21 Mar Purpose May Be The Key To Happiness (but too many people are afraid of it)
It won’t surprise anyone to read that meaning and purpose are crucial to happiness and wellbeing.
I’m pretty confident that most people, especially anyone reading this, know that happiness is more than just smiling and laughing. Having fun and enjoying pleasure is part of happiness, but it’s only part.
Just as important is leading a life of meaning and purpose, one that involves more than superficial and momentary satisfaction.
That being said, many people are afraid of purpose; it seems too big and to scary and facing it can seem overwhelming.
But it need not be like that. Read on if you’d like to learn more about finding more purpose, in small ways, in your life …
via Forbes by Tracy Brower
Happiness is a worthy goal—and one most people seem to be striving for. But contrary to common belief, you won’t achieve it by pursuing it for its own sake, by focusing on yourself or by achieving the traditional trappings of success.
In reality, happiness comes from more than these, and one of the primary origins of happiness is a sense of purpose.
Happiness matters because it feels good, but also because it contributes to greater physical health and mental health. It is correlated with greater satisfaction with life, and it’s linked with expanded capability to contribute toward community.
So how does purpose matter in the happiness equation?
The Purpose-Happiness Link
Purpose contributes to happiness—when participants in a study felt a greater sense of purpose, they tended to feel more positive emotions—specifically contentment, relaxation, enthusiasm and joy. And they felt less angry, anxious, sluggish or sad. They also reported greater satisfaction with life and overall wellbeing. This was according to a brand new study by Kaylin Ratner published in the Journal of Happiness Studies.
Many other studies have linked purpose with all kinds of benefits from reduced mortality and incidence of cardiovascular disease to less loneliness. Greater purpose was also correlated with better outcomes for companies—like growth, market expansion and successful product launches. Employees also saw upsides of more purpose-driven work environments in terms of feeling like work was more meaningful, feeling happier and bring more productive.
Purpose Isn’t So Big
The problem with purpose is that it can be fraught with pressure. A general belief is that purpose is based on addressing enormous issues like world hunger or global peace. And while these are wonderful pursuits (thanks to those who are working toward these), it’s also purposeful to wake up every morning and do your best—making the contribution of your talent and skills that is uniquely your own…
… keep reading the full & original article HERE