The Pursuit of Meaning
How much of your life feels like you’re on automatic pilot? You’re doing what you need to do and nothing more. A common regret I hear from clients is that they feel like they’re lacking meaning in their lives. They’re not necessarily talking about happiness, but about feeling engaged or fulfilled.
Do you live a life that feels fresh and rewarding while also doing what is required to pay the bills, maintain relationships, or satisfy commitments? In what parts of your life do you feel enthusiastic or motivated?
Philosophers & academics believe that living a meaningful life includes 3 major components.
Purpose – having goals that feel important and significant
Comprehension – Noticing events in your life and how they interlace to create a bigger picture
Mattering – Believing that your existence is valuable.
WORK TOWARDS CREATING MEANING IN YOUR LIFE
Look at how you view your current job, school, relationships and activities. Besides showing up and doing what is expected of you– how might you reframe these parts of your life? What new skills or knowledge are you learning? How are you improving the lives of others or the world around you? Who do you feel connected to and generate energy with? What do you contribute that helps “the bigger picture”, even if it’s in a small way?
Create your own definition of accomplishment. Take a step back from other’s expectations or judgement and consider what matters to you.
Be purposeful when choosing your close friends and with whom you spend your time. How you feel about yourself is often impacted by how others treat you. Surround yourself with people who value and respect you. Nurture relationships with those who appreciate who you are.
Are your values evident in your daily life? Live with integrity. Feel good about your choices, follow your personal morals…even if no one is watching.
Explore what feels important to you. Without self-editing or worrying about what others think is important, think about what beliefs, passions or problems ignite something deep inside you. You might notice this spark when you watch the news or even a movie; when you listen to a speaker or someone who is passionate about a cause; when you read a book or story. If you find yourself energized or even outraged - chances are, this is important to you.
Ask yourself, what can I do with my life that feels important? Understand that living a meaningful life often requires sacrifices, hard work, taking chances, and prioritizing. If you are doing something that feels important, the extra efforts will not feel so difficult.
Make the time to pursue what matters to you. Yes, you are busy. Think about time wasters or things you can let go of that allow you to stay open to opportunities that call to you.
Make a difference. Whatever that means to you. It can be big or small. Strive to create a life where you contribute in some way to make things better.
What you do does not automatically generate meaning. It’s the meaning you assign to what you do that is important.