Do you experience a profound and deep sense of well-being in your daily life? Picture this: You’ve just invented a time machine, and the first thing you decide to do is visit your younger self. Armed with the wisdom and experience you’ve gained over the years, you sit down with your wide-eyed, youthful counterpart and share the pragmatic secrets to living a flourishing life.
The lessons you impart are not the cliché, generic advice found in countless self-help books, but rather a distillation of the unique, hard-earned insights you’ve acquired through your own personal journey.
By sharing these pragmatic principles with your younger self, you hope to help them navigate life’s challenges with greater ease, purpose, and joy so they can experience a flourishing life and a deep sense of well-being.
Unlocking Your Well-Being: Lessons from Your Future Self
So many of the lessons you have learned have been hard-won. Do you ever wish you could travel back in time and give the younger version of yourself some wisdom?
After all, if the older you could mentor the younger you, then the younger you might be able to live more fully and experience more joy.
Here is the hopeful guidance I would share with my younger self if I could time-travel.
Perhaps some of these principles can help you, or someone you know, live more passionately and purposefully – and avoid some of the unnecessary detours and dangers while traveling life’s path.
These are 14 pragmatic principles that help a human experience a deep sense of well-being and live a flourishing life.
The video lower within this article should also prove helpful.
1. Redefine Well-Being
Each person is unique, and each person defines well-being differently.
Well-being used to mean something completely different than it does today.
Daily life in today’s developed countries has become so fast-paced and technological that it barely resembles your great-grandparent’s life.
The world has changed significantly, and so it makes sense that the definition of well-being has evolved.
What does it mean today to be a flourishing person who possesses deep well-being?
Beyond physical health, well-being now encompasses a holistic approach that factors in your mental, emotional, and relational life.
It’s not just about surviving; it’s about flourishing.
Flourishing means you’re not just getting by; you’re thriving.
How will you know that you’re winning at life? What are signs of success for you personally? It’s time for you to reflect on what well-being means to you. This way, you will know what goals and aspirations to set for yourself.
2. Strive to Always Look at Your Own Life with Brutal Honesty
In order for life to get significantly better each year, you must be willing to look plainly at your own life and make an honest assessment.
This can be an unfamiliar process for some people.
People sometimes have very ideological ideas about how life should be – ideas that are either too intellectualized or overly romantic.
Overthinking in this way is like a rabbit hole, and going down it is often unhelpful.
You know this already if you’ve ever met someone whose family, financial, romantic, or professional life clearly isn’t working. Yet, that person insists on continuing to do things the same way year after year, expecting different results. That’s usually a person who is ideological and habitual instead of pragmatic.
3. Get Grounded in Pragmatism
When assessing your current life, it helps to get grounded in pragmatism.
Instead of overthinking it for days, try to keep it simple. Ask yourself:
- What activities bring me the most joy?
- Which people bring me the most joy?
- Which behaviors and habits actually enrich my physical and mental health?
You’re here in this life to have an earthly experience. That’s why sometimes it’s helpful to assess your life through a pragmatic perspective. It grounds you.
A pragmatic perspective is a mindset that emphasizes practicality, effectiveness, and real-world application.
The focus is on practical outcomes and tangible results rather than adhering strictly to theoretical principles.
Because, let’s face it, the value of an idea usually lies in its ability to produce practical consequences and solve real-life problems.
If you want to be a flourishing human, I encourage you to prioritize action, experimentation, and course correction based on observed outcomes.
Be open to adjusting your methods and beliefs if evidence or experience suggests a more pragmatic solution.
When considering any self-improvement action, evaluate its potential usefulness to your life.
Remember to use context clues, too.
Pragmatic thinkers consider the circumstances, cultural norms, and social factors influencing a situation to determine the most effective action. Taking things in their whole context helps prevent you from being too reactive or ideological.
Pragmatic perspectives embrace flexibility and adaptability.
Acknowledge that solutions and approaches must be adjusted as circumstances change or new information becomes available. This is what I mean by course correction.
4. Start from Where You Are, Work With What You Have
Whenever I catch myself comparing myself to others – my career, my body, my bank account – I say to myself, “start from where you are, work with what you have.”
It’s very freeing!
Comparison is often the death of happiness. And, so, I’m not a big believer in relentlessly comparing yourself to others.
In fact, there’s been some evidence that relentless comparisons can deteriorate your health.
However, when evaluating your life pragmatically, it can be helpful to briefly see yourself in a realistic context by knowing how your situation stands in relation to most others.
Who knows? You might find out that you were catastrophizing a predicament when you could have been celebrating or feeling grateful instead.
For instance, more than two-thirds of the world lives on less than $2 a day. If you’re reading this, that probably means you’re in the top third of the world in terms of lifestyle.
Even if you wanted not to include unemployed or self-employed people (like small farmers in developing countries), you’d still be among the world’s richest if you earned more than $18,000 a year – which is the average income of salaried employees across the globe.
As another example, you might feel “othered” because you watch movies and streaming shows where everyone is happily coupled, and you’re single.
But about 40 to 50% (depending on the economy at the time) of marriages in North America end in divorce. Australia and the UK have lower divorce rates, and Vietnam has the lowest of all but, keep in mind, that no matter the country or state of its current economy – just because a couple remains married doesn’t mean they have a healthy, functioning, and happy relationship.
In many couplings, the partners are habitually unkind or impatient with each other, for example. Or, they have long since stopped having sex.
I’m not saying these are bad couples (there’s nothing wrong with sex-free marriage if it works for all partners), but I am saying that maybe being single is not as bad as you previously thought.
And finally, you may be grumpy and dissatisfied with your circumstances, but if you are currently enjoying physical health then, really, your whole life is pure potential for joy and fulfillment – and what you make of it is up to you.
