The Meaningful Life
'How can I live a more meaningful life?' is an age-old question. At some stage or another we are all striving to better understanding what it means to live a meaningful life. Sometimes in our day-to-day life we can forget to engage in meaningful activities. This article will delve in the concept of meaningful living and what you can do to begin to build more meaning in your life.
Everything in our environment is calling us to either adapt, engage, or interpret information that we receive from the world around us. In our current environment we are often faced with a vast array of sights, sounds, smells and tactile stimuli, not all of which are useful or important. We are constantly interpreting and creating meaning from what we experience. Two people can experience the same event or stimulus but view and interpret it in entirely different ways. Imagine two people observing a single portrait, the intricate details, the colours and the textures. Would their interpretation and experience be the same? Despite the stimulus being the same, the difference between the two individuals is their interpretation. Why? Well, the meaning of the portrait may differ among the two people
Collectively and individually, we have an amazing ability to procure meaning from the environment we are surrounded by. Meaning in this context can then help us to organise our experiences and identify what is most important to us. We derive meaning from a whole host of things and this flows through all parts of our lives.
Research has found that positive health outcomes are connected to having more meaning in life. A study by Steptoe and Fancourt (2019) explored meaningful living in older adults over a four-year period. The results showed that doing worthwhile things were linked to positive changes in health, behaviour, economic and social outcomes. The study also found that individuals who viewed their life as more worthwhile experienced continued positive changes.
So, what can you do during your week to build more meaning and further enrich your life? Outlined below is an activity to help build meaning through photography. This activity can help you capture images and serve as a reminder of what is important to you. This exercise is based on a study investigating the use of photographs to identify where meaning is derived. University students were asked to take photos of things that were meaningful to them, later viewing and writing about each photo. The students reported feeling increased life satisfaction, positive affect and more meaning. Here’s the activity:
Step 1.
Over the period of a week, spend approximately 15 minutes each day taking photos of people, places, objects, pets, or something that is meaningful to you. You could even take photos of websites, things that you have collected over time, or even other photos.
Step 2.
At the end of the week, place all your photos in one location.
Step 3.
Now that all your photos are in one location, go through the photo's, one at a time reflecting on what each one means to you. Then write a short description about each photo. List why it’s important to you and why it is meaningful.
For more detailed instructions refer to the original article.
Finding meaning is a personal journey, which could begin with a simple deep contemplation, a pen and paper, or the activity above. Whatever you choose, I hope that after reading this you are inspired to continue your journey of exploring what it means to live a meaningful life.
