“What is the meaning of life?”
As human beings, we may ponder the question amidst a challenging period of our lives, or possibly in a spiritual context – “What is the higher purpose of my existence on this Earth?”
But why do we ask this question? And how can we find meaning in life?
Photo by Josh Willink from Pexels.
The search for meaning
To feel that we have purpose is, to a degree, to feel that we have hope. Hope is important as it gives us strength to carry on in difficult times; it gives us the courage to do things that may at first seem unattainable; and it allows us to give others hope, too.
Psychologists Firestone, Firestone, and Catlett, believe that “A human being’s search for meaning and purpose is as fundamental as his or her physical drives for self-preservation” (2003, p.380).*
But there are many theories as to why we seek purpose or meaning in life.
Perhaps it is because we feel there must be something more than the mundane repetition of survival and reproduction, or because we feel alone in this word.
Or maybe it’s because we seek fulfilment or self-actualisation.
Or because we believe there is a higher power that gave us life for a reason.
I do not think there is only one explanation as to why humans search for meaning, but rather I believe the reason we search for purpose is defined by the individual, their experiences, thoughts and beliefs.
What is the meaning of life?
It is important to realise that some people have found the meaning of life!
Not necessarily the meaning of ALL life, but at least what they believe the meaning of their own lives to be.
We can learn from this that maybe the meaning of life doesn’t have to be this grand and complex explanation. It could be something really simple – and I believe we can create this meaning for ourselves.
Maybe I, as a human being, was put here on this Earth for a specific purpose. Or maybe I was not. But it is not up to others what my own purpose in life is. This is up to me.
I find this thought to be really empowering.
Instead of searching for an external purpose that we may or may not find, we can craft one of our own.
Our purpose may be as simple as “being happy in life”, or it could be “to love and care for those around us”. But there is a simple activity you can do for yourself to find meaning in your life.
Finding our own meaning
I was recently introduced to the Japanese concept of Ikigai, translated to “the reason for being”.
‘Ikigai is, above all else, a lifestyle that strives to balance the spiritual with the practical. This balance is found at the intersection where your passions and talents converge with the things that the world needs and is willing to pay for.’ **
To create our own meaning in life and use the concept of Ikigai, we can ask ourselves these four questions: ***
- What am I good at?
- What do I love?
- What does the world need?
- What can I be paid for?
We can then write a sentence (or short paragraph) that combines the answers to these questions. This sentence shows us our Ikigai – our purpose!
Here is a very basic example of the Ikigai activity. Add as many or as little words as you like!
What am I good at? Art
What do I love? Painting; nature
What does the world need? Better care of our planet
What can I be paid for? Selling art
One liner to combine the answers: My Ikigai is to love and care for the planet by teaching others how they can care for the environment, through selling informative and educational artwork.
You may find that you are not currently acting on any of the thoughts you’ve described in the Ikigai activity (“I haven’t painted for years!”) but what’s important is that it can help you realise what’s important to YOU, and give you a sense of purpose in your own life.
Learn more about Ikigai here.
If you find that you are struggling to find purpose in life, if you are feeling down or hopeless, or just feeling a bit stuck, speaking to a counsellor can help make sense of thoughts, feelings and events and support you to better your mental wellbeing.
Learn more about counselling
*Why do human beings search for meaning
**How to find your Ikigai
***How Ikigai can help you find your purpose
More reading: The meaning of life; a psychologist's view
Liz Gellel | Communications Coordinator
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