey (Jonathan David Evan Fulton)

29. Pause momentarily before everything you do so that you notice everything you should or could notice. (Scott Hutchinson)

30. Follow your hopes and not your fears. (Jody Bower)

What have you done today to live life to the fullest?

Photo by gaborbasch

About Lori Deschene

Lori Deschene is the founder of Tiny Buddha. She started the site after struggling with depression, bulimia, and toxic shame so she could recycle her former pain into something useful and inspire others do the same. She recently created the Breaking Barriers to Self-Care eCourse to help people honor their needs—so they can feel their best, be their best, and live their best possible life. If you’re ready to start thriving instead of merely surviving, you can learn more and get instant access here .

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Reflective Essay on How To Live Life To The Fullest

The human nature is interestingly afraid of change. It is constantly clinging to habits because it links what is different with much more effort. From my point of view, that is not what life should be based on. This letter will be discussing the concept of a life lived fully and how it differs for each individual, as it is highly subjective. 

A handful of people may believe that having a cozy night in with friends and family is far more enjoyable than what others look forward to, such as travelling, exploring, trying extreme sports. What brings everyone together at a common point is the essence of a happy life: laugh, love, take risks, dream, be thankful for the time and chances you are given, and make a lot of memories as that is what remains in the end.

People are predisposed to find reasons and excuses, not to take risks.  

Getting overwhelmed by things that are not of high importance, ruining the moment or even the entire day. How many times have you felt depressed because you couldn't buy something you didn't need? Stressing yourself out thinking about problems that never even occurred, not enjoying the present because you were mourning over something that happened in the past, are the reasons that prevent people from living life at its fullest. 

In conclusion, we cannot change the world, but I strongly believe we can change ourselves. Living life to the full depends entirely on our approach, therefore cherishing our time on Earth, being completely present and open-minded to enjoy the experience that is given to us every day.

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How to Live Life to the Fullest

Last Updated: April 12, 2024 Approved

This article was co-authored by Annie Lin, MBA . Annie Lin is the founder of New York Life Coaching, a life and career coaching service based in Manhattan. Her holistic approach, combining elements from both Eastern and Western wisdom traditions, has made her a highly sought-after personal coach. Annie’s work has been featured in Elle Magazine, NBC News, New York Magazine, and BBC World News. She holds an MBA degree from Oxford Brookes University. Annie is also the founder of the New York Life Coaching Institute which offers a comprehensive life coach certification program. Learn more: https://newyorklifecoaching.com There are 45 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. This article received 28 testimonials and 87% of readers who voted found it helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. This article has been viewed 1,824,918 times.

The meaning of your life is something you create day after day with your own actions and thoughts. Always ask what you can learn, and how you can move forward, and stop yourself from blaming other people if things aren't the way you would like them to be. What living life to the “fullest” looks like is up to you. Here are some steps to get you started.

Finding Yourself

• We may be dishonest for a variety of reasons. Research has shown that sometimes we lie because we’re jealous and want to hurt others. Sometimes, we lie because we’re afraid we will be hurt if we reveal the truth, or we’re afraid of a confrontation. [2] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source It can be hard to be honest, especially with yourself, but doing so will help you live a fuller, richer life.

• Make a list of your strengths. What are you good at? These can be lofty achievements, such as inventing a new technology, or “everyday” skills, such as being friendly to others. Paying attention to what your strengths are can help you continue to develop them without focusing on yourself as a “failure.”

• Stand up for what you believe in and don’t let others push you around. It's possible to do this and still be open to other people's ideas, as they may surprise you.

• For example, if you find yourself consistently telling yourself what is wrong with you or what you don’t like about yourself, be purposeful and challenge those thoughts with positive ones. Replace thoughts like “I’m such a loser” with “That situation didn’t go exactly the way I’d planned. I’ll go back to the drawing board and think of another way to approach it.”
• Try to think logically about your self-criticisms. Criticizing ourselves can be all too easy. The next time you notice yourself being harsh, try to find a rational response to that criticism. For example, if you found yourself thinking “I’m so dumb, I don’t know anything in this class and everyone’s smarter than I am,” examine that thought logically. Is everyone really smarter than you, or are some individuals just more prepared for the material than others? Is your performance in the class related to your intellect (not likely) or is it because you may not have the preparation you needed to excel? Are you studying effectively? Would you benefit from a tutor? Breaking things down in this logical manner can help you figure out steps to take to help yourself improve without writing yourself off.

• Fostering positive emotions, such as happiness and optimism, will help you develop flexibility. [7] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
• Look for patterns in how you respond to events and situations. Determine what’s helpful and what isn’t. This can help you learn to modify the responses that aren’t helpful and learn to be more adaptive. Not only will you feel better yourself, but you will also be able to better interact with others. [8] X Research source Fina, A. D., Schiffrin, D., & Bamberg, M. (Eds.). (2006). Discourse and Identity (1 edition). Cambridge, UK ; New York: Cambridge University Press.
• Learn to look at “negative” events as learning experiences instead. Looking at setbacks or situations that appear as negative as “failures” can lead you to obsess over them, rather than learn and grow from them. Rather than seeing a challenge or roadblock as a negative, see it as a positive space for learning and improvement.
• For example, famous entrepreneur Steve Jobs said that “getting fired from Apple was the best thing that could have ever happened to me. The heaviness of being successful was replaced by the lightness of being a beginner again, less sure about everything. It freed me to enter one of the most creative periods of my life.” [9] X Research source J.K. Rowling, the author of the phenomenally successful Harry Potter series, has said that she sees failure as incredibly beneficial, something to be valued rather than feared. [10] X Research source

