How to Live a Meaningful Life: 5 Tips to Find Your Purpose, Manifest Your Values, and Increase Happiness

Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love

Ever hear stories about people who seem to “have it all” but still aren’t happy?

They have wealth and the many luxuries it can afford, but… something is missing.

That’s because the accumulation of wealth and material possessions doesn’t equate to happiness and fulfillment.

What may be missing is meaning.

Without meaning, life can feel merely like an accumulation of experiences.

When you learn how to live a meaningful life, everything you do and everything that happens for you has a purpose. 

Even now, the coronavirus outbreak has a purpose. And it’s up to you to find that meaning and understand it.

We’ll be exploring why and how you can do that in the sections below.

When you learn how to live a meaningful life, everything you do and everything that happens for you has a purpose. Share on X

How Meaning Can Create Huge Changes In Your Life

When you  seek meaning in your life, you have access to a greater sense of well-being:

  • Improved mood
  • Increased life satisfaction
  • Greater resilience to adversity
  • More productivity because you’re working towards your purpose
  • Creative expression
  • Feeling energized

And here’s something else that meaning and purpose can do for you: help you live longer!

That’s right! A recent study discovered that for adults over the age of 50, “a stronger purpose in life was associated with lower all-cause mortality.” This might be attributed to how having a purpose can lower your cortisol levels and increase your motivation to pursue an active and healthy life.

So, if you’re feeling like your life lacks direction… If you’re waist-deep in pessimism or nihilism… It may be that there’s insufficient meaning or purpose to guide you.

If this is you, here are a few ways to cultivate more meaning in your life:

5 Tips on How to Live a Meaningful Life that You Design and Love

#1 Live a Value-Driven Life

A good starting point for living a meaningful life is your values.

What values are important to you? Some popular values include:

Take inventory of your daily life and compare them to your core values.

Is what you’re doing aligned with what’s important to you?

If creative expression is important to you, are you making time for a hobby like writing or painting? If you value courage, is your comfort zone something you hide within or regularly challenge?

With each action you take moving forward, ask yourself, “Does this align with my values? Is this something that a person with this value would do?”

What value is most important to you? What is your next step for weaving it into your daily life? Share your answer in the comments below.

#2 Build Relationships that Uplift You

Are your support systems doing exactly that — supporting you? 

Will they respond when you call and ask for help?

Or are those systems sources of envy, gossip, and pessimism?

Take a moment to really assess the quality of your relationships.

You might realize that some of the people around you block you from living a more meaningful life. Each time you get bogged down in petty squabbles or friendship politics takes you further away from actualizing your purpose.

If you’re in quarantine, this is an opportunity to distance yourself from the negativity magnets. And for a long life that is abundant in happiness and meaning, it may be time to cut toxic relationships. Build relationships with people that share your values and mission.

#3 Give Meaning to Your Struggles

Whether or not you like it… Whether or not you’re prepared for it… Whether or not you deserve it…

Adversity is present throughout your life.

But will you fight or embrace it?

Many women will resist when they feel overwhelmed with life. They cry at the unfairness of it all — cries that often go unanswered.

Many events in your life are beyond your power — the weather, COVID-19, a tragic loss of a loved one. But this shouldn’t suggest that you’re powerless.

You can still choose your attitude and your actions.

Can you find the lesson in your challenges? Can you ascribe purpose to your adversity?

Even now, with the coronavirus outbreak, what can you learn?

Perhaps it’s a reminder to value your relationships, your community, and the planet.

Everything happens for a reason. And you have the option – it’s within your power to trust that your Higher Power is doing everything it can to lead you in a better direction.

#4 Do a Digital Fast

Social media, electronics, your favorite TV shows on-demand — all of these are subjecting your brain to a dopamine frenzy. 

So what does this have to do with living a meaningful life?

It’s because digital dependency might lead you to value instant gratitude; you crave quick wins over meaningful wins.

And by quick wins, I mean …

  • Social media likes
  • Text notifications
  • Victories on mobile app games
  • Putting in your two cents on Facebook arguments

Do these things really define a meaningful life for you?

Or perhaps the dazzling sights and sounds are distracting you from your life’s purpose.

Consider going on a digital fast for a few days. Remove the bells and whistles to get to the heart of what is important to you.

If you value creativity, now might be a good time to explore a creative hobby. If you find value in learning, then take this opportunity to enroll in an online course or read a new book.

#5 Cultivate Self-Love

Many women find meaning in the world outside.

Improving their community. Climbing the corporate ladder. Changing legislation, even.

That might be you.

Yet what about finding meaning closer to home — finding meaning within yourself?

Instead of predominantly directing your focus outward, can you pivot and begin to prioritize directing it inward?

Can you appreciate who you are as a woman?

Can you see your strengths and values?

Can you love yourself?

Because there is both power and meaning in loving yourself. When you love yourself, you build a strong foundation on which to grow and thrive. Sign up for my email list to receive helpful and actionable advice on how to cultivate more self-love and purpose in your life.

So, what are you waiting for?

A life brimming with joy, love, and meaning awaits you!

Your purpose is already beckoning.

You need only to answer the call.

Combat Stress With Happiness: 5 Tips on How to Live Healthy and Happy

Overwhelm, Self-Care, Self-Love

We’re living in stressful times.

How are you coping amidst all the changes related to coronavirus?

You, like many other women, might be struggling — whether it’s from losing your job, keeping your family healthy, or securing basic supplies for your home.

