Ask Yourself These Questions to Find Meaning and Purpose.
One of the many unforeseen aspects of the COVID-19 pandemic has been forced (or have the opportunity – depending on how you see it) to reflect on what you want to do for the rest of your life. You may have lost your job and want to use it as a chance to find out what other type of work you might like more. Or maybe you’ve worked harder in the past few months than you’ve ever done, and it made you wonder if you really want to keep making your living that way.
Of course, it is not always possible – and not even recommended – to “follow your hobby” when it comes to finding a job. But it can be helpful to find out what matters and purpose to you. The result may not necessarily be a career-related epiphany, but it can help you understand how to bring meaning and purpose to various areas of your life (including your job). Here are two questions to ask yourself to identify the driving forces in your life.
How to find meaning and purpose
Questions courtesy of Cleo Wade , community creator, TED speaker and author of books including Heart Talk The Journal: 52 Weeks of Self-Love, Self-Care, and Self-Discovery , and are found in a post that is part of the TED Series How to Become better . “
First, Wade points out that despite all the pressure, we shouldn’t feel like we need to identify our only “passion” in order to give meaning to our lives. This is because, as she put it, “We are all such multi-layered beings with an abundance of gifts, talents, interests and ideas.” So why limit yourself?
Wade then explains that our passions can change throughout our lives (which is perfectly normal), and trying to focus our time and energy on one single passion can make us feel inauthentic and stressed. Instead, she suggests bringing passion and purpose into everything you do by asking yourself these two questions first :
What kind of kindness, caring, joy, and patience should I use to bring purpose and passion to my relationship with myself and others?
What level of openness and curiosity should I have in order to make sense of the work and tasks in my life (even or especially those roles that do not immediately excite me)?
Once you have a better understanding of how you want to approach life, you can begin to apply it at work, at home, and in socializing.