• Eat a healthy diet. Avoid foods that are high in sugar and empty calories. Eat plenty of fresh fruits, vegetables, complex carbohydrates, and lean proteins. Don’t deprive yourself, though; it’s perfectly healthy to have a slice of cake or a glass of wine from time to time. [11] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
• Stay hydrated. Men should drink about 13 cups (3 liters) of fluids per day. Women should drink about 9 cups (2.2 liters) of fluids per day. [12] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source
• Get exercise. Studies have shown that regular exercise helps you feel healthier, happier, and more positive. Aim for about 150 minutes of moderate aerobic exercise every week. [13] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world's leading hospitals Go to source

• You can’t live your life to the fullest if you’re constantly absorbed by what happened in the past or what might happen in the future. Learning to be mindful of what is going on right now will help you worry less about what has already happened or what may happen.
• There are many ways to learn mindfulness, including mindfulness meditation and spiritual study. [16] X Research source Gunaratana, B. H. (2011). Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition (20th Anniversary Edition edition). Boston Mass.: Wisdom Publications. Exercises such as yoga and Tai Chi incorporate mindfulness into their practice.
• Some of the many benefits of mindfulness include: improved physical and mental health, lower stress, better interactions with others, and a greater sense of overall well-being. [17] X Trustworthy Source HelpGuide Nonprofit organization dedicated to providing free, evidence-based mental health and wellness resources. Go to source

• For example, consider this “should” statement: “I should lose more weight.” Why do you feel that way? Is it because you have a fitness goal that you want to achieve for yourself? Because you’ve consulted with your doctor and agreed that you need to get healthier? Or is it because someone has told you “should” look a certain way? The same goal can be healthy and helpful or harmful, all depending on why you feel like you need to achieve it.
• Deciding not to “should” yourself doesn’t mean you don’t set goals. Instead, it means that you set goals for yourself based on what is meaningful to you, not what others want for you or demand of you.

Following Your Path

• It can be terrifying to take risks because we’re generally not comfortable with the idea of failure. Most people are afraid of risk in the short-term. However, people who don’t take risks and push themselves are more likely to regret not doing so later in life. [21] X Research source
• Getting out of your comfort zone occasionally can also help you develop the flexibility you need to deal with life’s unexpected roadblocks. [22] X Research source
• Start small and work your way up. Go to a restaurant without checking it out on Yelp first. Take an impromptu road trip with a loved one. Try something at work that you haven’t done before.

• Set goals that are meaningful to you, and don’t compare them to anyone else’s. If a personally meaningful goal is to learn to play your favorite song on the guitar, don’t feel bad if you don’t become a rockstar guitarist.
• Keep your goals performance-based. Achieving your goals takes hard work, dedication, and motivation. However, you need to make sure that you can achieve your goals through your effort -- remember, you can’t control anyone else. [24] X Research source For example, “Become a movie star” is a goal that relies on others’ actions (casting agents have to cast you, people have to go to your movies, etc.). However, “Audition for as many movies as I can” is achievable because you control that action. Even if you never get a part, you can view your goal as a success, because you accomplished what you set out to do, which was work for what you want.

• Vulnerability helps you take actions in all areas of your life. If you’re afraid of being open and honest with another person because you might get hurt, you won’t be able to develop a truly intimate relationship. If you’re afraid of taking a chance because it might not work out, you may miss out on opportunities.
• For example, consider the example of Myshkin Ingawale, an inventor who wanted to develop technology to help reduce the child death rate in rural India. Ingawale frequently talks about how he failed the first 32 times he tried to create this invention. Only on the 33rd time was he finally successful. That willingness to be vulnerable, to accept the possibility of risk and failure, is what allowed him to develop this technology that is now saving lives.

• Learning new things also helps keep your brain at the top of its game. When you actively ask questions and investigate experiences, you’re more likely to feel healthy mentally and emotionally.

• Savor the moment. Humans have a bad tendency to focus on the negative aspects of life and ignore all the beauty and positivity around us. Take the time to acknowledge and savor the small moments of beauty in your everyday life. Think about what this experience means to you. Be mindful of the happiness it is bringing to your life in that moment. Writing these experiences down can be helpful. [29] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source Even small things, such as an unexpected text from a friend or a beautiful sunny morning, can fill us with gratitude if we let them.
• Share your gratitude with others. You’re more likely to “store” positive things in your memory if you share them with other people. If you see a gorgeous flower while you’re riding the bus, text a friend to let her know about it. If your partner did the dishes as a surprise for you, tell him how much you appreciate it. Sharing your gratitude can also help others feel positive and inclined to look for ways to be grateful in their lives. [30] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source

Annie Lin, MBA

Try this to help you practice daily gratitude: Every day, spend a few minutes in the morning and before bed thinking about what you appreciate in life. Also, learn to be present, curious, and observant in life, noticing the wonders around you instead of taking things for granted. For instance, if you go for a walk, spend time looking around you instead of just putting on headphones and closing out the world.

