Psychological research has identified happiness and meaning as key components of a fulfilling life, but a third aspect, called psychological richness, offers a deeper layer. This concept emphasizes the importance of diverse, challenging experiences that foster growth and create a rich narrative of life. While happiness and meaning can be found in familiar comforts, psychological richness emerges from stepping outside one's comfort zone. Book reading is highlighted as a concrete means to attain psychological richness, suggesting it is essential to cultivate a life filled with significant stories and memories instead of merely seeking comfort.
A psychological rich life is a life filled with diverse, interesting perspective-changing experiences. If material richness is defined as an abundance of monetary resources, psychological richness could be defined as an abundance of interesting experiences and life stories.
The beauty of a psychologically rich life is that it allows us to collect memories, stories that shape the narrative of our lives that we'll be proud to look back on, an eventful life with little in the way of regret.
While one can achieve a happy, meaningful life without stepping very far outside of their comfort zone, a psychologically rich life is only obtained in uncomfortable places - through the frustrations of learning something new or facing adversity.
Happiness and meaning in life often come from defining your world in a relatively narrow way and caring about those people inside your world.
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