Over several years of writing these columns, I have come to realize that two key principles for achieving happiness are acceptance and the search for meaning or purpose in life.
Unfortunately, we often fail to focus on the meaning of our lives, as this existential question can create anxiety and bring our past failures and future challenges to the forefront. However, according to a recent book, “Start Making Sense,” by psychologist Steven Heine, this is the wrong attitude. By reflecting on existential questions like these and considering our responses, we can lead a more authentic and meaningful life.
How to infuse life with more meaning?
- Ground Yourself in Your Personal Values: Understand what you stand for and where you come from. Knowing your values and sticking to your personal goals will help you accept what life throws at you.
- Use Nostalgia to Reflect on Your Life: Engage with traditions and memories (photos, music, keepsakes, old friends) to connect your present self with your past experiences. This enhances your sense of continuity and authenticity.
- Pursue Self-Transcendent Experiences: Connect to something greater than yourself. This can be achieved through religious experiences or non-religious ones, such as observing nature’s beauty (sunsets, starlit skies), witnessing acts of profound morality, engaging in deep meditation, or appreciating incredible art and architecture. These experiences can inspire awe and broaden your perspective on life’s meaning.
- Enhance Your Relationships: Nurture close personal connections with family, friends, and romantic partners. These relationships are a reliable source of meaning and can help you persevere through challenges. Joining groups or communities with shared interests, such as volunteering for a cause, can also provide a sense of belonging and meaning.
- Find Meaning and Purpose in Your Work: Your work provides a sense of identity, self-worth, and a way to contribute to something larger. Even if your job isn’t overtly “meaningful” (like serving others), recognizing how it provides for your family or contributes to society can enrich your life.
- Seek Psychologically Rich Experiences: Actively pursue novel and challenging experiences that offer new perspectives or stimulate deep feelings. These can be significant, such as living abroad, or simple, like trying a new cuisine, visiting an art gallery, or participating in a kayak adventure. These experiences foster learning and discovery, leading to a more profound sense of meaning.
- Recognize Your Own Heroic Journey: Reflect on obstacles you’ve overcome in life and how you managed them. Acknowledging your resilience and resourcefulness can tap into a personal heroic narrative, ingraining your existence with meaning.
- Do not be afraid to examine your values and challenge them. By regularly reviewing and, if necessary, correcting our values, we can live more authentically, adapt more effectively to a changing world, and contribute more meaningfully to our communities and beyond.
Tarak Vasavada, MD