Living with Meaning: What Matters?
Daily life is often filled with routine and responsibilities, on repeat. The predictability can feel boring at times; yet, what is known can be comfortable. Breaking the cycle of familiarity may kick boredom to the curb, but come with fear or anxiety about the unknown. The push-and-pull can leave us feeling frustrated as we work to uphold responsibilities while also striving to live with meaning and fulfillment.
In the series “Living with Meaning” we will explore how one could work toward a meaningful life that includes responsibilities, and may also include some brave steps to support purposeful change. To begin, consider:
What Matters?
What qualities are important to you?
What matters to you could be thought of as qualities that are important to you – how do you want to show up in life? To brainstorm these questions, consider this scenario: It is your 90th birthday party and your loved ones want to make speeches. What do you hope they would say about the person you are and the impact you have made? Some examples could include:
You modeled respect and fairness in how you co-parented when I was a child, even though I know it was hard for you to share your time with me.
You showed me how to offer love and kindness to others, and to myself, even when I had made my most difficult mistakes.
When you said you would be there, you were. I knew that I could trust and depend on you as a loyal friend.
You showed me that your needs were important too, in addition to the needs of your employees and colleagues. You helped me prioritize my own health.
What could people say that would be most meaningful? As we imagine receiving their words, it may help us identify qualities that we would like to embody across different areas of life:
Individually
How do you want to show up for yourself? If we drop concerns about what others want or need from us, how would you feel like the best version of yourself day-to-day? Some examples may include living each day with:
Courage: to be brave in the face of fear, the unknown, or change.
Wellness: to commit to acts that uphold physical and mental health.
Self-development: to strive for personal growth by seeking knowledge, experience, or skills.
Relationally
How do you want to show up for others? Consider your friends, family, and co-workers. How do you want them to feel after spending time with you? Some examples may include showing others:
Respect: to be polite, understanding, and patient with others.
Patience: to allow others space, time, and understanding with their words and actions.
Love: to act with openness and warmth toward others.
Collectively
How do you want to show up for the world around you? Consider your neighbors, community, and people who you interact with during the day (people at the supermarket, mailperson, etc.). What impact do you want to have on their lives? Some examples may include:
Responsibility: to take accountability for how you speak and behave toward others.
Justice: to treat others with fairness.
Spirituality: to honor the connectivity between yourself and the greater collective.
Values
When we consider what qualities matters to us, we are considering values. When we know what our values are, we can assess if we are leading our lives in a way that reflects our highest values. This is important because when we live in a way that reflects what we value, we can be more likely to lead meaningful and satisfying lives.
Learn More
We can choose to turn toward greater meaning and fulfillment in life. If you would like help exploring your values, implementing them into daily life, or support on your personal growth journey, let’s connect for a free 15-minute informational phone consultation to see if Grow True is right for your needs.
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References:
https://contextualscience.org
