15 Jul How to create more meaning for happiness
Did you know that experiencing connections, regularities, and coherence in their environment may lead people to feel a greater sense of meaning in life, according to a new study published in Psychological Science, a journal of the Association for Psychological Science. The research suggests that meaning in life has an important adaptive function, connecting people to the world that surrounds them and, thereby, boosting their chances of survival.
You can read more about this research HERE; take on this week's "create meaning" challenge BELOW; and learn more about our very own Dr. Happy's upcoming Sydney workshop titled "Discovering happiness through purpose, passion and positivity" – HERE
So this week's challenge…
Following on from the previous paragraph in which the benefits of living a meaningful life were briefly outlined, try the following strategies to create more meaning and purpose in your life:
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ask yourself what you really believe in and/or clarify your values (e.g. equality, fairness, security, achievement etc…just search for "human values" or "personal values" for some specific examples)
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find ways to engage in as many tasks and activities as possible that are consistent with these beliefs and values
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determine how you can best use your strengths (see HERE) to live a life of meaning
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and finally, bring to the above any and all experiences about which you're passionate
So, just by way of an example, if you believe that all people should have access to equal opportunity and if one of your strengths is courage then you might want to look for ways in which you can stand up to and/or challenge inequalities you see in your workplace, local community, country and/or even anywhere in the world. This could be achieved by supporting a relevant charity or organisation or just by speaking up when you otherwise might have kept quiet.
Obviously, this is just one example; and we'd love to hear more! Please send in any ideas or plans you come up with or post them HERE on The Happiness Institute's Facebook page. Thanks in advance : )
And a final note…this challenge comes from our FREE weekly eNewsletter in which we post, each and every week, a new happiness related challenge. So SIGN UP HERE (it's free!) to make sure you receive all our positivity tips, articles and other wonderful bits and pieces!