Therapist, Educator and Life Coach Diane Lang has dedicated her career to helping people turn their lives around and is now on a mission to help them develop a sustainable positive attitude that can actually turn one into an optimist, literally. A therapist and educator/coach of Positive Psychology, she has seen that it can provide a strong foundation for finding great happiness and is gratified that it is becoming a mainstream method of treatment.
We can get stuck in the thought process “What is the meaning of life?” and “Why am I here?” Personally, I don’t have the answers to these big questions of life. Sometimes I enjoy pondering these questions and other times it can bring frustration and confusion. Instead, we can find comfort in finding meaning in our every day lives.
Ways to find meaning in your day:
1. We need to acknowledge that we matter, that our lives are significant. Every day we can do something significant for someone else whether it’s family, friends or a complete stranger. We have the ability to impact someone else’s life each and every day
2. What if you choose to live today like it was a miracle? Each day is a gift. We are not promised any specific time frame so treating each day as special gives it meaning. Start noticing all the small blessings that happen throughout your day and you will find meaning in your day. Notice the momentary moments of bliss: the cup of coffee while watching the sunrise, a few minutes of quiet time in nature, spending time with someone you love, etc.
3. We can create meaning by taking our stressful and frustrating daily situations and finding ways to cope. When we learn these coping skills, we can share it with it others. Sometimes meaning is created by life’s lessons. We can share our situation to let others know they are not alone. We could teach them ways to cope and in return feel a sense of purpose and meaning by helping others. We can learn empathy from these situations which in return can help strengthen relationships.
4. You can create meaning by setting an intention for the day. What kind of day do you want to have? Set a goal? What will you accomplish today? Have a daily purpose. Meaning doesn’t have to be the big meaning/purpose/passion of your life, it could be found in setting small, attainable goals daily. When the day is over and we accomplished these goals we can feel the sense of accomplishment and purpose in our day.
It can also be the small, baby step goals you set towards a big project or goal. Each day you do something towards it, gives you a sense of accomplishment and purpose. For many of my clients just marking things off there to-do list gives a sense of meaning.
Looking at your day, where can you find meaning – family, pets, relationships, work, volunteer, nature, etc. there is meaning all around us if you spend some time noticing it.
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