From Surviving to Thriving: Embracing a Vibrant Lifestyle

Guest Blog by Megan Isola

In our fast-paced world with relentless demands, many individuals find themselves merely surviving, grappling with the challenges of everyday life without truly experiencing the joy of thriving. However, life is meant to be more than just a struggle for survival; it is an opportunity to embrace a vibrant lifestyle that empowers us to flourish physically, mentally, and emotionally.
The journey from surviving to thriving involves a deliberate shift in mindset and a conscious effort to prioritize self-care, personal growth, and meaningful connections. By embracing the principles of a vibrant lifestyle, we can unlock our full potential and discover a life filled with purpose, fulfillment, and boundless possibilities.

Get into self-care

People often assume self-care means facemasks and massages; however, self-care goes beyond expensive treatments. Self-care means moving your body, getting good sleep, drinking plenty of water, and getting sufficient nutrition. It also means tapping into your emotional state and ensuring your mind gets exercise too. For those with spirituality, another aspect of self-care might be praying, meditating, or spending time in nature. While your self-care activities can certainly include a rigorous skin-care routine and a monthly massage, ensure you go beyond aesthetics and tap into your inner self. ​

Embrace a growth mindset

Seeking opportunities to grow within yourself is a sure way to lead a thriving life. Rather than avoiding the many challenges life brings, embrace them head-on. Learn to embrace discomfort and practice facing it head-on. If there are things in your life that you want to change, you need to face them head-on. There are many tools and resources you can use online, such as the Happiness Alliance, that can help contribute to improving your wellbeing. Whether it's traits about yourself you want to improve with the guidance of a therapist or addressing intimacy issues with a doctor, embracing a growth mindset and seeking the appropriate help allows you to become the best version of yourself. 

Invest in your passions and interests

Investing time in things you enjoy is an important part of building a happy life. Consider what hobbies and projects you might be interested in. Whether you enjoy writing, building things, woodworking, or reading, or if you don’t know what your passions are yet, don’t be afraid to try new things until you find something you really love.

​After identifying a hobby or project, create goals and actionable steps to pursue it. Then, ensure you carve out time to work on your hobbies, even when you have a packed schedule. Making hobbies a regular part of your routine is an essential component of leading a vibrant and happy life.

Build healthy habits

Habits are easy to make but hard to break, especially unhealthy ones. Recognize some bad habits of yours that contribute to negativity or are holding you back from thriving in life. Then consider what you want to replace those habits with. For example, if you eat an unhealthy diet, switching to a nutritious one can drastically improve your health and happiness. Whether you’re a “quit cold turkey” type of person or want to take these changes in increments, outline how you’ll switch these bad habits for better ones. Remember, consistency is key to building healthy habits, so ensure you repeat these positive behaviors regularly to make them a normal part of your routine.

​Foster Meaningful Relationships

nvesting in social self-care is another part of building a healthy and happy life. Invest time and effort to nurture your relationships with loved ones by spending time together and maintaining open and healthy communication. Seek relationships with people who support and uplift you, and avoid or drop toxic or draining relationships. A major part of building meaningful relationships is being a good friend. Cultivate empathy, active listening, and kindness in your relationships with others so you can be the reliable person others need and that you want in your relationships. 

​Romantic relationships also need nurturing and thrive on healthy communication. In an ideal world, relationships are 50/50; however, in practice, this isn’t always possible. At times, one partner may experience issues that can make your relationship complicated, such as depression or sexual disorders like erectile dysfunction or loss of libido. Discussing these issues prevents insecurities in your relationship and offers a greater support system to help you get through these difficult times. For medical issues such as erectile dysfunction, you must foster open and honest communication with your partner and speak to your doctor to help you address these issues either through the support of therapy or a medication like Viagra. 

Your life partner is a major part of your life, so nurture the relationship to foster a vibrant life for both you and your partner. 

Practice Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been quite the buzzword as of late and for good reason. There are a few ways to approach mindfulness, but typically it involves a meditation practice of being aware of how you feel in the moment that extends to other areas of your life. To harness mindfulness, develop a regular meditation practice to help you calm your mind and improve your focus and awareness.
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After you’ve tapped into just living in the moment, extend this ideology to other areas of your life. Bring mindfulness to your regular activities, such as eating, going out on walks, and even while you work, and practice being fully present in each moment. Additionally, use mindfulness to help reduce stress and anxiety and improve your overall well-being.

Adopt balance in life

Balance is another factor in a vibrant life. To find balance in your life, set boundaries and learn to say no to avoid overcommitting yourself and becoming stressed. This should also extend to harnessing a healthy work-life balance. You should also schedule downtime to do activities you enjoy, whether it be going to the gym or investing in your hobbies. Scheduling time to enjoy downtime helps you recharge and avoid burnout. Lastly, practice time management to make the most of the time you have and avoid stress. ​

Seek Learning and Personal Growth

A fulfilling life is one with lots of learning and personal growth. Remember to engage in lifelong learning, whether that be pursuing your education, taking online classes, or just engaging in new experiences and embracing new opportunities. Additionally, learn how to embrace the challenges life throws at you and push yourself beyond your comfort zone from time to time, as these are opportunities to facilitate your personal growth. 

Self-reflection is another important part of learning and growing, so regularly check in with yourself and assess your strengths while identifying areas for improvement. And always be open to personal development opportunities.

Living beyond a survival mindset

Transitioning from a state of mere survival to one of thriving is a transformative endeavor that requires dedication, self-awareness, and a commitment to positive change. By prioritizing self-care, embracing a growth mindset, and pursuing your passions, you can open the door to a vibrant and fulfilling existence. Additionally, Cultivating meaningful relationships, practicing mindfulness, and embracing balance in your life further contribute to your overall well-being and happiness. As you embrace a vibrant lifestyle, you’ll embark on a journey of self-discovery and empowerment. Embrace this journey wholeheartedly, knowing that each step brings you closer to a life of thriving, joy, and purpose.
By taking the Happiness Index and adding your data, you contribute to an understanding of happiness that helps guide our society, economy and our lives for present and future sustainable happiness.

Megan Isola

Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University, Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friend