The True Meaning of Fulfillment in Life

As the renowned author, Deepak Chopra M.D, says, The greatest desire in life is not for food, money, success, fame, security, sex, or even love. Time and again people achieve all these things and more, only to wind up still feeling completely unfulfilled—sometimes more dissatisfied than before.

Every single individual wants to find peace and fulfillment in life. The deepest desire in life is discovered only when a person is willing to unlock a hidden part of the self. A poetic way of saying that one must swim far out beyond shallow waters, plunge deep into themselves, and search patiently until the pearl beyond price is found.

The pearl is also called essence, the breath of god, the water of life . . . labels for what we, in our more commonplace age, would call transformation—to go beyond form, beyond ourselves, even our own personal fulfillment.

Like success, fulfillment in life leaves clues. If we look to the seers of ancient wisdom we can see specific qualities that stand out. Do not let this information be a replacement meal for a spiritual journey; however, a supplement. Always take it upon yourself to turn information into wisdom and that only comes through experience.

Experiencing true fulfillment in life:

Here are a few qualities one can exercise in everyday life to bring about the experience of “true” fulfillment in life.

1. Communicate

All pain in life is due to broken communication. Consider a broken limb or severed finger. The pain comes from breaking the communication of nerve endings from one part of the body from the whole. Likewise, all deterioration is from the unwillingness to communicate.

The fastest way to “kill” anything is to stop communicating with it. It is always better to say something rather than nothing. Though communication can be difficult and can lead to trouble, it ultimately ends in a solution and lesson learned.

2. Confront

We only don’t face what we feel has power over us. What we don’t confront only persists. There is no better way to grow beyond your own bounded self-awareness than to face your demons. When we face what we’ve previously avoided we gain control over it again and it ceases to adversely effect us.

The self-image sees life as fragmented, where some things are more powerful than us. If our awareness is fragmented we are fragmented. When we transcend our self-image we step into the power of unity, where nothing is neither superior nor inferior to us.

3. Forgive

Competition and comparison only leads to unmet needs and resentment. However, as the Buddha came to know, resentment is like holding fire and expecting the other to be burned.

Forgiveness is the road out of our own self-created misery—we don’t forgive for others, we forgive for ourselves. For when we forgive another, we are forgiving ourselves for holding onto resentment.

4. Take Responsibility

Many people fear responsibility and mistakenly view it as blame. At the top, responsibility is causation, to be a cause to an effect. In modern times the idea of responsibility is dodged at every opportunity—likely due to a deeper feeling of inadequacy—whereas in ancient times people strived to be responsible as with it, came power.

In a world where we play victim all too often, responsibility is needed more than ever. If we are responsible, we cannot be victims. To fear responsibility is to deny our own selves as creators. Instead, in taking responsibility whatever we feel victim to becomes part of our creation and puts us back in the driver’s seat.

We wander for distraction, but we travel for fulfillment. ~ Hilaire Belloc (Tweet this)

5. Love

The highest form of acceptance is love. Perhaps the most alchemical force in the universe, love, has the power to create anything from cookies, businesses to humans.

Love also has the power to transcend the darkest places of your soul. By accepting the things you most hate about yourself, you also encourage the world to do the same. For with love, even an evil thing can be brought to fulfillment and changed so that it no longer struggles to maintain itself. Turning to the wisdom “God is love” we realize that Love is also God.

6. Learn

Information is not knowledge, only with experience can we become truly knowledgeable. Do not be afraid then to learn anything. Because in learning we are faced with opportunities for transcendence by dealing with complexities and difficulties. Learn everything you can, don’t shy away from expanding your viewpoints.

Do not be satisfied with a mere collection of data either, as soon as you gather sufficient data to act then do it. Ready, aim, fire, but do not spend too much time aiming; you will learn in action. Lastly, always search for the reasons behind all data. It’s good to question things if it expands your ability to act rightly.

7. Humility

The best way to win any argument is to willingly lose it. Rightness is earned and comes to those willing to be wrong. That is because in being wrong you open yourself to learn something you haven’t previously known. Never cling to a viewpoint for too long, as the truth changes. Fulfillment arises in the acceptance of change. Being flexible is the only way to growth. In flexibility we learn to become comfortable in non-comfort.

8. Viewpoints

At the most primordial level we are all interconnected to an infinite nothingness. Any individual is capable of taking on any role. When we strive to view ourselves from the seat of another’s we gain awareness. It’s too easy to stay trapped in our own views. So much so, that we can cling to drugs, arguments and dangerous experiences just to get a larger view of who we are.

A much more simple way to escape our own entrapment’s is to step into another’s world—see life (and us) how they see. Additionally, communication is always best done from the view of another.

9. Live

The amount of life we live is in direct reflection to our acceptance of death. The more one embraces death, the more they welcome all that comes with life. When we reject any part of life we become suppressive.

Transcendance and fulfillment are not about repression or renouncing anything. As one expands in life they become more alive. At the top of life is infinite creation. We are here to create for the sheer joy of creation.This does not mean to become ruled by ambition, passion and desire. This is to place higher importance of something over you. Instead, welcome life with all-encompassing light, and broad desires.

Enjoy passions and desires but as a part of your richness, but not as a dominating force intended to complete you. You are already complete, live life in the same way.

10. Serve

The secret to living is giving. However, choosing the quality of help we give makes all the difference in our fulfillment. The best kind of help eliminates the need to help. That is, rather than give someone money, teach them how to earn it.

For, in one case comes dependency and the other comes greater ability and freedom. If we get what we give, then always give freedom. Give help freely and most important, always give what you’d most want to receive for yourself. If you wish for freedom, love and fulfillment in life, then give them.

The best way to learn anything is to teach; the best way to gain is to give.

11. Community

When we are striving toward anything it’s always best to increase our own skill and ability rather than bring someone down. In truth, there is no competition—community over competition.We run fastest when someone is ahead of us, for that we can be thankful. This life is only a game; our competitors are not really competitors but helpful players that make the game possible.

We are in this together, honor others as part of the greater community in which we all are a part.

12. Goals

We are capable of infinite creation. There is no shortage of anything in this universe. To see otherwise is to live from a state of object-referral, which is grounded in fear and scarcity. As infinite spirits, it is our greatest need then for other people to recognize their true essence. To see everyone and all of life for its beauty is the ultimate goal.

Make every goal—no matter its size—connected to the greater goal of living your greatest abilities and creativities out for yourself, others and all of the cosmos.

The key to ultimate happiness and fulfillment lies within our own transformation. The more we learn and grow and evolve as individuals, the more we will find happiness and satisfaction in relationships, work and life. ~ Kristi Bowman (Tweet this)