Having a Purpose in Life Will Make You Happy
As you may have read in this blogpost, living your purpose is one of the most powerful things you can do to shake off anxiety and depression.
Having a purpose in life and finding meaning in what you do also seem to be fundamental needs for us as human beings.
Discovering and living your purpose might be the solution to most, if not all, of your problems in life.
Purpose as a word usually brings to mind something grand, something larger than life. You may think (like I did) that having a purpose means something that touches the whole world, but that’s not necessarily the case.
In this post I want to share some of my experiences with having a purpose in life and encourage you to find yours.
What's Meaningful To You
As I just mentioned, having a purpose in life sounds like it’s something grand, something that touches the whole of humanity.
Of course it would be fun to say “my purpose is to unite all nations together to form a new, peaceful and prosperous world” or “my purpose is to solve the climate crisis” (if this is your purpose, go ahead and pursue it!).
But purpose does not have to be anything grand or never before seen. What we are talking about here is your purpose and the way you choose to express this purpose.
It does not have to touch every living people on this planet, it is enough that you find what’s meaningful to you.
Usually in the process of living your purpose you will touch the lives of others in a profoundly amazing way.
It's about doing what You Love
I can’t remember the source, but I read a claim somewhere not too long ago. Well, not a claim, a question:
What do ordinary people who became millionaires have in common?
Can you guess?
They all do what they love.
Regardless of whether your goal is to become a millionaire or not, this sums up the topic of this post nicely. The people who do what they love, which is how I would describe living your purpose, tend to become very successful in life.
Not just regarding material wealth. I can think of many examples of people who have a purpose in life, and while living their purpose became abundant in all areas of their lives. Health, relationships, friends… you name it.
And it’s not just about abundance. It’s about happiness.
Purpose Brings Happiness
Many nurses and kindergarten teachers that I know tell me regularly how stressful their work can be and how poorly they are getting paid for what they do.
Yet, they also tell me that they wouldn’t change their job for anything since they feel like they are making a difference in people’s lives.
They are serving a purpose and the feeling that their jobs are meaningful makes their lives filled with joyful moments, happy encounters, and feelings of deep understanding of the meaning of life.
Now of course I believe that these jobs should have way higher wages. Purpose alone does not bring food to the table and being worked to exhaustion and being paid minimum wages will eat up your motivation, no matter how much you feel like serving a higher purpose.
As always, money will not bring you happiness, but lack of money can cause unhappiness.
Putting Happiness First
You may already know that I also like to claim that getting something will not make you happy, but being happy usually results in getting the things you thought you needed to be happy.
Having a purpose in life, and living it, will help you be happy first – then you have the ability to create the life you want.
Let me give you an example.
If you’ve read my story, you may already have an understanding of what having a purpose can do for your life.
For most of my life I had been working just to get money, all the while seeking happiness in external events: parties, drinking, traveling etc. As fun as it might have been from time to time, mostly these things just made things worse for me in the long run.
I never found fulfillment in anything I did and no matter how hard I partied, the next day I wasn’t any happier (who would have thought? 😉 )
Having a Purpose in life fixes everything
It was not until I turned inwards and started to figure out who I wanted to be, and what purpose did I want to serve, that I found long-lasting happiness.
What happened when I started to be who I was, living my purpose, was that new doors opened, new opportunities emerged.
I found new things I enjoyed, my days were filled with joy and laughter. The world seemed brighter and every moment felt like a new opportunity.
Once I dropped my idea of “needing to be wealthy” and having a certain type of job, and turned inward to seek my purpose, amazing things happened.
That’s what I suggest to you too. Try to find out who you want to be. What are your strengths? What do you enjoy doing? What would “make you happy”? Then pursue this goal.
How to Find Your Purpose?
Having a purpose in life will make living your life fun and exciting, but finding you purpose may not be that straightforward.
I have listed here things that helped me find my purpose. Try them out and see what works for you.
1. What Comes Naturally To You?
Think back to the times when you were a child. What did you enjoy doing when you were maybe 10-12 years old? Look at old photos, and ask your family members. It may not even be what you think.
For example, I used to love music and started playing guitar at the age of six and went on to play in a band for almost 15 years.
I still like to play guitar, compose music and help out my former band members in recording their stuff. When I started to ponder my life’s meaning and purpose, being a musician felt like the obvious choice. I could serve my purpose by making music and let the music be my gift to the world.
Even so, a career in music business just did not resonate with me. Making music was a dear hobby and I did not want to make a career out of it (being afraid that the business would suck all the fun out of it).
It may not be what you think
Then I came across the idea above. I started thinking: “what else did I enjoy doing as a child?”. And I remembered that I used to love writing. I wrote short stories about getting eaten by dinosaurs. I also wrote stories for fantasy role-playing adventure games (which I designed myself).
In high school I wrote long essays about the philosophical nature of our existence, getting straight A:s.
