Creating a life of meaning and purpose

LatelyLately I’ve noticed a recurring message from the psychology and therapy world about the benefit of having meaning and purpose in your life.¹ At the same time, more of my clients want to discuss feeling lost, or being unsure of their purpose. They tell me that much of what they see in the world is producing a crisis for them around it. Why are they here? What are they meant to be doing? How can they make a difference in their lifetime?

You can’t just manufacture purpose. You can, however, work at increasing it. The benefits are well documented, from increased longevity to improvements in physical and emotional wellbeing. We know that having a purpose from adolescence (through volunteering, religious attendance, maternal attachment) increases wellbeing. And we know, conversely, that depression and drug use in a teenager reduce their capacity to believe their life has purpose.

So how do you increase purpose in your life? A few thoughts to get started.

• Work out who you love spending time with. Maintain your connection to them, support them through their challenges, and be honest about yours.
• Stay attached to the world by giving something of yourself. Your time, your money, your effort, your thoughts, your interest. Volunteer for a charity. Donate regularly to a cause you believe in. Notice the challenges in your own suburb and look for solutions. Just observe where there are simple needs you could connect to.
• Identify what matters to you, then work out how to connect with that concern, passion or interest. It may be something you could be employed in. You may need to plan towards it, because it needs a qualification or a skill.
• Observe what makes you happy, or makes you different. What makes you get up in the morning? What makes you tick? Can you do something attached to that? If not, how could you?
• Think, plan, and set goals. Be proactive. And if you need to talk to someone about organising the steps, do it.