Life satisfaction

Life satisfaction is about how we see our life as a whole. How much we like the life we are leading. How happy we are about our life overall. Life satisfaction and happiness are two different things.

Happiness is an emotion that we experience in the moment. It’s brief and immediate. Life satisfaction is a broader concept with more scope.

How can we know that we are satisfied with our lives?

Read the following statements and think about them. How much do you agree with them?

– So far, I have gotten the important things I want in life

– If I could live my life over, I would change almost nothing

– In most ways my life is close to my ideal

These statements are examples from a most widely used scale developed to measure life satisfaction across the world (Diener el al, 1985). They are simple and give us a quick overlook on our life. They make us reflect.

Times like we are experiencing now are challenging. When things get difficult, we should look into the future with hope and optimism. The biggest motivation and drive in life is the meaning of it.

What is the meaning of our life?

Life satisfaction is based on our values. On what we consider the most important. Values are our beliefs that guide us through life. Our values help us understand what is important to us. They give us a sense of direction in life.

KINDNESS. HONESTY. FRIENDS. LOVE. CAREER. SENSE OF HUMOUR. OPEN MIND. CURIOSITY. LOOKING GOOD. HEALTH.MONEY. EDUCATION.

These are just a few examples of values. The list can be endless.

What are your values?

When our values align with what we do and how we behave, that is when we are satisfied and content. Knowing our values makes us understand our actions and choices. They help us make decisions. Making choices based on our values brings us sense of peace and calmness.

If you had to name three most important values to you, what would they be? Take time to answer this question. Reflect. We need some time to know and understand what we believe in.

‘Whatever you do in life will be insignificant, but it is very important that you do it.’ – Mahmet Gandhi

This quote makes us think about what we are doing and why we are doing it. It makes us realise that the most important is to love whatever we are doing. To understand, life is about us and what makes us happy. To always be passionate about something and to never lose our spark.

Being a student is exciting. We have so many opportunities. We have time to think about our life and decide which path we would like to take. Making our dreams come true comes with hard work.

Life is a journey full of choices. Challenges are unavoidable. They shape us and make us stronger. Enjoy yourself. Have fun. Make memories each day. Love yourself.