Impacts Of Finding Meaning and Purpose - Even In The Smallest Of Ways

Positive meaning and purpose are defined as understanding, believing in and serving something greater than yourself and deliberately engaging in activities for the benefits of others. Having an identification of valued, overarching goals which provide fulfilment, can help people to grow and attain their potential and build up their strength of emotional resources and well-being/resilience.

Research shows individuals with greater levels of meaning and purpose enjoy 42 percent more life contentment overall and live up to seven years longer.

Purpose and meaning are closely related and intertwined. Meaning is the way people understand themselves and the world around them.  They take responsibility for the world. Having a life of purpose must be directed at something worthwhile and of personal benefit.  All this provides a central life vision about our self and focuses our direction. It integrates our moments into a greater picture of life.   It can be viewed as a framework around which other goals and behaviors can integrated, managed even amplified.

Here are a few strategies to help you or for you to help others find greater meaning and purpose.

1.     Understand “our why” and reflect on how it impacts our well-being and health

2.     Encourage exploration of new ideas and experiences

3.     Encourage individuals to explore/develop, write down and commit to their own life philosophies, beliefs and values. It’s important to attach behaviors to these to gain consistency and to make them more real.

4.     Explore this question: when was the last time you couldn’t sleep because you were so excited about doing something or exploring an idea? Try to find the reason why that exciting moment had meaning for you.

5.     Ask what areas of their life inspired you over the past several weeks/months. How could you dive into and further cultivate them?

6.     Think about what you would need to do to live your life in closer alignment with your values. 

7.     Reflect on what is getting in the way of committing to acts that have deeper value and meaning to you.  What is holding you back? What steps could you take to break through those barriers?

There are many other strategies, but above can be a great place to start.

Having meaning and purpose are two of the biggest sources of inspiration, impact and wellness in our lives.

If this is an area you feel might be a void for you, start with some of the above strategies or reach out for more.