In college I enjoyed copywriting lessons, writing business plans, and even contemplated writing a book.
After realizing all of the above-mentioned details, I understood that my purpose would be served via the medium of the written word.
2. Meditate
As helpful as the “what did you do as a child?” exercise was for me, it only revealed the means through which to serve my purpose.
I still wasn’t clear on how to use that information.
That’s where meditation came into play.
I was already meditating in some form or another every night, so I thought it would be logical to try and get clarity on my purpose through meditation.
It wasn’t even a long and deep meditation, just a quick question presented to my subconscious mind in a state of relaxation.
Just before falling asleep, I asked myself: What is my purpose?
And in that same instant I received an answer: Help.
At that moment it became unmistakably clear to me that my purpose was to help others.
Meditation For Finding Your Purpose
Sit with your back straight but relaxed
- You can sit on a chair, couch, or a pillow on the floor
- You do not need to cross your legs, just sit comfortably - the most important thing is that your back is straight
- Push your chest out slightly
- Place your hands on your legs with palms facing up.
Alternatively you can also lie down
- Lie down on your back with your feet about shoulder-width apart and arms relaxed on your side with palms facing upward
Close your eyes
Breathe deeply in and out three times
- Take a deep breath in through your nose
- Hold for a few seconds
- Exhale through your mouth
- Repeat for three rounds
Be still for a couple of minutes
- Relax and let your mind calm down
- Focus on your breathing if you have a hard time calming your thoughts
Ask: "What is my purpose?"
- Ask this question in your mind
Detach from the need to receive an answer
- Just keep calm and observe your thoughts
- If you receive an answer, you can ask clarifying questions such as: "How can I best serve this purpose?"
When you are ready, slowly open your eyes and take a long deep breath
If you don't receive an answer, don't worry
- Try again at another time
3. Try Doing What You Love
You may have picked up from the two previous points an important realization: Having a purpose in life and living your purpose are two different things.
When I was at the point in my life where I knew that my purpose was to help people and that I would enjoy doing so by writing, I still had no idea how to put those realizations into practice.
But after some pondering I started my own business and here we are today. To say that I love every moment of it is an understatement.
But it’s been a process to get to this point with it’s ups and downs, fears and doubts. Still, if you don’t do anything, you’ll get nowhere. Try one of the two:
Put it into action
1. Start a business
Just start doing your thing. Do it. Take pictures of it. Write about it. Make some videos on YouTube. There are so many options to share your talent with the world today, just start somewhere. Start with what feels the most effortless e.g. least resistance.
An idea without action will remain an idea, but an idea acted upon can grow into a lifestyle.
What helped me with this step were lessons by T. Harv Eker. You can find one about passion and purpose here for free.
(no affiliation).
2. Seek opportunities in companies that you would like
If you absolutely feel that being your own boss is not for you, spend some time thinking about companies and job positions that would allow you to do what you love.
I bet the people who work at LEGO are pretty much living their dream… Just an example that came to mind.
And as a side note, living your purpose can take many forms. As mentioned, it does not have to be something grand. The people at LEGO bring joy, awe and inspiration to the lives of others via their building blocks. Bringing joy to others is, to me, one of the grandest purposes that you can serve.
Bonus: Learn From The Experts
Having a purpose in life and serving that purpose to your highest potential is what Michael Beckwith’s life is all about.
I first learned about the idea of finding my purpose from Michael. I am sure that without finding my purpose with the help of Michael’s work, my life would still be an alcohol-fueled mess slowly dripping down the drain.
This sounds awfully religious, but, again, my transformation was spiritual, not religious. There’s a world of a difference there (not to say that religion can’t help you).
A transformation rooted deep within the most fundamental subconscious beliefs about who you are is the most powerful form of transformation. It gives you all the control and all the power you need to change your life.
Check out Dr Beckwith’s books here or
jump right into the deep end of the pool with the help of this course
(These are NOT affiliate links, I have no connections with the authors other than the fact that their work has transformed my life).
Conclusion
Having a purpose in life is one of the things that may fix any anxiety or depression you may have.
Having a purpose in life is also a fundamental human need.
People who live their purpose tend to become wealthy and, most importantly, happy.
Seek to become happy by finding and living your purpose. Then all the other pieces in your life will fall in place.
Find your purpose by:
- Thinking about what you used to enjoy as a child
- Meditating
- Following the advice of the experts
Remember to put your purpose into action by either starting a business around it or by finding a job that allows you to do what you love.
Disclaimer
The entire contents of this blog are based upon the opinions of the author. It is intended for informational and educational purposes only. The information in this blog is not intended to replace a one-on-one relationship with a qualified health care professional and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult your health care professional before trying any of the products or methods based on this content. I cannot guarantee that you will be free of stress, anxiety or depression, or that you will be happy. I simply want to share with you what I have discovered during my twenty years of seeking happiness and what has worked for me may not work for you.
