You should thrive, not just survive.

As most of us would agree, this is more easily said than done. We want to get the most from life, but the routine of each day can feel like nothing more than survival.

You can find many lists of things to do before you die, but rather than make check marks on a list of activities, each person should ponder what will make life truly meaningful. Sometimes it is activities and accomplishments, but often it's more intangible.

Here are some things to think about that may be a way to get the most out of life for you. Each person's situation is unique, however. Pick and choose from these and feel free to add your own.

Truly love

Open your heart. Whether it is romantic love, familial love, or love of your fellow beings, love and the warm connections it brings are what make life worth living. Dare to make yourself vulnerable.

Dream

. Set big goals that challenge and inspire you. Face your fears and then refuse to allow them to keep success from you.

Connect to the spiritual

Bring meaning to your life by spending time in prayer, study, and meditation.

Do something meaningful and enduring

Make sure that in your busyness you find activities that feed your soul. Slow down and notice the little things, and pay attention to what you can do to make someone else's life better. Serve.

Work to improve yourself

Keep learning. Seek to work constantly toward being a better person. Improve your mind and keep it lively by learning new things daily. Read the newspaper. Check out books from the library on topics that fascinate you. Set a goal to try something new every week.

Be careful of your body and health

Pay attention to your body and listen to the messages it's sending you. Treat it with care. Don't put things into it or on it that are harmful, and it will repay you for your efforts. Exercise takes time, but it's worth the extra days - or perhaps years - you may gain. Feeling healthy makes it possible to do all the other things you need to do to get the most from life.

Find your passion

Spend time searching for the things and activities that bring you joy. It may not be the first thing that comes to mind - finding it may take years. Let the search be part of the joy.

Ponder these ideas and personalize them for yourself in a quest to find the way that's right for you to thrive and not just survive...and be really alive.