The Three Essential Elements of a Fulfilling Life

Xuefeng

When one’s life attains health, wealth, and freedom, it can be considered fulfilling. In other words, health, wealth, and freedom are the three essential elements that form a complete and abundant life.

Health

Health is life’s first blessing. Just as great trees cannot grow on barren mountains, and a damaged ship cannot sail far, a frail body and mind cannot endure life’s emotional highs and lows. Only with health can one truly experience and appreciate the full richness of life.

The three aspects of health are physical health, mental health, and spiritual health.

Physical health primarily refers to bodily well-being, akin to a car’s systems—transmission, load-bearing, lubrication, cooling, and electrical systems. If any of these malfunctions, the car is prone to breakdowns.

Mental health mainly refers to the health of thoughts and awareness, similar to a car’s ignition system and its ability to convert heat into power or linear motion into rotation. If ignition fails, the car won’t start; without conversion, it won’t move.

Spiritual health concerns one’s inner vitality, like a car’s fuel source. Without a steady supply of the right fuel, the car is merely a lifeless assembly of parts.

Physical health is maintained through self-care, mental health through the guidance of wisdom and virtue, and spiritual health through sound beliefs.

Wealth

Wealth is the second blessing. Poverty brings forth conflicts and suffering; a life in poverty is filled with sorrow. Only with wealth can dreams and ideals come to fruition.

The three aspects of wealth are material wealth, mental wealth, and soulful wealth.

Material wealth involves having the basic necessities—freedom from concerns about food, clothing, shelter, and transportation.

Mental wealth encompasses knowledge, meaningful relationships, and a place for one’s spirit to rest.

Soulful wealth is the wealth of ideals, faith, optimism, inner drive, and the expansive freedom for one’s soul to soar.

Freedom

Freedom is the third blessing. A life without freedom resembles that of a prisoner; without it, one can never truly know oneself and instead becomes an extension or tool of others.

The three aspects of freedom are personal freedom, intellectual freedom, and spiritual freedom.

Personal freedom refers to having the right and space to move freely, unrestricted and uninhibited.

Intellectual freedom encompasses the rights to pursue knowledge, form connections, express oneself, and choose one’s beliefs freely. Without these, the mind cannot be free.

Spiritual freedom means liberation from restrictive doctrines or theories, allowing the imagination to roam boundlessly, the spirit to journey freely, and the soul to be fearless, creating beauty as it desires.

Health, wealth, and freedom form the foundation of a complete and fulfilling life—an ideal state. Lacking any of these leaves life incomplete, fragmented, unfulfilled, sorrowful, and filled with regret.

Achieving a fulfilling life is both remarkably easy and challenging, depending on one’s mindset. Transforming hardship into ease requires a shift in consciousness.

Naturally, there are 18 aspects of life beyond our control. Some are the domain of nature, like the inevitability of rain or wind. Others lie within societal systems—if others want soup, or if institutions enforce rules, we often must go with the flow. Yet, some matters are entirely within our control, and favorable conditions will always come our way. Even in adversity, adjusting our mindset and attitude can transform obstacles into opportunities, turning bitterness into sweetness.

When life is smooth, think conventionally; when life is challenging, think inversely. Embrace conventional thinking for truths that bring joy, and unconventional—or even reverse thinking—for those that cause pain. In this way, we can attain a full life of health, wealth, and freedom.

Every pursuit must have its limits. Health, wealth, and freedom also require boundaries, for “extremes meet, and excess leads to reversal.” If pursued without moderation, they can become a form of ailment.

May everyone achieve a life filled with health, wealth, and freedom!