• Journaling should be active, not simply a recording of your random thoughts and experiences. Rather than just recording every single thing that happened to you, use your journal to reflect on situations you experience. How did you initially react? How did that situation make you feel at first? Do you feel differently now? Would you do anything differently if you encounter a similar situation? [31] X Research source

• Laughter is also contagious; when you express joy through laughter, others are likely to share it with you. Laughing together can create emotional and social bonds. [33] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source

• Highly materialistic people are often less happy and fulfilled than others. [36] X Research source Stuff won’t make you happy, but the relationships you cultivate with others can.
• Get rid of things in your home that you don’t use or don’t like. Find a local charity to donate clothing, household goods, and other things that are just lying around your house.
• Simplify your personal life, too. It’s okay to say “no” to commitments or invitations. Choose to spend time doing things that are meaningful or helpful to you.

Interacting With Others

• Who do you spend your time with? How do they make you feel about yourself? Do you feel respected and validated by the people in your life?
• This isn’t to suggest that your friends and loved ones shouldn’t offer constructive critique. In fact, sometimes we need a friend to point out when we’ve done something thoughtless or hurtful. However, you should always feel like your loved ones approach you with kindness and respect, and you should treat them the same way.

• Be open and honest but don’t use judging or blaming language. If someone has hurt you, it’s healthy to share your feelings with him or her. However, don’t use language that puts blame on the other person, such as “You were so unkind to me” or “You don’t even care about my needs.”
• Use “I”-statements. Using statements that focus on what you are feeling and experiencing keep you from sounding blaming or judging. For example, “I felt hurt when you forgot to pick me up from work. I felt like my needs were not important to you.”
• Give constructive criticism and accept it from others. Don’t simply tell others to do or not to do something. Explain why you are asking.
• Invite others to share their needs and ideas with you. Use cooperative language, such as “What would you like to do?” or “What do you think?”
• Instead of automatically feeling a need to assert your own point of view, try saying something like “Tell me more” when you hear something that at first seems like something you’d normally disagree with. Try to see from his/her point of view.

• This doesn’t mean you have to be a doormat for those who don’t treat you right. You can love and accept someone and still recognize that they aren’t good for you.
• Believe it or not, love is helpful even in the workplace. Workplaces that foster a culture that includes compassion, caring, and expressions of affection are more productive and have more satisfied workers. [40] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source

• Think about whatever it is you want to forgive. Notice how those thoughts make you feel. Accept those feelings; judging them or trying to repress them will only make it worse. [42] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
• Transform that painful experience into a learning experience. What could you have done differently? What could the other person have done differently? What can you learn from this experience that can help you become a better person now?
• Remember that you can only control your actions, not others’. One of the reasons forgiveness is so hard is because it’s entirely dependent on you. The other person may never acknowledge the wrongdoing. S/he may never face consequences or learn from the experience. However, holding on to your anger about the situation ultimately only hurts you. Learning to forgive, regardless of whether the other person takes any action or experiences any result, will help you heal.
• Forgiving yourself is as important as forgiving others. When we dwell on things about our past lives or behavior that we regret, we can end up falling into an unproductive cycle of self-blame, rather than using those experiences as tools to help us focus on becoming better people in the present. [43] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source Use the techniques in this article, such as challenging negative self-talk and practicing mindfulness, to help you forgive yourself and show yourself the same compassion you show others.
• While forgiving remember we need to forget certain situations in life which brought us negative emotions.

• Helping others not only benefits them, but it also has physical health benefits for you. Being charitable may cause what’s known as a “helper’s high,” an endorphin rush that we experience when we do something good for others. [44] X Trustworthy Source Greater Good Magazine Journal published by UC Berkeley's Greater Good Science Center, which uses scientific research to promote happier living Go to source
• You don’t have to start a soup kitchen or found a non-profit to help others. Even small acts of everyday kindness can have a huge effect. Research has found that the “pay it forward” effect really does exist: your kindness can inspire others to show generosity and kindness in turn, which then inspires more and more people to do the same. [45] X Trustworthy Source PubMed Central Journal archive from the U.S. National Institutes of Health Go to source

• It may feel uncomfortable at first to talk with someone whom you see as “different” than you. Remember that you can learn something from every person you encounter. And the more diversity you embrace in your daily life, the more you’ll realize that we’re all human.

Expert Q&A

• L-Listen more, talk less;
• O-Overlook mistakes & shortcomings;
• V-Value what you have;
• E-Express your appreciation.
• Enjoy the simple things in life. Sit down, relax and think of how much you love to look at the blue sky or listen to your sister's laugh or your dad's pointless jokes. Think of what life would be without them. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0
• Disregard gossip , bias and judgmental attitudes. An important thing in living life to the fullest we should try to always live in the present moment. Past cannot be relived, the future is uncertain, and thus, the only certain moment in life is now. Thanks Helpful 0 Not Helpful 0

Tips from our Readers

• Turning to religion (or learning more about it) can help you rediscover your purpose in life.
• Remember that success is not stagnant, and failure is not final!

• Be aware of the difference between stories and facts. Don't get caught up in your own stories. Thanks Helpful 28 Not Helpful 1
• Don't let the external circumstances determine how you feel. You can't always control the external circumstances, but you are always in control of the meaning you give things. Thanks Helpful 1 Not Helpful 0

