The Meaning of Life
Let’s get one thing out of the way: There is no meaning of life.
The belief that life has meaning comes from three places:
1. The desire for all of “this” to not be wasted or coincidental; hence, the desire for it all to mean something.
2. The inability to accept the power of our true natures; if we place meaning as a decision that falls outside of ourselves, we hand over a heavy responsibility for a portion of our own lives.
3. As humans, we are biologically designed as a hierarchical species, and we hand down orders (directly or indirectly) to others, it certainly makes sense that orders would be handed down to us.
Unfortunately, none of those is “proof,” however influential they may be to our beliefs.
But, all is not lost. There is another solution: Accepting the responsibility of committing to the meaning we choose to place upon our lives.
To accept that there is no meaning in life is to accept responsibility for creating meaning in our own lives, then to commit to following through.
The challenge that most people have is in the commitment. It’s difficult for anyone to make a decision, right now, of “What is the one thing I wish to commit to, above all else, for the rest of my life?”
The simple act of asking ourselves the question brings us closer to our answer.
And here’s a bit of relief: It changes. Very few people make the decision and are fortunate enough to have the clarity of seeing it and the fortitude to see it through for the rest of their entire lives. For the rest of us, know that it’s ok for this to change. The point is to commit to something, now, that is at the deepest core of your existence. As you grow and evolve, so will your sense of purpose. Allow that, too, to grow and evolve.
It’s easy to recognize when someone is living their purpose and when someone isn’t. There’s a depth and richness that’s there where it’s lacking in others. If you’ve been feeling out of it, misaligned with your work, lost or otherwise unfocused, take some time to turn inward and shine a light on some of those dark corners.