A Surprising Path to Joy And Fulfillment

Recently, as I was preparing a mini workshop for an inspiring women’s conference a few weeks ago, I learned a word from the world of neuroscience: eudaimonic well-being.

Eudaimonic well-being is different from the kind of happiness we usually think about. It’s not about being “happy” (the fleeting pleasure, comfort, or “feeling good” in the moment). Instead, it’s about a sense of FULFILLENT–a deeper sense of joy, meaning, growth, purpose; a sense of becoming more fully ourselves.

And here’s the key:

Eudaimonic well-being is activated when we stretch, engage, and complete something that matters to us. In other words—it’s the challenge that creates the deeper, more lasting sense of fulfillment and true joy..

When I first began practicing Tiny Habits, I didn’t realize I was tapping into this principle. I just knew that small, doable actions—followed by a moment of celebration—started to change how I felt about myself.

The habits were tiny:

One small action

One moment of follow-through

One quick “I did it! "YAAAY for me!”

But over time, something shifted.

I wasn’t just checking things off a list. I was experiencing myself as someone who takes action… follows through… and grows.

That’s eudaimonic well-being in action.

It’s not about doing more. It’s about becoming more engaged with your own life.

And this is especially important as we get older.

Because when energy is limited, we can unintentionally drift toward comfort as our primary goal. When energy is lower, it becomes easier—almost automatic—to opt out before we even begin!

“That might be too much for me.”

“I probably won’t finish it anyway.”

“Maybe I’ll try another time.”

But comfort alone doesn’t create vitality. Engagement does. Growth does. Even small acts of courage do.

It doesn’t have to be dramatic.

It might be:

Making a phone call you’ve been putting off

Getting the laundry out of the dryer

Starting a small organizing project

Signing up for a class

Speaking up in a group

Trying something new, even if you’re not sure you’ll be good at it

These are what I like to think of as “brave actions.”

I think it is so important that I have now added a new listing in my Daily Journal: "One Brave Thing"

And here’s the magic:

When you take a brave action—especially when it would have been easier not to—you send a powerful message to your brain:

“I’m still growing. I’m still capable. I’m still in the game.”

That message matters.

Because happiness, in this deeper, eudaimonic sense, is less about what we have… and more about how we experience ourselves in motion.

Not stuck. Not sidelined. Not “done.”

But engaged.

Alive.

Participating.

There’s also something deeply affirming about completing even a small challenge. It builds a quiet kind of confidence—not loud or showy, but steady and real.

“I said I would do this… and I did it.”

That feeling doesn’t just disappear. It lingers. It reshapes how we see ourselves. And over time, it becomes a foundation for greater resilience, joy, and self-trust.

So if you’ve been feeling a little low on energy… a little hesitant… a little “meh”—you’re not alone. There’s no escaping the fact that aging can bring physical challenges. But now, instead of waiting for motivation or energy to magically appear, you might try something different:

Choose one small, meaningful challenge.

Make it doable.

Make it kind.

And then… follow through.

Not perfectly. Not all at once. But bravely.

"Taking it easy” can really shrink your life and your vitality.

Instead, each day choose the quiet, powerful satisfaction of doing one thing you weren’t sure you could do. And celebrate that you DID it!