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• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/honesty_respect
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/right_and_wrong_in_the_real_world
• ↑ http://www.mindtools.com/pages/article/newTED_85.htm
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/19450005
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/making-change/201107/how-stop-the-self-criticism-and-feel-better-about-you
• ↑ Lloyd, A. (2015). Beyond Willpower: The Secret Principle to Achieving Success in Life, Love, and Happiness. New York: Harmony.
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_tipping_point_of_happiness_a_review_of_positivity
• ↑ Fina, A. D., Schiffrin, D., & Bamberg, M. (Eds.). (2006). Discourse and Identity (1 edition). Cambridge, UK ; New York: Cambridge University Press.
• ↑ http://www.businessinsider.com/the-full-text-of-steve-jobs-stanford-commencement-speech-2011-10
• ↑ http://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2008/06/text-of-j-k-rowling-speech/
• ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/basics/healthy-diets/hlv-20049477
• ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/nutrition-and-healthy-eating/in-depth/water/art-20044256
• ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/fitness/basics/fitness-basics/hlv-20049447
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/images/uploads/Davis-Mindfulness_Potential_on_Education_Psych.pdf
• ↑ http://www.helpguide.org/harvard/benefits-of-mindfulness.htm
• ↑ Gunaratana, B. H. (2011). Mindfulness in Plain English: 20th Anniversary Edition (20th Anniversary Edition edition). Boston Mass.: Wisdom Publications.
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/inviting-monkey-tea/201304/stop-shoulding-yourself-death-0
• ↑ http://psychclassics.yorku.ca/Yerkes/Law/
• ↑ http://www.wsj.com/articles/SB10001424052702303836404577474451463041994
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/confessions-techie/201101/comfort-kills
• ↑ http://www.nytimes.com/2011/02/12/your-money/12shortcuts.html?pagewanted=all&_r=0
• ↑ https://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/notes-self/201308/how-set-goals
• ↑ http://www.mindtools.com/page6.html
• ↑ https://www.ted.com/talks/brene_brown_on_vulnerability/transcript?language=en
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/gratitude/definition#why_practice
• ↑ https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S0005796705000392
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/love_honor_thank/
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/tips_for_keeping_a_gratitude_journal
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/10_steps_to_savoring_the_good_things_in_life
• ↑ http://www.emeraldinsight.com/doi/abs/10.1108/13527590210442258
• ↑ http://www.webmd.com/balance/features/give-your-body-boost-with-laughter
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_laughter_is_contagious
• ↑ Reed, R. (2013). A Lacanian Ethics of Non-Personal Responsibility. Pastoral Psychology, 62(4), 515–531.
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/materialism_gratitude_happiness
• ↑ http://psycnet.apa.org/psycinfo/1993-16069-001
• ↑ http://www.mayoclinic.org/healthy-lifestyle/stress-management/in-depth/positive-thinking/art-20043950?pg=2
• ↑ https://www.cci.health.wa.gov.au/~/media/CCI/Consumer%20Modules/Assert%20Yourself/Assert%20Yourself%20-%2002%20-%20How%20to%20Recognise%20Assertive%20Behaviour.pdf
• ↑ http://www.apa.org/topics/anger/control.aspx
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_you_should_love_thy_coworker
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/forgiveness/definition#why_practice
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/nine_steps_to_forgiveness
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_self_compassion_beats_rumination
• ↑ http://greatergood.berkeley.edu/topic/altruism/definition#what_is
• ↑ http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2851803/?report=abstract

About This Article

To live life to the fullest, try to work on accepting yourself the way you are so you can focus more of your attention on doing the things you love. Also, push yourself out of your comfort zone as much as possible, which will expose you to new experiences and teach you to take risks. You can also try setting meaningful goals for yourself, like learning how to play the guitar or making new friends, to give yourself something to work towards. To learn how to develop meaningful relationships with others so you feel more fulfilled, scroll down! Did this summary help you? Yes No

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23 Ways You Can Start Living Life to the Fullest—Right Now

Updated 06/6/2022

Published 04/1/2020

Belinda McLeod, BA in Secondary Education

Contributing writer

Cake values integrity and transparency. We follow a strict editorial process to provide you with the best content possible. We also may earn commission from purchases made through affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more in our affiliate disclosure .

No one wants to face a crisis. No one wishes for war, drought, or pandemics. We are devastated when our loved ones receive a life-changing diagnosis, and our hearts break when our family members die.

But for some reason, when these awful things occur, they cause us to pause and reexamine our lives. Someone wise once said, “be thankful for the bad things in life. They open your eyes to the good things you weren’t paying attention to before.”

Let’s try to live our lives to the fullest, even when things are going smoothly. Here are some tips on how to start living life to the fullest—right now.

1. Have a thankful heart

A happy heart is a thankful heart.  

The key to having a thankful heart is to pay attention to all the blessings in your life. Some of the blessings may be easy to spot—your health, a job that pays the bills, and a loving spouse. When times are hard, you may need to look harder for those blessings—such as the ability to gather with friends, a spring flower, or being able to spend time with someone you love.

Tip: Keep a gratitude journal. Make it your goal to find something to be grateful for every day of your life. 

2. Ask for forgiveness

Who have you wronged in your life through your past words or actions? Was it an ex-spouse? Did you say something that you have always regretted to your parents or kids? Did you argue with a coworker or spread a rumor about a friend? Seek forgiveness from that person. 

Tip: You don’t have to go through Alcoholics Anonymous to go through some of the 12 steps. Step 6 is “make a list of all persons you’ve harmed and become willing to make amends to them all.” Complete this step, whether you are in AA or not.

3. Forgive others

Did someone mistreat you? Maybe it was your parents or perhaps it was your boss. Does it still make you angry? Do you think about it multiple times a week? Take Elsa’s advice and “let it go.” 

Tip: Remember, you can’t change other people’s actions. You can only change how you react. Take the high road. 

