Are you flourishing in your life? 9 tips to help you thrive
Clinically reviewed by Dr. Chris Mosunic, PhD, RD, MBA
Flourishing is more than just feeling good — it’s about purpose, connection, and feeling alive. Explore 9 ways to start flourishing in your daily life.
There’s a fine line between feeling good enough to make it through the day and actually thriving. Maybe you’re not feeling terrible, per se, but you’re definitely not feeling great. You may be able to get through the day and check the boxes off your to-do list, but it almost feels like you’re running on autopilot.
That weird in-between feeling is called languishing. And while you may think the opposite is achieving a perfect life, it’s not. It’s something more real and gentle: flourishing.
Flourishing doesn’t mean revamping your whole life overnight. It’s more about slowly building a life that feels meaningful, connected, and genuinely yours. Let’s talk about what that really looks like, why it feels so out of reach sometimes, and how to find it.
What is flourishing?
Flourishing is a term that describes a state of being where people feel connected, purposeful, and engaged. Many people think it means living your best life and never getting sad, but it’s a lot more nuanced than that.
To flourish is to feel like you’re growing in ways that matter to you, emotionally, socially, mentally, or spiritually. It’s about cultivating a life that feels worth showing up for, even when it’s hard. That could mean investing in relationships, finding meaning in your work, setting boundaries that protect your energy, or simply noticing a little more of what’s good.
Flourishing vs languishing
If flourishing is about feeling engaged and purposeful, languishing is the absence of that feeling. It’s a quiet emptiness or a sense of going through the motions instead of really living in them. If you’re languishing, you might find yourself procrastinating more, feeling disconnected, or struggling to name how you feel at all.
But these states aren’t fixed. You can also move in and out of flourishing over time, and you can shift out of languishing, too. Languishing may exist during a season that looks good on paper but still feels emotionally flat, and flourishing can exist during a tough time if you’re still grounded in purpose.
Why we flourish (and what gets in the way)
Typically, people flourish when they feel like their lives are aligned with who they are and what matters to them. In fact, research suggests that flourishing tends to show up when four main areas are nurtured.
These are:
Strong relationships: Connection is usually one of the biggest predictors of wellbeing. Having people who listen and support you can make everyday challenges more manageable.
A sense of purpose: When you feel like you’re using your time and energy wisely, you’re more likely to feel engaged.
Autonomy and agency: Feeling like you have some control over your life can help build resilience and motivation. It also reminds you that you can respond to your circumstances — not just react to them.
Emotional resilience: Being able to navigate difficult emotions without getting stuck or overwhelmed is important, as resilience allows you to keep moving, even when things are heavy.
But many times, life itself can get in the way of all of this. Stress, burnout, financial pressure, isolation, health challenges, caregiving demands, and systemic inequities can often crowd out the conditions that allow you to flourish. Cultural narratives around success and productivity can also play a role.
How to flourish: 9 ways to thrive in your daily life
Discovering what it takes for you to flourish can feel intimidating, but at the end of the day, it’s actually just about slowly building a life with enough room for growth, connection, and meaning. Here are a few ways to do this in your everyday life.
1. Focus on what feels meaningful
When you align your time with your values, it’s easier to feel fulfilled, even when life is busy. Ask yourself what actually feels meaningful right now. Some things that could bring value to your life are:
Mentoring someone
Volunteering at a community event
Finding joy in cooking or writing
2. Tend to your relationships intentionally
Strong, supportive relationships are often at the core of human flourishing. To show up in ways that matter and help make you feel fulfilled, try:
Texting a friend just to say you’re thinking of them
Asking someone how they’re really doing
Scheduling a walk with your best friend
Read more: How to be a better friend: 7 tips to improve your relationships
3. Reconnect with your body’s rhythms
Your body often sends signals as to whether you’re thriving or just surviving.
To carve out time to tend to your body, consider:
Stepping outside and noticing the sky each morning
Stretching while your morning drink brews
Taking a 10-minute walk without your phone
4. Find and savor small joys
Flourishing means experiencing pleasure and gratitude in everyday life. To get more into this habit, try:
Noticing something beautiful on your commute to work
Truly tasting your meals instead of eating distractedly
Writing down three things that made you smile today
💙 Learn how to find pleasure in the little moments by listening to Joy with Tamara Levitt.
5. Get curious about what energizes you
Notice patterns in your day that make time fly or that leave you feeling more alive. Then follow that energy. Try:
Engaging in deep conversations
Doing some creative work or movement
6. Set boundaries that make room for growth
If your life is packed with things that drain you, it can be really hard to flourish. Set boundaries to create enough space to breathe. These could include:
Blocking off one evening per week as “non-scheduled” time for yourself
Saying no to opportunities that don’t align with your values
Turning off notifications during rest periods
💙 Explore ways to fill your cup during this Emotional Boundaries session with Jay Shetty.
7. Practice rest as a discipline
Rest is a core part of wellbeing, and you don’t have to “earn” it. A few ways to rest more frequently include:
Take a 20-minute nap without any guilt
Sit in silence for five minutes in between meetings
Let yourself watch something purely for joy
8. Reflect regularly on what matters to you
Centering your values in everything you do can give you a real sense of purpose. Try writing down a few qualities that feel important, like compassion, courage, and curiosity. Then ask yourself:
Where do I already express this in my life?
Where could I give this value a little more space?
Read more: “What are my values?” 5 tips to help you find what matters most
9. Reach out for help when you need it
Asking for support can help you create more space for healing and growth. If you’re feeling isolated or overwhelmed, consider:
Talking with a therapist
Joining a peer support group
Reaching out to a friend and tell them you need to talk
Flourishing FAQs
What does it mean to flourish?
To flourish is to live in a way that makes you feel both purposeful and alive. It’s about feeling connected to what matters, having meaningful relationships, and being able to grow, even when things are tough.
When you’re flourishing, you’ll experience moments of joy, resilience, and reflection. You have a sense that your life has depth and direction.
How do I know if I’m flourishing?
You’ll know if you’re flourishing if you feel grounded in your values, supported in your relationships, and engaged in your activities. You might also start to notice that you have more energy, bounce back more easily from setbacks, and feel more present.
Can flourishing happen during hard times?
It’s possible to flourish during hard times. In fact, many people report the most meaningful growth during difficult seasons.
When you’re flourishing, you typically experience a throughline of purpose, connection, or resilience that helps you move through the tough parts. If you’re grieving or dealing with uncertainty, but you still feel supported or you still find moments of clarity, it’s possible to flourish.
Overall, flourishing is about staying connected to what gives life meaning, even when things are heavy.
Is flourishing the same as eudaimonia?
Flourishing draws heavily from the idea of eudaimonia, but they’re not the same. Eudaimonia is a Greek concept that refers to living a life of virtue, purpose, and personal fulfillment. Like flourishing, it’s about sustained wellbeing, and emphasizes living in alignment with your values and developing your potential.
However, while eudaimonia is more philosophical, flourishing also includes emotional, social, and psychological wellbeing.
How long does it take to start flourishing?
Flourishing is a process that you nurture over time. Some shifts can happen quickly, like reconnecting with a friend or taking a walk outside, but others, like building resilience and healing from burnout, take more time.
What matters most is consistency. If you start showing up for yourself in small and intentional ways, the effects usually build. The key is to meet yourself where you are and just keep going.
Calm your mind. Change your life.
Mental health is hard. Getting support doesn't have to be. The Calm app puts the tools to feel better in your back pocket, with personalized content to manage stress and anxiety, get better sleep, and feel more present in your life.
Images: Getty
