Exploring the purpose and meaning of our life

Life is a journey. Our journey began at the moment we were born and will continue for as long as we’re alive. We had no choice in starting it, but we do have a choice in what we do with the time we’ve been given. So, it’s time to wake up and ask ourselves, What really matters in our life?” Ships require a compass to guide them and a rudder for steering. Life demands that too, and when we don’t have an internal compass—an enduring sense of direction—to help us navigate, we become directionless… not knowing where to go.

⭐ Someone has intelligently said that, people everywhere dedicate themselves throughout their lives to “three Ps”: Protect, Provide, and Procreate. And this is totally right because lives of majority of us moves around these  three areas only, that is to protect our family ,to provide all the necessities to them and to procreate means to produce offspring (to expand our family). Thus our life is centered around ourselves and our family.

Most people have no idea what they want to do with their lives. Majority are clueless about what is the purpose of their lives. They continue to lead a meaningless life.

But, at some point we all find ourselves seeking a deeper meaning in life… no matter how accomplished, how successful, wealthy or talented we may be. 

Purpose in life is concerned with what we most deeply value, and purposeful living is concerned with whether we’re living for what matters most.

“The purpose of life is not to be happy. It is to be useful, to be honorable, to be compassionate, to have it make some difference that you have lived and lived well.”

― Ralph Waldo Emerson

**Our “best purpose” becomes our inner motivator, turning on the ignition switch in our brain to surpass the obstacles in our life and focus on what matters most.

Everything is always changing, and we can change too, in this very moment. To do so, we have to overcome the inertia created by our old habits, our judgments, and our negative thoughts / beliefs.

  ⭐ ⭐ Therefore, to give meaning to our lives, we should find something that we truly believe in. Something so worth accomplishing that we can dedicate ourselves to it wholeheartedly, without apprehension or doubt….

It means devoting ourselves to a cause, or to many causes, that we consider noble. A desire to make a difference in the world, to contribute to matters beyond (and larger than) our own self-interests. Serving passionately, unconditionally, and whole heartedly without the feeling of personal gains.     

Devotion to purpose brings consistency and satisfaction to people’s lives.

Status, bank balance, luxury, fame, and other advantages that we avidly seek do not reliably make us happy for a long time, they produce temporary happiness.

“The purpose of life is to contribute in some way to making things better.”

― Robert F. Kennedy

  To live a meaningful life or living a life with a purpose is really beneficial to us, as

⭐ It creates great personal satisfaction

⭐ Purpose creates resiliency, even in the face of the most terrible events…

⭐ It serves no one other than ourselves; it fulfills a part of our intrinsic needs and desires…

⭐Dedicating ourselves to a noble purpose not only is beneficial to the world, it is also essential for our own mental and spiritual health.

⭐ Generative individuals are healthier than others… (….generative”—people who try to make a difference in the world)…

Whenever we try to obtain purpose of our lives, we need to consider two facts…

Firstly: what we can choose to do with the time given to us by god…

Secondly; how we can choose to interact and interrelate with other people.

We should try to develop a genuine understanding and find passion and positivity within ourselves, it will definitely help us in leading purposeful and meaningful life.

Not only must our goals be directed to the benefit of the world beyond our-selves, but the way in which we accomplish them must be ethical and high-minded…

Just as the right kinds of purpose can be powerful forces for the good, the wrong kinds can be horribly destructive. Therefore we should try our best to create a life of value and purpose with the days we have left? As nobody can predict how much we r going to live. So let’s make our lives more significant and meaningful. There is lots more other than selfish motives and gains.

We all have an infinite capacity to show kindness and love toward others and our­selves.

We may need to learn compassion so that we can help others. When we become more mindful about our life purpose, the greater its impact will be on our life and the lives of those we care about.

Dr. Shilpi Pandey