4. Spend quality time with your parents and grandparents

Life gets busy. You work long hours, your kids are involved in a lot of activities, and you have a lot of friends and social engagements. Even though your life is full, make sure you spend time with your parents and grandparents, and ask them questions about their lives .

Tip: Schedule a weekly meal with your parents or grandparents. If you live far away, schedule a regular call. Put it in your calendar and make sure your parents know about it so they save the time for you as well.

5. Teach your children the essential things in life

It may not seem like it when you are in the throws of potty training, but time with your children goes incredibly fast. You think you have time to teach them about the important things in life, but then they become teenagers and are busy all the time.

Tip: Your children learn more by your actions than by your words. Instead of giving them speeches full of life lessons, live a life that you would like them to emulate. 

6. Pay attention to how you spend your time

How much time do you spend each week on Netflix? How many hours do you spend gaming? How many Bachelors can you name, and how many times have you watched each episode of Friends? People who live their life to the fullest don’t spend it staring at a screen.

Tip: Limit yourself to a certain number of hours of TV or video games per week.

7. Create family traditions

The closest families are the ones rich in traditions. Have a cook-off every year or a card tournament every Christmas. Cook, travel, and eat together. 

Tip: You may consider scheduling events a year ahead of time. This will help your family members plan trips and time with in-laws.

8. Spend time outside

Even if you aren’t an outdoors enthusiast, spending time in nature is helpful for gaining perspective about life. When you look up in the vast night’s sky, one can’t help but feel a bit insignificant. Your problems seem a little less pressing. 

Tip: Spend time in nature each week, even if your version of nature is a small park down the street.

9. Be spontaneous

When was the last time you did something off the cuff? Perhaps it was something big—like going on an unexpected trip. Maybe it was something small—like surprising your loved one with a gift. 

Tip: Don’t wait for a reason to surprise those you love. 

10. Pay attention to your health

It’s challenging to have a full, robust life if you are always tired. It’s hard to enjoy the great outdoors and to take spontaneous trips if you are sick. Treat your body well.

Tip: We all know the importance of eating a healthy diet and exercising, but there are other things to consider, as well. How do alcohol or drugs affect your life?

11. Tell people that you love them

What if you die tomorrow? Do your friends and family know that you love them? How can you be sure?

Tip: Get into the habit of telling your friends and family how you feel about them. 

12. Quit arguing about politics

You aren’t going to be able to change your brother-in-law’s mind, but you may say something irrevocable that will ruin relationships. Want to live life to the fullest? Campaign and vote for who you wish, but quit trying to change the minds of people on the opposite ends of the political spectrum. 

Tip: Avoid being aggressive about politics. Lead by example.

13. Adopt a pet

Do you want to live life to the fullest? Why not save the life of an animal. Adopt a pet and treat it well.

Tip : You may also consider fostering pets until they are adopted. You can choose to foster a specific breed that you love.

14. Take risks

You miss all the shots that you don’t take. So ask the girl out on a date, go on the mission trip, open the small business, and start working on that novel. 

Tip: Write out your bucket list and start crossing items off it.

15. Be kind to others 

You don’t know what is causing that grouchy person at the check-out counter to be so unpleasant. Give them grace. Perhaps they just received devastating news. Maybe they are in constant pain, or their dad is in the hospital.

Tip: Be the person who is kind to everyone. Remember, kindness is contagious.

16. Be charitable

When you wake up in the morning, ask yourself who you can help that day. Can you spare 15 minutes to visit with your home-bound neighbor? Can you give a new pair of socks to the homeless man you see every morning on the way to work? Can you send a text to someone who recently lost her husband?

Tip: Charity isn’t always about money. We also need to remember to be charitable with our time. 

17. Avoid negativity

Is your break room at work a cesspool of negativity? Are your friends continuously complaining about their husbands, kids, and in-laws? Are your neighbors always arguing about politics?

Tip: Spend more time with people who make you happy.

18. Be the bigger person

The most deserving doesn’t always get the promotion. The nicest guy doesn’t always win. Such is life. 

Tip: It’s easy to become bitter when you are treated unfairly. Learn strategies to help you cope and move on with life. 

19. Keep learning

Do you want to live life to the fullest? Then keep learning and growing. Take classes, read life-changing books , attend lectures, and practice a language or instrument.

Tip: It takes 10,000 hours to become an expert at something. What do you want to learn? 

20. Quit working all the time

Picture your death bed. Do you want others to praise your ability to write perfect TPS reports? 

You may be lucky enough to love your job, but don’t give it all of your life. There is more to life than your career.  

Tip: If you have to work more than 40 hours a week, consider working when the other members of your family are busy. Get in a few hours before anyone else is awake.

21. Put down your phone

We know it’s hard. Phones aren’t only a communication device, they’re a source of entertainment. It’s hard to put down a tool that allows us to check the weather, our bank balance, and our work communication. 

Tip: Set a goal each week to lower your weekly screen time. 

22. Make time for those you love

Do you want to live life to its fullest? Make commitments to the people you love and spend time with them. Living life to the fullest isn’t just about visiting every continent or climbing the summit of Everest. It’s about having a core group of people who are important to you.

Tip: Do you have multiple kids? Have a special date night with each of them several times a year. Schedule special events with your spouse. Call your mom multiple times a week, and create traditions with your siblings and extended family. 

23. Set your priorities and live by them

What are your priorities in life? Not sure? It’s time to figure them out. Perhaps your list might be God, family, health, work, finances. Maybe you would add items to your list or put some in a different order. 

Tip: Once you have determined your priorities, live by them. Consider turning your list into a mission statement. 

