By: Ashmar Mandou

Amid numerous work seminars, parent-teacher conferences, deadlines, graduate studies, have you ever found yourself wondering feeling unfulfilled? Have you ever voiced the questions, “What does it mean to be happy?” I know. It is not a question most people tend to ask at the end of a frantically busy day. What is the key to living a fulfilled life? Abbott set out on a quest to answer that very questions and to find where around the globe we can find the happiest, most fulfilled people. “Nearly two million people around the world have told us what living a full life looks like to them. They told us what –from family to success, from giving to health –make their lives fuller and happier. But no matter who we are or where we live, we all face challenges in life. Those are real, too. Let’s keep exploring how to push past those barriers that keep us from living our best, healthiest lives,” as stated on Abbott’s website.

Abbott conducted a recent survey where they asked people from around the globe, “How do you live life to the fullest,” and without surprise a cacophony of responses poured in from individuals sharing their personal mantra on how to live a better life. One such individual was Arlette Esqueda, a dance instructor based in Mexico City, Mexico, where according to Abbott the happiest people on Earth reside. “I am loving life right now. I am very fortunate because I have the opportunity to do what I love and also give my all to my family,” said Esqueda, who heard about the study through a friend. “During these times there are so many struggles and so many distractions that it becomes difficult to carve out time for yourself and your family. We have to be sure that when we wake up in the morning we set personal goals with a positive attitude to help us tackle the day.” Esqueda, when not teaching dance classes or spending the afternoon with her family, can be seen tapping into her athletic side running marathons around Mexico. “There is so much beauty in Mexico; beautiful landscapes, beautiful city, and there is so much history. I have to take advantage to see as much of my wonderful country as I can.”

Esqueda happily shared her top tips on how to live a more fulfilled life, tips that will benefit the whole family.

Get Moving

First and foremost, you have to stay active. I am lucky enough to be an environment where I stay moving. I love to teach dance. I get the energy from my students. I hear the music and I get excited. So my advice would be to play music and just dance around the house or put on your headphones and go for a nice long walk. Music is so powerful and can lift any spirit. So get moving.

Discover Your Passion

It is extremely important to find what you love to do. Life goes by so fast to not be able to spend time doing the things that bring you happiness. For me, it is running marathons. I love it. I love pushing my body and accomplishing one marathon at a time. That’s for me. That is what gives me joy, aside from my family. I get to do what I love. I love teaching, I love being outdoors, I love spending time with my family, and I love participating in marathons. It is important to me to be able to set an example for my kids to follow in my footsteps that will help them discover their passion, their happiness. So think about your passions in life and dedicate time each day to nurture it.

Family Involvement

With all this technology nowadays, it is super easy for family members to be on their devices, which can hurt the family dynamic. So what I do each day, is tell my three sons and my husband to put their phones away, grab their bikes and head out. At least one hour teach day, we do a family activity. Whether it is a bike ride or a picnic. There is so much beauty to see, here in Mexico City that how could we just stay indoors. We also travel together. Every three months we travel somewhere new in Mexico. That is our time together to wind down and reconnect and build memories. That is so important; building memories. So at the end of a long day put all your distractions away and head out.

If you would like to learn about Abbott’s study, visit lifetothefullest.abbott.