If you don't believe in these 20 things, you'll never have a fulfilling life

What should you believe in?

A thoughtful woman in a white blouse stands by a window, gazing outside. Her reflection is visible on the glass next to her. The background is softly blurred, adding a serene atmosphere to the image.

It’s one of life’s big questions.

Your beliefs have a profound impact on you and your quality of life, but not everyone knows what they believe in. If you’re only now stopping to think about what you truly believe in, here are some suggestions that could change your life for the better.

1. Yourself.

A middle-aged man with gray hair and a beard smiles while looking up. He is wearing a gray T-shirt and standing outdoors, with a blurred background of greenery and structures on a sunny day.

Most importantly of all, believe in yourself.

Never underestimate who you are and what you can achieve if you put your mind to it.

Many of the limitations you think are placed on your life are self-imposed. Believe in yourself and those limitations can be broken.

2. Others (the goodness of).

A volunteer with glasses serves food to a person at an outdoor community event. She uses tongs to place food in a container under a canopy. Other volunteers and attendees are visible in the background.

Just as you should believe in yourself, you should believe in others too.

Believe that most people have good intentions and are not to be feared or mistrusted.

After all, if you fear or mistrust others, they will fear or mistrust you.

No, most people are good. Try not to let any bad experiences taint your view of everyone you meet.

3. The power of kindness.

A concerned younger man holds the hands of an older man sitting on a couch in a bright living room. The older man appears serious, while the younger offers comfort. There are houseplants and soft natural light in the background.

Acts of kindness – no matter how big or small – can have a huge and lasting influence on the lives of others.

When you see an opportunity to be kind, take it. There can never be too much kindness in this world.

And when someone is kind to you, thank them and show your appreciation.

Kindness often promotes more kindness, too, which means your act of kindness can create a ripple effect that touches the lives of countless people.

And don’t forget to be kind to yourself!

4. That this too shall pass.

An elderly woman with light-colored hair and blue eyes is resting her head on her folded arms. She wears a white shirt with pink polka dots and has a thoughtful, wistful expression. The background is softly blurred, suggesting an indoor setting.

You will face challenging times in your life. Obstacles will stand in the way of your happiness.

But all things end eventually – and often sooner than you think. Believe that whatever troubles you might be facing right now, they will pass.

And believe that the good outweighs the bad in life.

5. Your inner strength.

A young woman with shoulder-length brown hair wearing a white sweater is smiling brightly. She is leaning slightly forward and is outdoors, with a staircase and a partially visible stone wall in the background.

During those difficult times, remember that you are more resilient than you give yourself credit for.

You’ve faced darkness before and you’ve gone through it and reached the other side.

You have a 100% track record for getting through things, so never doubt the strength you have inside.

6. Courage.

A woman with shoulder-length auburn hair gazes pensively into the distance in a dimly lit room. The soft lighting creates shadows on her face, highlighting her thoughtful expression and serene demeanor.

Along with your inner strength, you must believe in the power of courage.

Courage allows you to face the things that scare you and do them anyway.

Without courage, you would be frozen in your tracks, afraid of what’s in front of you.

With courage, you are able to keep moving forward in spite of your fear.

7. Hope.

A woman with curly hair, wearing a pink robe, holds a white mug while looking out through blinds. Sunlight filters in, casting soft shadows. She appears thoughtful, standing in a dimly lit room.

Hope is, itself, a belief, but this doesn’t mean you can believe in it.

Hope is a powerful thing and it’s important to hold onto it even when things seem lost.

Hope keeps you going. It reminds you that better days are ahead. It helps you to see meaning and purpose in what you do each day.

Without hope, you fall into depression and despair.

8. Your influence on the world around you.

A woman with long, wavy hair gazes upwards, standing amidst tall, modern office buildings. She wears a white shirt and a black jacket. The background shows the sun reflecting off the glass and metal surfaces of the buildings, adding a warm glow to the urban scene.

Everything you do impacts the world in one way or another; even the smallest thing.

You influence other people, you influence the physical and natural world, you influence how decisions are made in the country you live in.

In short: you matter.

Everything is interconnected. In some small (or big) way, your actions change the world. You must decide whether that change will be a positive one.

9. The truth.

Three women are sitting at a table in a cafe, engaging in conversation. The woman on the left is gesturing with her hand while holding a white cup. They are calmly discussing something, and the background shows a warmly lit cafe environment.

Whilst it is almost impossible to speak the truth at every single moment, you must believe in the importance of truth when it really matters.

Truth encourages trust encourages truth – and so the cycle continues.

Truth is openness and this creates healthier connections between people.

Lies, on the other hand, encourage mistrust which creates a barrier between people.

10. The power of words.

Two men sitting on a couch engaged in a serious conversation. One man, dressed in a blue shirt, is gesturing with his right hand while resting his left hand on the other man's shoulder. The second man, wearing a gray t-shirt, is looking down with his hands clasped.

Speaking the truth is just one example of how your words can have a huge impact on your life and those of others.

Never underestimate the power of positive words on those who need to hear them.

Encouragement, affirmation, and support are all vital cogs that keep the world moving.

Choose your words carefully.