What's On Your List?

Do you know one of the best ways to start living your life to the fullest? Write your own list of how to do it. What did we leave off ours? 

Do you want to know another way to ensure that you are living your life to the fullest? Start your end-of-life planning . Even if you are not a member of the death positive movement , if you have those pesky funeral details taken care of, you can focus on the essential things of life. 

If you're looking for more ways you can start living in the present, read our guides on  how to start living in the moment if you're feeling anxious  and  how to write your life story .

Categories:

• Relationships

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Analysis of the Last Lecture by Randy Pausch

This essay about Randy Pausch’s family explores how they have continued to embody and promote his philosophies following his death in 2008. It discusses the advocacy work of his wife, Jai Pausch, who authored a memoir and engaged in activities supporting pancreatic cancer research and caregivers. The essay also touches on how Randy’s optimistic and proactive teachings have influenced their children, who were raised with the values of dreaming big and overcoming obstacles positively. Overall, the family maintains Randy Pausch’s legacy through their personal growth and public advocacy, reflecting his belief in the potential of every individual to make a meaningful impact.

How it works

Randy Pausch, a renowned professor at Carnegie Mellon University, captivated millions worldwide with his inspirational “Last Lecture,” a reflection on achieving one’s childhood dreams in the face of his terminal pancreatic cancer diagnosis. Pausch passed away in 2008, but his legacy continues through his ideas, his work, and importantly, his family. This essay explores the enduring impact of Randy Pausch’s philosophies on his family and how they have carried forward his vision of living life to the fullest.

Following Randy’s passing, his wife, Jai Pausch, stepped into the spotlight to continue advocating for the causes close to their hearts, particularly pancreatic cancer research and family support for cancer patients.

Jai authored “Dream New Dreams,” a memoir recounting her journey through Randy’s illness and her new role as a widow and single mother. Her work provided a candid look into the challenges faced by caregivers and the emotional toll of managing grief while moving forward.

Jai’s transformation from caregiver to advocate highlights the Pausch family’s resilience and dedication to Randy’s memory. Her involvement in advocacy and support groups has not only helped raise significant funding for cancer research but also provided a platform for her to help others navigating the harrowing path of a loved one’s terminal illness. This shift mirrored Randy’s own focus on enabling others to achieve their dreams and overcome obstacles.

Randy and Jai’s children, Dylan, Logan, and Chloe, have grown in an environment steeped in their father’s teachings and values. While much of their lives have been kept private, a principle their parents upheld even throughout Randy’s public battle with cancer, it is clear that the Pausch children were deeply influenced by their father’s optimism and determination. Randy’s emphasis on seizing every moment and living sincerely for one’s passions is a guiding light in their upbringing.

The family’s approach to dealing with their loss and moving forward embodies Randy’s own philosophy from the “Last Lecture” — that obstacles can be overcome with determination and a positive spirit. They embody the idea that one’s approach to challenges and the ability to inspire others can be a profound legacy in itself. The children, inspired by their father’s life lessons, are encouraged to dream big and tackle obstacles with a positive and proactive mindset.

Moreover, the ongoing interest in Randy Pausch’s lecture and his book, “The Last Lecture,” co-authored by Jeffrey Zaslow, has ensured that new generations are also learning from his life. The book continues to be a source of inspiration for many, showing how his ideas transcend his own life and permeate the lives of others, including his family.

In reflecting on the Pausch family now, it is evident that Randy’s legacy is not just preserved in his public works but vibrantly alive in his family. They carry forward his belief in the potential of every individual to affect change in their own life and the lives of others. His teachings about facing life with a relentless optimism and a readiness to turn obstacles into stepping stones have shaped not only his approach to his illness but also how his family has navigated their lives after his passing.

In conclusion, the story of Randy Pausch’s family is a testament to the enduring power of one man’s positive outlook and his profound impact on those closest to him. His family’s continued advocacy and personal growth reflect Randy’s own philosophy that life’s challenges are not stop signs, but checkpoints on a journey of growth and self-discovery. Through their actions and lives, the Pausch family keeps Randy’s memory and teachings alive, inspiring countless others to do the same.

Remember, this essay is a starting point for inspiration and further research. For more personalized assistance and to ensure your essay meets all academic standards, consider reaching out to professionals at [EduBirdie](https://edubirdie.com/?utm_source=chatgpt&utm_medium=answer&utm_campaign=essayhelper).

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Faith & Values

Time is the greatest gift we have because every day we live brings us closer to our last.

Most of us will never get to know how much time we have left on this Earth. But knowing, strange as it may sound, may actually be a blessing, providing the chance we may need to fulfill missed opportunities toward our loved ones, relatives and friends.

In much the same way, knowing that a loved one’s time may be ending can actually be a gift, one that leads us to an even deeper appreciation for our loved one, the time we have together and how much the person has blessed our life, and giving our life a greater purpose.

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Eight years ago, my wife was diagnosed with an incurable, debilitating medical condition. Most days she is reduced to sitting or bed rest, in serious physical pain and with respiratory issues.

Even in her constant pain, she has devoted her every waking minute to being more loving to each member of our family. Her actions have inspired me to be an even more loving husband, father and son.

She says worrying about tomorrow is a waste of time, that each day is a gift. From her bedside, she reads with our children and helps them with homework; sometimes they just lie together talking. Her bedroom has become a family room.

She hated the side effects of her medications, so instead each morning I churn out four unique fresh juices known to help, which make her feel better. I cook, clean and help out more, inspired to be a better partner.

