If you can honestly answer yes to these 5 questions, you are truly thriving in life

As far as I can see, many people spend their lives confusing “thriving” with merely surviving.

We chase promotions, financial milestones, or the approval of others, believing that once we achieve enough, happiness will follow. But real thriving is quieter, deeper, and less about external success than we imagine.

At its core, thriving is about living a life that feels aligned, purposeful, and deeply satisfying. It’s measured not by possessions or status, but by how we feel when we wake in the morning, how we handle adversity, and how we connect with others.

Below are five powerful questions. If you can honestly answer “yes” to them, then you are not only surviving—you are thriving.

1. Do you wake up with something to look forward to?

Thriving begins at the start of the day.

If you wake up with dread, that’s a sign you’re living in survival mode. But if you wake up with curiosity, hope, or even a small spark of excitement, you’re on the right path.

It doesn’t have to be something monumental—sometimes it’s the smell of coffee, a conversation you’ve been looking forward to, or the chance to work on something meaningful.

When your mornings carry a sense of anticipation rather than heaviness, it shifts how you move through the hours ahead. Each day becomes less about getting through and more about engaging with.

That’s a quiet, steady marker of a life that’s not just being lived, but one that’s truly thriving.

2. Do you feel aligned with the person you’re becoming?

Back when I was studying psychology, I came across a quote by Carl Jung that stopped me in my tracks: “The privilege of a lifetime is to become who you truly are.”

It’s stuck with me ever since. In fact, I’d say it’s the reason I now do what I do.

Thriving isn’t about ticking off achievements or living up to other people’s expectations—it’s about feeling a deep sense of alignment between your actions and your authentic self.

When the choices you make today reflect the person you want to become tomorrow, you carry a quiet confidence that no external validation can give. Thriving, at its heart, is knowing you are on the path toward your truest self.

3. Do you have relationships where you feel truly seen?

Perhaps the strongest marker of a thriving life is the quality of our relationships. We are wired for connection, and study after study confirms it.

Perhaps most notably, The Harvard Study of Adult Development, which has tracked participants for more than 85 years, has come to a striking conclusion: good relationships keep us happier and healthier, more than money, fame, or even genetics. People who reported strong, supportive bonds lived longer, experienced less illness, and rated themselves as happier.

Philosophers have echoed this truth for centuries. Epictetus, the Stoic thinker, advised: “The key is to keep company only with people who uplift you, whose presence calls forth your best.”

Thriving doesn’t mean being surrounded by dozens of friends. It means having even a small circle where you can be your unfiltered self—where you don’t have to perform, impress, or pretend. If you have relationships that nourish your spirit rather than drain it, you are already living richly.

4. Do you create space to rest and reflect?

In a culture obsessed with productivity, it’s easy to mistake busyness for success. But thriving requires rhythm—moments of action followed by moments of pause. Without it, even the best opportunities can leave you feeling drained instead of fulfilled.

I learned this the hard way. For years I pushed myself to keep going, thinking rest was something I had to earn. The result? Burnout, frustration, and the sense that I was always chasing but never arriving.

It wasn’t until I started carving out time to pause—journaling in the evenings, taking slow walks without a destination—that I began to feel not just more balanced, but more effective.

Rest and reflection aren’t indulgences; they’re fuel. They give you perspective, help you course-correct, and remind you that life is about more than constant forward motion. When you give yourself space to step back, you return to your life not just refreshed, but more in tune with what truly matters.

5. Do you feel gratitude even for the ordinary?

If there is one habit that almost universally defines a thriving life, it is gratitude.

Gratitude has been linked to lower levels of stress and depression, improved sleep, and a stronger immune system.

The Roman philosopher Cicero declared, “Gratitude is not only the greatest of virtues, but the parent of all the others.” When we can find joy not just in peak experiences but in ordinary ones—a warm meal, a meaningful conversation, the beauty of a sunset—we stop living for “someday” and start living here and now.

Trust me on this, thriving isn’t about chasing highs. It’s about training your eyes to notice the abundance already present in your life.

Final thoughts

Thriving doesn’t mean living without challenges or setbacks. It means approaching life with a mindset that values alignment, connection, rest, and gratitude.

It’s about knowing that success isn’t defined by the size of your bank account or the number of trophies on your shelf, but by the quiet sense of fulfillment you carry within yourself.

If you can honestly answer “yes” to these questions—even some of the time—you’re already doing better than you think.

Thriving isn’t about reaching a distant finish line. It’s about the way you live day to day, the perspective you bring to ordinary moments, and the depth with which you experience the people and world around you.