Plato said,

“Man, A being in search of meaning.” 

Welcome to The Soul Podcast. I’m Stacey Wheeler.

The idea of people needing and seeking meaning in life is a concept thousands of years old. It’s an idea explored by the ancient philosophers -and the importance of finding meaning is still understood by the big thinkers of the modern age. 

Steve Jobs, the enigmatic founder of Apple Corporation said about Meaning,

“If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.” 

Jobs new meaning mattered. Meaning leads to purpose and purpose drives us. Jobs once said that for the past 33 years, he had looked in the mirror every morning and asked himself: “If today were the last day of my life, would I want to do what I am about to do today?” And whenever the answer was “No” for too many days in a row, he knew he needed to change something.

Most of us don’t have the bravery to lead our lives that way. And it doesn’t take bravery really. It takes the ability to listen to our inner voice. He said it this way,

“Have the courage to follow your heart and intuition. They somehow know what you truly want to become.”

Finding meaning comes from being open to our inner voice -our intuition. And many of us struggle to connect with this intuition. It’s been stifled through a lifetime of conditioning. So, how do e get back to it? How do we learn to hear the soft voice inside? 

Meaning emerges when we have a spiritual awakening. That is because a spiritual awakening challenges us to examine old beliefs. It makes us look at the things we’ve taken as truth and it often leads to the rejection of things which have stiffed our view. New realities emerge as we cast away the oppressive old beliefs. 

As an example – My spiritual awakening led me to see myself as more than just the body. I finally saw myself as eternal. I cast away my old beliefs that life was finite -and limited to our human existence. When I did, I could no longer see anyone else in the world as anything less than eternal souls as well. This fundamentally shifted the meaning of life for me. And it is still evolving. 

When the old layers of belief fall away, we often find a deeper meaning about this life below them. When we do, it often leads to finding a greater purpose in life.  And it leads to greater happiness, when we find meaning and purpose.

The world today is suffering a crisis of meaning. People more than ever are struggling to find their place in the world. There is great uncertainty about purpose and meaning. And its lead many to desperation.

Let’s look at the richest country in the world as an example. Despite having the highest standard of living in history and the greatest technology available to us,  the US has the highest rates of unhappiness ever recorded. More than 21 million Americans suffer from severe depression. And 3.7 Million are under 18 years old. More than 34 million Americans are on anti-depressants. 

There is an annual report which measures happiness in the world by country. And the US is in decline. In 2023 the US ranked at 15th place. A year later we are 23rd. Money doesn’t make us happy and anti-depressants don’t make us less depressed. So, what’s missing? 

Meaning! Meaning leads to purpose and purpose is the antidote to many of the things in life that leave us feeling unfulfilled. Let’s check out a few points…

Resilience and Coping: 

Having a purpose can improve resilience. We cope with stress and adversity better because when we have a clear sense of purpose. We’re better equipped to face challenges and recover from setbacks. This is because we have a broader perspective and a reason to endure hardships. When we don’t have purpose, we can struggle to make sense of setbacks and adversity. These things can leave us feeling defeated. 

Mental Health: 

A study published in the Journal of Affective Disorders found that individuals with a high sense of purpose were less likely to suffer from depressive symptoms. A sense of purpose leads to lower levels of anxiety and depression. So, people who feel their lives have meaning are more likely to have better mental health outcomes.

Physical Health: 

Purpose and meaning in life are also linked to better physical health outcomes. Research has shown that individuals with a strong sense of purpose have lower risks of chronic diseases, better cardiovascular health, and even greater longevity. This may be partly due to healthier lifestyle choices and better stress management among those who feel their lives are meaningful. Anxiety can increase cortisol levels and cortisol is linked to many negative health outcomes. 

Cortisol is essential for numerous bodily functions, including stress response, metabolism, and immune regulation. However, maintaining balanced cortisol levels is crucial for overall health. High cortisol levels can lead to health issues including cardiovascular and metabolic disorders, immune dysfunction and mental health problems. When you have meaning and purpose your cortisol levels are more likely to be regulated -avoiding many negative health outcomes. 

Meaning and Purpose also leads to improvements in: life satisfaction, a better sense of community connection and improvement in relationships. That’s because meaning and purpose lead to connection with others who have meaning and purpose in their lives as well. 

Victor Frankl is a Holocaust survivor and psychiatrist. He argued that the primary human drive is not pleasure (as Freud suggested) but the pursuit of "meaning." He found that even in the most dire circumstances, having a sense of purpose helped people survive and find fulfillment. Meaning is not just about feeling content… it can literally be the difference between life and death. 

O how do we start to find meaning and purpose?

It turns our connection with others is a huge part of purpose -and ultimately the key to thriving.

Here are a few tools you can use to start developing greater purpose in your life. 

·         Goal Setting: When you set and pursue meaningful goals you can enhance your sense of purpose increase happiness.

·         Community Engagement: Participation in your community or altruistic activities can provide a sense of meaning and improve well-being. Helping out at an animal shelter, a homeless shelter, or doing some other type of volunteer work actually reduced cortisol and increases happiness. Kindness pays you by making you happier. How beautiful!

Ultimately, meaning and purpose are the key to achieving and maintaining happiness. They provide a way for us to understand our place in the world. They motivate us and enhance resilience. All this leads to greater life satisfaction. 

If you’ve already started a spiritual journey you can start to connect with meaning there as well. If you’re struggling with depression or a sense of disconnection or lack of meaning, try volunteering in your community. Find a way to connect and you’re see your happiness start to increase as you add meaning to your life. Meaning matters.

As Steve Jobs said, “If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking.”