The love she gives us all is reflected in the happiness that fills our home today. She never takes anything for granted, happy just to be alive, thankful for family, and praying to God for the time needed to fulfill her motherly commitments.

Together, we are all more thankful to the creator who has given us so much: time, our lives together, and the people we love and who love us, letting us all know how important we are to one another.

My wife and I recently had that most difficult of all conversations. You know, the one you’re supposed to have at home with your family, before one of you is in the ICU, about how you want to approach death and what to do at that time.

We spend so much time planning out our lives down to the smallest detail. Why avoid talking about how we want it to end? Death is inevitable, and talking about it won’t kill us.

That conversation brought us even closer together, bringing us a sense of relief and closer to a reality we now embrace as inevitable.

Talking about death with our children once seemed unthinkable, but we have come to embrace that, too, as the new normal. Our children in turn have become even more loving and thankful, with a greater appreciation of our faith, Islam.

Living life with true purpose and meaning doesn’t have to begin when you find out you’re dying. The Prophet Muhammad said: “Work for the affairs of the world as if you were going to live forever but work for the Hereafter as though you will die tomorrow.”

Let us all recognize the incredible people and gifts all around us and learn how to be better listeners. Time can either take that ability away from us or make us better at it, able to give our loved ones our full attention.

Each day, I take the time to look carefully into the eyes of my wife and family members, recognizing they have incredible stories to be told, which has deepened my gratitude for our time together.

Don’t wait until tomorrow to do something nice that could make the world a better place today.

Aziz Junejo is host of “Focus on Islam,” a weekly cable-television show, and a frequent speaker on Islam. Readers may send feedback to [email protected]

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Live Life To The Fullest

As Maria Robinson once said, “Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending” The average life span of an American is a short 78 years so if we are going to live life to the fullest we better start today. We take for granted the simplest of things, like breathing. You take in about 28,800 breathes in one day so why don't you go out and create moments that take those breathes away because I mean we have a few to spare. Living life isn't something we joke about though, I'm not trying to say we need to out and be crazy and do things that will jeopardize the chance to fulfill our lives but don't be afraid of having dreams that are totally far fetched, taking a chance, making mistakes, and not being everything we can be. I can't be the only one out there who wants to arrive at my grave and be able to say, “Phew some peace and quiet.” While I'm around I want to take every opportunity and make it reality. It is said that laughter is the best medicine, well it may not be medicine but it is on of the best things for you. In fact aside from improving our moods, reduces stress, boosts your immune system because of the facial mussels being connected it makes a response between your thymus gland that is connected with your immune system, and reduce pain. It is said that laughing can even extend your life span. Also studies have established 18 different kinds of smiles but the one that is most used is pure enjoyment and as most know it takes less muscles to frown, 47 to 13. So theres more reasons to happy as if being alive isn't enough. You may be thinking then why is it that people stop themselves from living fully. People but up a wall of thinking they can't do anything. Most of the time it is dwelling on the past. By what people say or do to us effects what we think as much as we don't want to admit it. Negative people only see bad things in life, almost like a tunnel vision. Being around those negative people can eventually bring you down too. It happens when we start to agree with them and loose our passion about the everyday things in our lives. There are three kinds of negative people. One is dream killers, these are the ones who tell you things like the dream you posses is a waste of time. Crabs, the ones that are always around critiquing and holding us back. And constant complainers, these are the people that can always find something wrong with their lives and they are just downers. This all comes by people thinking life will never be good , so they do nothing to make it better. There are many ways to create a happy full life. You can replacing a bad though by a good one, make a list of things you want to do before you die, live day by day, go new places, reflect on the things you have a accomplished, accept people for who they are, be realistic with the goals you set, and the most cliché of them all listen to your heart, you will always find the best choice. Remember, Nobody can go back and start a new beginning, but anyone can start today and make a new ending.

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Live Life to the Fullest

By: Top   •  Essay  •  469 Words  •  November 29, 2009  •  3,123 Views

Essay title: Live Life to the Fullest

Living life to the Fullest

When I herd we were going to write a paper on how we could live life to the fullest, I was very excited. I feel that if you waste your life by only doing enough to get by should be a crime. We were put on this earth to do something special with our lives and we should never take that for granted. People that do not do everything to the best of their abilities aren’t only cheating themselves but also the others around them. Throughout this paper I will be explaining why I feel that living my life to the fullest is so important.

One of the first reasons everyone should live their lives to the fullest is because if you don’t you will have missed out on so many great opportunities. If you don’t do the best you can in everything than you’ll never know how far you could have gotten. Take a sport for instance, if you don’t practice than you’ll never get any better. Yet if you do put everything you have into that sport you will become one of the best athletes on that field. You can apply that same determination to school work, your job, your marriage, pretty much anything you do in life you should do your best. Not only will you succeed in life if you do your best you will be happy with yourself.

You should live your life to the fullest in your community by helping people when they need it. I mean if you see one of your neighbors bringing in their groceries you should go and help them. Also

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A ‘longevity revolution’ is coming. Here’s how those over 100 are making the most of their lives

Life at its essence is about time and by 2050, nearly 3.7 million people are expected to live up to 100. What can we do to get the most out of our bonus years?

Loneliness. Ageism. Physical limitations, cognitive decline and, increasingly, elder poverty.

The downsides of living to 100 and beyond are numerous. But so are the upsides. Life at its essence is about time – time to live, time to laugh, time to love – and many of those who have achieved a triple-digit age are living their best lives as centenarians.

