Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life
A friend once said to me, "There is no meaning in life, except
what we create". At the time, I thought she was nuts. Now, I
understand.
What is the meaning of your life? Some will say that it is to
glorify God. Others will say to do good and make a difference.
Still others account for their purpose for existence in their
children. All of these ideas may have validity, but it still
comes down to one thing. What do you decide is of value? What do
you choose to be the purpose of your life?
The beauty of this concept is that again, you have the power to
choose. Purpose and meaning is not some flighty ideal that only
a few can comprehend. You have the power, the right, the
responsibility to find your purpose in life. No one else can do
it for you. With choice, there is power.
If you are sure of what your purpose is, if there is no doubt as
to why you exist, good for you. Go for it with gusto. Embrace
it, enjoy it, fulfill it. If you are not clear about your
purpose, the meaning of your life, create it. You have so much
in you to explore.
We humans have so much potential to create. We can create
meaning, and we can create happiness. We can create misery and
pain. We are creating our purpose and meaning every moment of
the day. What purpose are you creating for you life, right now?
If you are still stuck, let me give you and idea. Make your
purpose in life to be the best "You" that you can be. Work
diligently on developing yourself, learning, growing, and most
of all, loving yourself. If that is you major purpose, and you
do it correctly, without judgement, in a healthy and balance
manner, you cannot help but becoming a happier person, and your
joy is sure to spill on to others.
Developing yourself to be the best possible "You" you can be
does not mean seeking after fleeting and meaningless pleasure.
That will only bring you pain. Developing the best possible you
takes hard work and dedication. When I talk about being the
"Best", I am talking about being the most noble, the most
balanced, the most healthy (mentally and physically), the most
authentic, the most honest, the most generous, the most logical,
the most intelligent, the most loving, the most self-sustaining
individual you can be.
Notice, I didn't say the best person in the world. I said, be
the best you can be. If you start to compare yourself to others
to see how much better you are then others, you will set
yourself up for trouble. You will either be deflated, because
there will always be someone better at something then you. Or
you will falsely inflate your ego, which will only serve to bite
you in the end.
In my opinion, being the "Best You" that you can is everyone's
ultimate purpose. It will be in everyone's best interest if you
concentrate on your best self-interest. It is also hard work.
That is why so many people would rather opt out and let others
make their meaning (God, your parents, your spouse etc) . If you
take an active role in developing the "best possible you", you
will make your world a better place, not just for you, but for
those around you.
The bible says "Love your neighbour as yourself". You cannot
fully love others until you truly love yourself. Make that your
purpose, and the world will thank you.