How Do You Find True Satisfaction In Life?

[Extreme Z7]

Hello, I'm 19 and I have a problem. I mean we all have multiple problems. This is is just a particular problem that was running through my head recently:

I realized today that almost all of my actions come from a deep sense of dissatisfaction with life.

I have been doing personal development for over a year and I've always been working more on creative habits than I've ever been because I have the desire to create stuff I want to create, it's my life purpose in fact. The problem is I also have a very big interest in spirituality and awareness and it has raised my conscious awareness a little bit higher to see more psychological characteristics in me that I would have never otherwise seen. I came across a realization that almost everything I do stems from a deep sense of dissatisfaction. Not depression or sadness, mind you, just a feeling that I'm incomplete and I need X to fulfill need Y to be able to live happy. The more I practice meditation and mindfulness, the more I see that the external rewards I get from my work ethic will never bring me joy in life.

I've watched Leo's videos on topics about happiness and it seems like all they're doing is pointing out all the different traps that exist that prevent happiness or satisfaction. It's been very helpful and am now extremely weary of these psychological traps but on the other hand, I still feel like I'm completely lost when it comes to searching for a feeling of freedom and complete removal of resistance to joy or love or whatever you want to call it.

I would like to know what you think. I just want to seek help on this topic.

[ALGUIMAR]

I find that true satisfaction only comes by doing that thing that comes out of you, of your higher self, of your true self. Not because of what you get when you achieve something, but because of the process of expressing your true self with the things you do  everything else is secondary.

[Henri]

Yes, by becoming more and more aware these experiences can easily happen.

It`s nothing to get worried about, as you said it`s increasing awareness. As long as you continue your meditation it will eventually dissolve.

All these kind of experiences are more easily going away when you would do some pranayamas. Keeps you very vital and alert.

[Extreme Z7]

@ALGUIMAR I really get that. I feel that the achievements I get from my creative work are really just hollow for me. Deep down, I dream of future of creating for the sake of creating. I want to create because I want to communicate my emotional and passionate self to other people, not just so I can get praised for it.

I have interest in making games, music and drawing, by the way. My life purpose is communicating my soul with these mediums.

[Extreme Z7]

12 minutes ago, Henri said:

It`s nothing to get worried about, as you said it`s increasing awareness. As long as you continue your meditation it will eventually dissolve.

Really? Never really thought of it that way. I'm still very early on in my meditation habit so I guess I still have a lot to learn.

[Henri]

@Extreme Z7 Just discovering some of your limits, be it consciously or subconsciously. Awareness mate! 

[Isle of View]

@Extreme Z7

"How Do You Find True Satisfaction In Life?"

Very interesting question. I see your struggle. For satisfaction, by definition, it is important that you look on the outside. Satisfaction is object/result/outcome oriented. 

One of the basics in spirituality is: do not attach to the outcomes.

This means, don't make your state of being dependent on the outside, apparent circumstances.

Or: don't regard outside cues as a dictate for your attitude.

 

This is not to say that you shouldn't work in the direction of mastery. (With this I mean mastering your craft, your art, your life.)

It just means, that when you "grow" spiritually, you will find a "place" or "state" from where it is obvious to you, that no matter what you do, how masterful you become, you can always take  it higher. That's the moment where you realize that the ultimate freedom is not inherent in the mastery of the outside, but that what you do on the outside is only the catalyst for your inner work and growth.

There is no perfection in this realm (physical world). You can always take it a little bit higher.

And there is nothing bad about it. Take it as high as you can. Put your heart and your mind into your craft and the outcomes. Master it. But don't make your inner well being dependent on the appearance of your results. Be the rider, not the horse. Master the horse. Build a relationship with it. Keep it calm, train it, teach it some tricks. Go for a race. And another one. You're the rider.

Your spiritual work is to go trough several stages of development or emergence. 
Your craft, and its development, is another work alltogether.

~Chris

 

Edited April 7, 2016 by Isle of View

[Anicko]

I would suggest trying to discover and get rid of whatever it is you believe it's making you feel dissatisfied. You can do this at any time, but dedicating some meditations to it might work really well. 

Ask yourself 'why am I dissatisfied?', 'why am I unhappy? '. Keep following those answers. Eventually you reach the core beliefs that need to be gotten rid of. As you work on it, you'll notice you're feeling better and better until eventually you have a whole new perspective on yourself and your life. 

Best wishes. 

[JevinR]

Life Purpose and meditation

[David1]

Make someone happy, then you will be happy too. Try to really help someone...very satisfying.

[QandC]

It's very difficult for me because no matter what I achieve, I always want more. I create meaning out of the smallest things in life and split my life up into different parts like it's all a show or something, this is the only thing that makes me satisfied, to see what I've accomplished, but it does not mean I'm done, because the only thing that will really make me satisfied is once my ego is gone.

[Leo Gura]

I've addressed this question in various videos:

1) http://www.actualized.org/articles/the-secret-curse-of-being-human

2) http://www.actualized.org/articles/the-happiness-spectrum

And all the meditation/enlightenment-related videos are pointing the way to satisfaction with life.