As I explore in my new book, The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging , we’re experiencing what the United Nations calls a “longevity revolution”, and there’s no turning back. By 2050, the number of us reaching 100 is projected to increase eightfold to 3.7 million people – roughly the equivalent of everyone living in Connecticut or Los Angeles. And half of all five-year-olds alive right now are expected to live to 100 .

What can we do to get the most out of our bonus years? Here’s some wisdom from those who’ve been there.

Believe in something bigger than yourself

Had you asked the world’s oldest living man why he lived so long, Juan Vicente Pérez Mora, who recently died just a few weeks shy of his 115th birthday , was always quick to answer: “Love God and always carry him in your heart.” A devout Catholic who prayed the rosary twice a day, the Venezuelan said what he treasured most was “the love of God, the love of family”.

Japan’s Kane Tanaka, who died in 2022 as the world’s then oldest living person, voiced similar sentiments over her 119 years and 107 days. A convert to Christianity from Shinto, she frequently attributed her longevity to her faith.

“The secret is the grace of God living in me, and me trying to live the best life that I could,” says 100-year-old Martha Bailey of Fort Washington, Maryland.

Spirituality is the tie that binds many centenarians and super-centenarians. National Geographic and the Blue Zones organization interviewed 263 people aged 100 or older, and all but five belonged to a faith community . Subsequent research suggests attending religious services four times a month can add at least four years of extra life span.

That squares with the findings of a much larger long-term study suggesting regularly attending religious services can increase life span . A team at the Harvard TH Chan School of Public Health examined data collected over a 20-year period from nearly 75,000 middle-aged female US nurses who were free of cardiovascular disease and cancer when the study began. Regardless of race or ethnicity, those who attended a temple, synagogue, mosque or church at least once a week had a 33% diminished risk of death from all causes – but especially heart attack, stroke and cancer – compared with those who never went.

“Religion and spirituality may be an underappreciated resource that physicians could explore with their patients,” the researchers say. The “whys” remain elusive, though some scientists think abstinence from drugs and alcohol – common to many faiths – may help explain the benefits, along with the stress-relieving power of prayer and meditation. There’s also the sense of community and belonging.

Find your purpose

If we’re going to live to 100, we’d better have something to live for . That wasn’t a problem for the US district judge Wesley Brown.

He died at 104 as the oldest sitting federal judge in American history. Sharp and competent to the end, with a wicked sense of humor – Brown used to warn lawyers gearing up for lengthy trials in his Kansas courtroom that he might not be alive for their closing arguments – he credited his very caseload for extending his life by keeping his mind and body active and giving him a sense of purpose.

Well past his 100th birthday, he was still taking the stairs to his fourth-floor chambers. A year before his death, asked how he intended to leave the bench that John F Kennedy appointed him to in 1962, he quipped: “Feet first.”

Dr Ephraim Engleman understood. The 104-year-old rheumatologist died as he lived: at work, at his desk, in between seeing patients at the Rosalind Russell Medical Research Center for Arthritis in San Francisco.

Engleman very deliberately never retired , a move he regarded with suspicion as “generally a great mistake”. One of his top rules for longevity was: “Enjoy your work, whatever it is, or don’t do it.”

The world’s oldest person who ever lived whose age could be authenticated by records, credited laughter for her longevity and she should know. Jeanne Calment of France – who made it to 122 years and 164 days – lost her eyesight and her hearing but kept her sense of humor to the last.

“I never wear mascara ... too often I laugh until I cry,” said Calment, who is best known for a wisecrack she made at the age of 121: “I only have one wrinkle and I’m sitting on it.”

Herlda Senhouse of Wellesley, Massachusetts, who just celebrated her 113th birthday , didn’t have an easy life as a Black woman in the Jim Crow era. But she giggles through conversations and sees laughter as a perfect way to counter toxic stress, the enemy of longevity.

Senhouse’s emphasis on positivity and optimism underscores how both of those things not only add years to our lives but life to our years.

More than mere wishful thinking, positive beliefs around ageing have the potential to extend our lives by as much as seven and a half years, according to research by Becca Levy, an epidemiologist at Yale University’s School of Public Health. The cumulative effects of an optimistic outlook even outweigh the steps we take to exercise, lower our blood pressure and cholesterol, and watch our weight.

What’s love got to do with it? A lot more than you might think.

Researchers say married people tend to live longer than singles – men by two and a half years; women by a little less – and they also stand a better chance of living to 100.

Tension and conflict in marriage are standup comedy staples, but studies have shown that those of us who endure the vicissitudes of life with a partner experience less stress than those who go solo. Couples in happy, nurturing relationships have greater life expectancy free of disability and other health challenges than singles, and they tend to have more financial security.

It’s not the sex, the tax deductions or even the cohabitation. Deep platonic friendships can have the same effect. At an assisted living facility in Montana, two centenarians have found beauty and meaning in a relationship that’s blossomed around their shared love of poetry. When they met, Bob Yaw was 101 and Gloria Hansard was 100. They live down the hall from each other but gather each evening in her apartment to recite verses.

“We didn’t meet long ago,” Hansard told the Bozeman Daily Chronicle . “Just poems are all we know of each other.”

Their friendship isn’t just life-extending. It’s life-giving.

Veteran journalist William J Kole, the author of The Big 100: The New World of Super-Aging , was a 2022 fellow in aging journalism at Columbia University in New York and the National Press Foundation in Washington DC He currently works for Axios.

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