Some days might even feel like a battle just to make ends meet. 

How long can your physical and mental health endure? You’re doing your best but you’re so stressed and overwhelmed.

I know it’s tough right now. 

But can you still find the strength to detect a glimmer of happiness in your life? Can you summon the wherewithal to cultivate that happiness?

Because learning how to live healthy and happy may be exactly what you need to carry you through these stressful times.

Can Happiness Really Relieve Your Stress?

Right now, the world can feel like a scary place.

Instead of attempting to draw happiness from the external world, try looking within.

Cultivating happiness from within will create profound changes in your life.

For one, you’ll gain more resilience to stress and overwhelm.

When you’re overwhelmed, your body releases the stress hormone, cortisol. According to Premier Health, high cortisol levels lead to fatigue, headaches, and can suppress your immune system. 

When you start cultivating happiness, your body releases hormones like dopamine and serotonin. These are the hormones that make you feel happy and fulfilled!

How amazing is that?

Happiness doesn’t have to be some elusive concept. You can make the conscious choice to stop depending on external achievements and learn how to cultivate it from within.

You can stop feeling overwhelmed and start feeling happy again.

Here’s how!

How to Live Healthy and Happy: 5 Tips to Nurture Happiness from Within

#1 Start a Gratitude Journal

If I asked you, “What’s going wrong in your life?” you probably have a mental list already prepared…

  • Overwhelmed by work
  • Coping with COVID-19 and quarantine
  • Strained relationships
  • And much, much more

See, your brain is wired to see the negativity in your life.

It’s a survival instinct that helped your ancestors evolve. It triggered a stress response that allowed them to quickly spot danger or risk getting eaten by a predator.

It was an eat or be eaten world back then.

Nowadays, not many of us are getting chased by wild animals.

Yet, the stress response remains, triggered instead by the endless obligations and negativity that life throws your way.

But what if you can take that survival instinct and widen it to also notice everything right in your life?

A powerful way to do this is by starting a gratitude journal.

Every day, jot down at least three things you’re grateful for.

Our minds are so prone to jumping from one stressful thing to the next. This practice teaches you to slow down. By grounding yourself in the moment, you can take stock of your life.

You might notice there are so many blessings you take for granted, like having a roof over your head and waking up to live another day.

Yes, life is stressful. But life can be filled with beauty and joy. Daily gratitude will remind you of this.

Kickstart this gratitude practice right now by sharing one thing you’re grateful for in the comments below. 

Kickstart your gratitude practice right now by sharing one thing you’re grateful for in the comments below. Share on X

#2 Embrace Forgiveness

There’s a saying — holding a grudge is like drinking poison and waiting for the other person to die.

While you’re not literally drinking poison, holding onto a grudge is still dangerous to your mind and body. According to Psychology Today, resentment may lead to emotional distress and feelings of shame or guilt. You might even experience physical symptoms, like illness or fatigue.

Is there something from your past that you won’t let go of?

Maybe it’s anger at your mom. Or resentment towards a toxic ex.

Ask yourself, “Why am I holding on this? Is this doing me any good?”

More often, it’s not.

Past experiences help you grow. But grudges hold you back.

Can you give yourself permission to forgive somebody who wronged you?

Can you summon the courage to move forward?

If you do, you might find the road is brighter looking forward than it is looking back.

#3 Nurture a Hobby

There’s more to life than work and home.

You’re a woman with unique interests and when you nurture them, you’ll tap into greater happiness.

What activity brings you to life?

  • Is it when you’re mixing different colors to capture the right essence on canvas?
  • Is it when you’re stringing stories from all the ideas bouncing in your head?
  • Is it when you put on your running shoes and sprint towards glory?

The point of nurturing a hobby is to tap into your creative flow. When you’re in flow state, the world around you — your stress and obligations — they all slip away. 

All that’s left is you and your craft.

Find a hobby that you love.

And if you’re not quite sure what hobby that is, quarantine might afford you extra time for a little self-discovery!

#4 Get Your Body Moving

Earlier, I mentioned how happiness releases hormones like serotonin and dopamine.

One of the best ways to boost those hormone levels is to exercise!

I know a little physical self-care can be challenging with gyms closing due to coronavirus.

But there are so many ways you can stay active from within your home.

  • Living room yoga
  • Exercise videos
  • Go for a jog outside (if it’s permitted)
  • Turn on your favorite music and dance your heart out!

Just get active.

As you exercise, you’ll notice the stress leaving your mind and body. That’s the happiness hormones doing their job!

#5 Filter the Negativity

While there’s much beauty and abundance in this world, negativity is everywhere:

  • The news
  • Your social circles
  • Music
  • Social media
  • Movies

Continuous engagement with negativity can create a stressful environment. Expose yourself for long enough and it can seriously affect your mental state, leading you to be more prone to pessimism and despair.

While there is no way to “negativity-proof” your life, you can take steps to filter the negativity you allow into your life.

You can remove a toxic friend from your life. Reduce your exposure to the news. Be selective about what media you choose to watch.

Then, find sources of positivity. Friends who uplift you. Inspirational books. Funny movies.

And on that note, introduce more positivity to your email inbox by signing up for my mailing list. Receive helpful and actionable tips on how to reduce overwhelm and create your best life.

Remember: Stress and setbacks will come at you throughout life, especially under today’s circumstances. Still, you can cultivate happiness from within, starting with loving yourself and appreciating the blessings in your life.

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