The tens of millions of people struggling with chronic disease and debilitating symptoms would tell you to count your blessings. Health is everything!
So, looking from the highest altitude, you can see that a life with financial freedom (debt-free, with some money in savings), dependable sensuality, and absence of disease is – comparatively – already an indication that you’re probably flourishing.
5. Aspire to Have a Positive Mindset
Mental well-being is a crucial component of overall well-being. It refers to your cognitive and emotional state.
Flourishing individuals seem to possess a positive outlook on life.
They focus on gratitude, optimism, and self-empowerment.
They actively seek opportunities for personal growth and are open to new experiences.
Aspire to have a positive mindset.
6. Set an Intention to be Emotionally Resilient
Flourishing individuals have the ability to bounce back from setbacks.
They have emotional intelligence and can effectively regulate their emotions.
They are adaptable and display a high level of self-awareness.
Set a firm intention to be an emotionally resilient person.
7. Get Better at Managing Your Stress Responses
You might not be able to control the setbacks that life throws at you, but you do have some say in how you respond to those setbacks.
Flourishing individuals have effective coping mechanisms to deal with stress.
They prioritize self-care, engage in deep relaxation techniques, and seek support when needed.
Decide that you want to get better at managing your stress responses. The best part about learning to metabolize daily anxiety is that you can at last get well enough to face what scares you – and you won’t break when you see the truth.
People have blind spots in their self-awareness.
Most of us have at least one big secret that we’re keeping from ourselves until we’re strong enough to face it.
But too many people live and die without having faced their own secrets, and therefore, they miss out on the magical transformations that can occur!
If you think you’re thriving now, it’s nothing compared to how you could be thriving if you could only face all the parts of yourself you were too scared to face. But in order to do that, you have to first get better at dealing with anxiety and stress.
8. Find Solutions for Raising Your Energy Levels
Physical well-being forms the foundation of overall well-being. It encompasses your physical health, fitness, and vitality.
Flourishing individuals have high energy levels and maintain consistent daily vitality. They prioritize sleep, exercise regularly, and fuel their bodies with nutritious foods.
Commit to finding solutions to raise your own energy levels.
9. Begin to See Your Habits as Either More Healthy or Less Healthy
Flourishing individuals adopt healthy lifestyle habits, such as regular physical training, balanced nutrition, and adequate hydration. They avoid harmful substances and maintain healthy body weight.
Begin to look objectively at your own habits and identify them as either more healthy or less healthy. This is not an exercise in shame but rather an opportunity to identify places where you can grow as a person.
10. Become More Aware of Your Physical Body and Its Nuances
Flourishing individuals strongly connect with their bodies. They listen to their body’s signals, prioritize rest and recovery, and address any physical discomfort promptly.
Make a renewed effort to become more aware of your physical body and the messages it’s sending you.
11. See Kindness as the Highest Form of Intelligence
Renew your commitment to be patient with other people, even when they’re behaving badly.
Your life is a collection of memories, and when you look back, you don’t want to see a relentless amount of cringe moments in which you snapped at people who were being selfish.
There’s no law that says other people have to love you. If you don’t like how you’re being treated, either practice setting healthy boundaries or simply move on and create space for new people who will treat you better. When you get right down to it, it’s not that complicated.
Emotional well-being relates to your ability to understand and manage your emotions effectively. It involves building healthy relationships, expressing yourself authentically, and cultivating a sense of belonging.
12. Listen More Than You Talk
Most people talk more than they listen. If you decide to become the type of person who listens more than talks, you will, over time, become wiser.
People talk for a variety of reasons – to communicate important information, to convey affection, and to dispel internal nervous energy. But when you’re talking, you’re not listening, you’re not soulful, and you’re not learning. When you listen carefully to other people, it helps you to find your center and to stay centered. You become wiser.
Flourishing individuals possess emotional intelligence. They understand their own emotions and can empathize with others. They communicate assertively, resolve conflicts constructively, maintain healthy boundaries, and leave when things get toxic.
13. Always Be Putting Energy into Relationships
Flourishing individuals have positive and fulfilling relationships.
They surround themselves with supportive and like-minded individuals who uplift them.
They invest time and effort into nurturing these connections.
So, even if you’re an introvert and enjoy spending large amounts of time alone, still always be making at least some effort to connect with others. Extend yourself socially, make direct eye contact, smile with your eyes, and initiate get-togethers. The point here is not even the end result, it’s just you making the effort that has value.
14. Express the Unique Parts of Yourself
Repression begets misery.
Flourishing individuals give themselves the freedom to express their thoughts, feelings, and creativity.
They engage in activities that bring them joy, such as art, music, workouts, or writing.
They prioritize self-reflection and personal growth.
Become a positive, expressive person, and you will see your happiness levels raise!
Experience Well-Being: 14 Principles for a Flourishing Life • [Video]
The new definition of well-being encompasses various dimensions, including mental, physical, emotional, and social well-being, as well as purpose and meaning. Check out the video:
Thriving is not just about surviving; it’s about leading a fulfilling and flourishing life.
Conclusion on the Art of Flourishing: 14 Pragmatic Principles for Joy & Well-Being
In the end, the path to a flourishing life is not a one-size-fits-all formula, but rather a deeply personal journey of self-discovery and growth.
By redefining well-being, practicing brutal self-honesty, embracing pragmatism, and cultivating positive habits and relationships, you can create a life that is uniquely your own—a life filled with purpose, passion, and joy.
So, if you ever find yourself in possession of a time machine, remember to visit your younger self and share these invaluable lessons. Even if time travel remains a distant dream, know that it’s never too late to start applying these principles to your life today.
After all, the wisdom of your future self is already within you, waiting to be unlocked.