We all wonder what the 'meaning of life' is; why we are here and what we're meant to do with our lives. But what if life isn't about finding the purpose. What if life was about achieving purpose instead?
Imagine the horrible trauma that terminally ill patients have to go through; the decision between continuing treatment and deciding to stop. For those who decide to continue; they put themselves through emotional and physical pain, hoping that their condition will improve somehow. But why would they subject themselves to all this pain? Because they believe that life is precious, and want to do all they can to hold onto it.
If they are willing to fight that hard to keep their life, I believe each of us should fight that hard to find purpose in it.
Keep your life moving forward
To live a life with 'purpose' does not necessarily mean that we have to be changing the world. We don't need to have the highest paying job, the prettiest house, or the most luxurious goods. It's about living a life that has meaning. It's about making any sort of difference to the world. And that can be achieved by working at McDonald's to fund a Journalism degree, or by being a stay-at-home mother before returning to the workplace. As long as your life is moving forward, then you are living a life with meaning.
Be whoever you want to be
Don't live a life without any consideration of consequences. But don't feel forced into changing your life to cater for someone else's happiness. By being true to yourself, you are living a life with purpose. How meaningful would our lives be if we spent them making decisions based on what other people wanted? Our happiness wouldn't be true, it would be for the happiness of others. So follow the career path that feels right for you, or move to the city where you feel you belong. Deliberate with your head and follow with your heart.
Believe in yourself
You can't achieve the things you want in life, without believing that you can. Don't be scared to challenge yourself because of fear, you are much more capable than you believe. Don't give up when you've failed. Dreams are only impossible when we stop trying to achieve them. So keep believing in yourself and keep going.
Surround yourself with positive people
Sometimes we may believe in ourselves, but the people around us don't. Choose to surround yourself with positive people; those who support your ambitions, those who believe you can do it. You can't live a life with purpose if your efforts are being constantly derailed by negative thoughts and people. Spend time with people who deserve your time.
Be kind to others
You can make a difference in the world by making a difference to people's lives. Appreciate and love others; always let your loved ones know how much you care. By being a great support to other people, you will feel a lot happier within yourself. You'll be surprised at the effect their happiness has on you.
Believe that everything happens for a reason
Don't spend your time thinking about the 'what ifs'. Instead, think about the things you can change now. Every experience in your life, whether positive or negative; happened in order to teach you something. Use that lesson to improve your life. By being more proactive about your life, you are more likely to change it.
Choose to be happy
Above all else, choose to be happy. We've all had pain in our lives, it's just a matter of realising that it doesn't define who we are. We can't change what's happened to us or the things that people have said; but we can change how we react to it. By being happier within ourselves, we are more likely to live a life with meaning.
No matter what you choose to do with your life, you can bring purpose to yourself and to the world. Every person's life has worth, it's just a matter of realising how we can use that worth to make a difference. So start living a life with purpose today.
