Achieving
Satisfaction
in
All Areas of Your Life
Biology-onoline.org
defines personal satisfaction as "a subjective
evaluation, judgment, or attitude expressed by an
individual with respect to the attainment of certain
goals or needs based on his level of aspiration
or expectation." In other words, how does your
life measure up to what you expected or hoped it
would be?
Although psychologists are best known for examining
people's emotions and mental well-being, 
they
know that when the "whole person" is balanced
physically, spiritually, mentally, and emotionally,
the person has a much better chance to feel a sense
of personal satisfaction with his or her life.
For decades now psychologists and medical doctors
have agreed that regular physical activity is a
terrific antidote for depression. Rather than producing
exhaustion, physical activity makes us feel more
energized. If you have a family, just getting everyone
off the couch and out into the yard or park on a
regular basis can strengthen not only your bodies,
but the emotional bonds of your relationships as
well. Looking and feeling better naturally leads
to improved self-esteem.
Spiritual health is another part of the balanced
and satisfied person. For some of us, the word "spiritual"
is directly connected with a specific religion's
beliefs and with the practice of those beliefs.
Others say "I'm not religious, but I'm spiritual."
In other words, they may not belong to any particular
church, but they still feel a connection with something
greater than themselves. Whatever your belief, this
connection can be a powerful motivator toward personal
satisfaction and balance.
Your job should be a source of mental and emotional
satisfaction. People who feel that their jobs have
a meaningful purpose express more job satisfaction
than those who don't. Managers often tell their
employees about company "missions" and
extol "the vision thing," but even if
you believe in your company's mission, you may feel
your own responsibilities have little real purpose.
If you don't have the authority to make decisions
affecting how the company operates, or if you are
hounded about reaching quotas but not praised when
you do, working for even the best company can be
frustrating. Too many people work unhappily for
years at the same jobs, complaining steadily about
how bad it is, and thinking that some day in the
future things will change.
But
living in the future can mean your present is wasted.
It's extremely important to get present-oriented.
Think of success and satisfaction as a road you
are on right now-not a far-off destination that
never seems any closer. You're more likely to take
the steps that will move you forward to harmony
and balance in all areas of your life.
Making the transition from standing still to moving
forward begins with a positive attitude-about yourself
and your capabilities as well as toward the people
at work, your family members, and people with whom
you socialize. Relationships with other people have
all four aspects of personal satisfaction: physical,
mental, emotional and spiritual. Instead of concentrating
on the negative, look for the good in those around
you and in situations you encounter on a daily basis.
If a problem presents itself, focus on the solution,
not the problem. Most problems offer opportunities
to learn something new. Instead of yelling at your
computer, figure out how to solve the problem. Instead
of shouting at your children or spouse, talk to
them-or go for a walk or bike ride to burn off some
steam and then talk about the problem and its solution.
You'll find that positive thinking and positive
action empowers you to move forward past
problems and to keep moving on along the success
road.
If
you feel you are in a cycle of failure, set a small
goal you know you can reach with just a little effort.
If you've been talking about doing something for
a long time, but you haven't done it, take one step
toward that goal and allow yourself to feel good
about the accomplishment. Renewed self-esteem will
propel you on to your next goal.
Why
is self-esteem so important? Because if you have
a negative self-image, you are likely to become
immobilized in an "I better not try it because
I probably can't do it" kind of mindset. Of
course, if you don't try, you'll never know what
the outcome would be, and you'll remain stuck in
the kind of mental and emotional state that leads
to boredom, depression, and more immobilization.
Your very first goal may be to learn to like, accept,
know, and help yourself.
Setting goals often involves making choices, and
making choices usually involves a certain degree
of risk, but if you don't make your own choices,
you're a slave to the ones other people-or life
in general-have made for you. Certain things
can't be changed, but you should try your best to
change anything within your power that is negatively
affecting your life.
Tap
into the energy source that is within you. Have
faith in yourself. Have the courage to set your
own goals, make your own choices, and take control
of your life. If dissatisfaction is bringing you
down, you can take a small step toward satisfaction
and success right now. Fill in the form below, and
learn about some fantastic possibilities that could
change your future.
