Why A Life Purpose Matters and How to Discover Yours
How do I find my life purpose? And how it can help you to find yours too.
Have you ever woken up in the morning in panic because you dread working or have you worry all the time that you wasted all your years in college because of you didn’t get a job that linear from your major? Of course, I have. Maybe you, your sister, your uncle, your best friends too. The fact is you are not alone.
As we grow up becoming an adult, we sometimes contemplate about how to live a meaningful life. Some of us is dreaming to live a meaningful life by searching a meaning of life its self.
Using the definition from Psychology field, meaningful life is a life lived with purpose, significance and satisfaction. Most theories in psychology focus on the purpose part define that to live meaningfully, we must pursue a personal goal or purpose in life.
But some of us might be think and ask, what if I don’t have a sense of purpose to live my life. Do I need a personal goal? Well, if your question like that, I think you don’t have to because maybe the spontaneous wandering that come to your mind is what gives your life meaning. But it doesn’t also mean that you have to feel bad if you haven’t found your purpose or goal in life.
But if your question that come to mind is how do I find my life purpose? Here is my thought based on my journey.
Finding a meaning and purpose in life are so individual and personal. Our meaning is entirely up to us. Maybe living a life with helping others, getting a high salary job, travelling worldwide or making new things are you goal but it might be different with the meaningful life’s definition of your friends and it is all totally fine. Trying to imitate our personal goal to others, will make you feel exhausted and make your life become far away from your purpose its self.
A team of psychologists from Poland and the US found that living meaningfully can boost feelings of harmony, peace, and well-being, which can affect our physical health. That’s good, right?
They said that having a purpose in a life is one of the fundamental factors. Based on research by Tracking Happiness, having a purpose can make us live a life that aligns with our values, be more energized and motivated then effective to become the best version of our life. It also makes us find a long-term happiness.
For example, for me, after doing a roller coaster kind of life in a year ago, pursuing scholarship, getting a new job, starting my master degree, going abroad, being in a long-distance relationship, getting married I finally jumped into conclusion that my purpose in life is not getting more degree.
Becoming a professor or working in academic or research institute that I was known as my future since I was child. By the way I want to say thank you for my self for walking this so far.
Let’s continue, in that searching moment, I know I do love making things, creating something, learning something, reading and writing ideas. But doing the same work routine in the next few years in laboratory, is not my preferences. Becoming a scientist in one of Government Institute is not my purpose.
I do love spending time with my family, taking care of them, cleaning and taking care of my garden. These kinds of activity are more enjoyable for me. I also love nature. I do love walking in the forest because it feels so calm for me. I prefer work in independent ways and a creative space.
I was over-achiever and I was not patient with my goal before. I forgot that what I did is a process. I made my purpose exactly the same with theirs because of my parents are researcher and lecturer. I wanted to be like them, working in academic field and getting doctoral degree. Until that day, I fall and I realized my mentality is not that big as my dream. I was not happy pursuing it.
In the outside maybe we will find someone’s purposes are amazing. For example, Elon Musk who want to explore space. It is admirable right, isn’t it? But it doesn’t mean we have to feel intimidated by his purpose. I was a kind of person who felt intimidating with others dream in the past.
So, you don’t be. You also can’t copy & paste somebody else’s purpose in life and expect to be happy by doing the same things. Just be yourself.
But what if you don’t know where to start but you really want to define your purpose?
First, I suggest you to stop looking it then. Trying to live a life fully, don’t be too anxious and stress about it.
Second, make a list and try journaling are also a good exercise to keep your goal in mind. It will help you to track your happiness too. You’ll learn to be more honest and open about your objectives.
Lastly, stepping out from comfort zone. You will never understand foreign language until you learn it right? Going abroad, meeting new people, cooking a new recipe, doing extreme sport or marathon, by them you will find the development through your veins. You will get a new perspective.
For me, in terms of finding a life purpose, we have to discover it by trial and error. Not by sitting in a chair by the window then we find our purpose. We have to doing things and take action. Trying new things will broaden our view and sparks our interest again.
While meaning in life isn’t a necessity, it does make life worth living. Having a sense of fulfillment and purpose can also be beneficial health-wise. Despite this, you shouldn’t stress about finding your why, because like all things worth having, it takes a bit of time and effort. Just like me spending my three years back and still on going to find my life purpose.
Sometimes, the best thing you can do is to stop consciously seeking meaning and concentrate on living your life to the fullest instead. Eventually, you’ll stumble upon something that makes your life worth living.
You see, these purposes in our lives are only there because we have reason to believe that we’ll be happy when we either chasing the purpose or reach it. Indeed, we may often be happier when we stop focusing on happiness altogether.
So here you are, take a new step and ready to start a fresh journey. That is you, living your purpose in life.
Personal satisfaction
Money and fame are not the number one reason to be happy.
Ask yourself, have you ever felt like you were meant for more?
