“What do you do when life loses its ability to charm you and you fail to understand what’s wrong?”
Once in a while, I come across people who bitterly complain or mention how life isn’t as fulfilling as it used to be. They’re utterly unsatisfied with the way things are.
Sometimes, I’m too among the same tribe of people who fail to realize their concerns. Genuinely saying, it’s easy to get confused when you’re too busy and start wondering why life appears so dull.
During such time, it becomes a necessity for me to examine what I’m really doing and need to rethink the choices I make.
Still, when I look at the bigger picture, I find that several reasons come into play together. Sometimes it’s about the external circumstances, and others times it’s more about my own outlook.
Here are a few reasons why you may be unsatisfied with life
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You want everything perfect
You kick your car when it doesn’t run smoothly, hit your computer when it hangs, and blame the government while reading newspapers.
Maybe, you probably aren’t among those who can compromise little things and adjust a bit to move on with life.
While it may seem sensible to have the best in life, such an idealistic approach often leads you towards hopeless expectations after which you only become disappointed with everything in life.
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You have enough… and it’s not enough
Life’s good and you’re doing well.
You’ve got everything you need to live a content life, and perhaps, even a bit more. Yet you’re constantly wanting more.
More money, bigger house, a better car – you always feel you’re just a step away from a huge pile of happiness. But you never reach a point where you can feel at peace.
In fact, you become restless and try harder, which seems pointless after a while, and therefore you become unsatisfied with life.
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You’re seeking something else
Maybe you got the job you wanted but realized it doesn’t really fulfill your needs. Or perhaps, you got into a relationship and then learned that it isn’t worth it.
At a certain point, you need to be clear about what your expectations and hopes are. You should be able to tell what it is that you’re seeking.
Unless that happens, you keep chasing the wrong things and don’t arrive at a fine conclusion.
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You’ve haven’t experienced change since a while
Your today is same as yesterday, and yesterday was same as the day before yesterday. It gets boring after a while.
It’s natural to get fed up with a monotonous lifestyle, after which you begin questioning your current way of living. You realize that something needs to be changed.
The solution? You can engage yourself in new activities or make small changes to create the kind of life you’ve been wishing for.
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You’re not introspecting regularly
Occasional introspection is crucial for maintaining a steady growth in all aspects of life.
You need to understand yourself and your feelings, which in turn keeps you emotionally and mentally sane, and also because you feel lost when you don’t do it.
So once in a while, try sitting below a tree, and perhaps jot down your thoughts in a diary in order to assess the way you’re living your life. You can start by asking yourself a few thoughtful questions.
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You’re seeking meaning in something else
It’s something only you can tell.
People have different ways of finding deeper meanings in their lives. It can occur through spiritual practices, social work, or simply by pursuing a passion.
Yet, you need to be aware of what makes you proud so you can find the one thing that fills you with meaning and peace.
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You haven’t defined happiness and success yet
What do the words happiness and success even mean? Honestly, it’s more of a relative term that varies from person to person.
So instead of doing the usual things which the world treats as a success, define what’s the meaning those words for you.
For instance, you may cherish starting a small business, focusing on your hobbies, or on living a simple life than being a part of the conventional rat-race.
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You’re still not trying hard
There’s a thing about sweating and being worthy of the place you’re at.
When you don’t give your hundred percent or procrastinate your duties, you sort of feel like a culprit. You can’t betray yourself for too long.
At a certain point, you doubt your abilities and feel you should work harder to preserve your self-esteem.
After that, you can only drudge to calm your dissatisfaction, or rather lose some opportunities and achievements.
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You’re relying on materialism
Materialism is a shortcut people choose when they fail to take control of their lives. They lack a deeper meaning and somehow fail to figure it out.
When they can’t face this blankness for too long, they throw themselves into all sorts of activities which bring temporary pleasures such as going to clubs, traveling, shopping expensive stuff, and so on.
If you’re in the same boat, then chances are that you’re doing a lot to overcome your sense of worthlessness, but are unable to do so. Get rid of it.
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You lack meaningful relationships
If you look closely, you’d discover that the daily life and ordinary chores don’t seem to have any significant meaning. Life simply goes on.
But it’s the handful of meaningful relationships we have which fill us with joy and make everything easier.
It’s always a blessing to have a close friend you can laugh with or a partner you can share your pains and happiness with.
Though, when you lack such intimate or close relationships, you become unsatisfied as you fail to express yourself and feel lonely.
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You’re busy ignoring something
We’re all a bit ignorant by nature and tend to avoid problems we find hard to deal with.
So we simply close our eyes to certain things or pretend like they don’t matter. Yet, what we ignore gradually bothers us and demands our attention.
What have you been neglecting? Your family, health, finances, or something else? Whatever it may, you’d feel unsatisfied with life unless you fix those parts.
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You aren’t doing something for yourself
It’s quite easy to get distracted by chaos and forget about your own wishes and aspirations.
However, if it goes on for too long, you’re likely to become sad and discontented. After all, nobody likes to live without a purpose.
Work on your hobbies, join creative groups, fulfill items on your bucket list, or simply check things off your to-do list. Do something for yourself.
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You’ve lost a track of your long-term goals
It’s been a long time since you’ve set any new goals.
You’re sort of carrying on with your decisions, haven’t made any lists, and haven’t visualized the future.
In such case, you feel directionless and feel the lack of a significant purpose. You don’t know what your next steps are or how you’re supposed to do bigger things.
It makes sense to pause and ponder about what else you wish to accomplish in the long run.
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You’re doing too much stuff
Doing a lot can be as ineffective as doing nothing.
Engaging in several activities not only exhausts you and fills you with uneasiness but also takes a toll on your health.
At the same time, your work fails to delight you when you don’t execute it well and do it for the sake of completing it.
The emotional connection disappears when you fail to slow down. That’s when you need to focus on doing a small number of activities well, instead of juggling many.
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You’re searching for answers outside yourself
So, how do you think some books or the internet will help you end your dissatisfaction with life?
You already know what you’re dealing with, and the kind of changes you’ve been seeking.
It’s fine to gather a few clues by getting advice and reading various perspectives – but the final solution is to reflect on your life, be more self-aware and find out what you’d do next to make your life better.
Why do you think people are so unsatisfied with their lives nowadays?
Also, what according to you is a right way to overcome that? I’d like to read your thoughts in the comment section below.