11. Hard work.

A person with blonde hair peeks over the top of a laptop, which is placed on a wooden desk. The background features a patterned wallpaper. An old-fashioned black telephone and a black desk lamp are also on the desk.

It’s not enough to want something. You have to go out and work for it.

You need to have the discipline to keep grafting even when – and especially when – the rewards for your effort are not forthcoming.

Good, worthwhile things take time to achieve. They require your dedication. They may require your blood, sweat, and tears.

But the end results will be worth it.

12. Your goals and dreams.

A woman stands in an urban setting with blurred buildings in the background. She wears a dark hat and a grey coat, with one hand adjusting her coat and the other touching her face. She has long, dark hair and a thoughtful expression.

Whilst hard work is vital, that work needs to be directed toward something.

That something is your goal or dream.

And whilst you have to be realistic and know when to give up on a dream, you must never give up on having dreams.

Dreams are motivational. Dreams give us hope. Dreams remind us that we have the power within us to change our lives.

13. Change.

A smiling elderly man is outdoors, wearing a beige coat, a matching flat cap, and a cozy scarf. He has glasses and appears content as he stands in a blurred outdoor setting, possibly a park or garden area.

Speaking of change, it is important to accept that it is inevitable.

All things are changing all the time. Sometimes these changes are so small that they are impossible to see. Other times, they seem to overwhelm us.

But by believing in change, you no longer have to fear it.

Change simply becomes a natural part of life, no different to the rise and fall of the sun.

14. Forgiveness.

A man with short curly hair and a beard is resting his chin on his hands while sitting on stone steps. He is wearing a blue shirt and looking directly at the camera with a serious expression. The background consists of stone steps slightly out of focus.

No one is perfect. Everyone has flaws and everyone makes mistakes.

These flaws and mistakes can often upset others – sometimes in a big way.

Which is why it’s important to believe in forgiveness and the power it has to help heal hurt and rebuild relationships.

Without forgiveness, we would never open up our hearts to the risk of being hurt in the first place. And what a sad life that would be.

So be willing to give some a second chance.

15. Your power over your thoughts and feelings.

A young woman with long brown hair sits outdoors with her eyes closed in a peaceful expression. She is wearing a black top and leans against a dark pillar. The background is blurred, showing hints of greenery and urban elements.

You have a say in how you feel and what you think. It might not always seem that way, but you do.

Whilst you may think or feel something as a natural reaction to a situation or experience, it doesn’t mean you can’t impact those thoughts and feelings.

You can challenge them and offer evidence to help ease them (assuming they are negative).

You can, to some extent, choose to think and feel more positively.

16. Learning.

A young man wearing glasses and casual clothes sits on a dark gray couch in a modern living room. He holds an open book and rests his head on his left hand, looking pensive. A bicycle is visible in the background near a white shelving unit.

You have an incredible ability to grow as a person and learn new things.

But you have to believe in this ability to be able to use it.

With study and practice, you can learn most things. You can develop your skills, improve your knowledge, and transform your life in the process.

Learning is open to everyone, regardless of age, so don’t think for one second that it stops the moment you leave education.

17. Self-discovery.

A woman with long brown hair rests her chin on her hand, looking pensive. She is wearing a blue denim jacket and has a thoughtful expression. The background is blurred and bright, suggesting an outdoor setting with sunlight.

You can get to know yourself better and better with every passing day.

You can discover who you are and what you stand for. You can let these things guide your actions and life as a whole.

You may think that your “self” is somehow hidden away beneath the surface of your consciousness, but it’s not.

It takes a little self-reflection and exploration, it is possible to uncover that self and understand it.

18. Fairness.

Three men socialize on a sunny porch with greenery in the background. One man in a blue blazer and light shirt shakes hands with a man in a checkered shirt and pink shorts, while another man in white shirt and shorts, wearing sunglasses, looks on.

People deserve to be treated fairly. You deserve to be treated fairly.

This means showing others respect. It means treating one person the same as you would any other person. No favoritism, no bias, no prejudice.

Fairness in the wider sense means creating a society in which everyone has the same opportunities to prosper.

A fair world is a kinder world – that’s something to believe in.

19. Humanity.

A young girl in a yellow jacket offers a banknote to an elderly man sitting on a step, holding a hat. The man, dressed in a brown coat and black beanie, looks at the girl with a warm expression. A metal cup sits beside him on the ground.

It can sometimes be hard to believe in humanity. Many people lose faith in humanity based on what they see others doing and the negative impact we, as a species, are having on this planet.

But humanity is not lost. There is much to celebrate and be thankful for.

Much like individuals, humanity has its flaws and makes its fair share of mistakes, but it also does some wonderful things and is filled with good people.

So you must believe in humanity. You’re a part of it, after all.

20. Peace.

A person with long hair, wearing a green jacket, stands with their back to the camera, arms raised towards the sky at sunset. The city skyline and buildings are silhouetted against the colorful sky in the background.

Peace would sit high up on many people’s wish list. Inner peace for themselves. Outer peace for their relationships. World peace for the good of humankind.

These three types of peace are all attainable if you believe in them.

In fact, your belief in peace is the first step toward peace.