How do I find a true meaning in life?

Question

It seems that every day, every week, every month is the same. Wake up at 7, drive to work, come home at 6, eat dinner, do some work at home, watch a little tv at night, go to sleep. Then on the weekends, wake up, do the chores, do all the kid activities (drive them around, watch their games), pay the bills, go to a dinner or lunch party with friends, etc.

It seems that it is always like this. Are we supposed to do this until we die? I just feel like I'm missing something, like there's a meaning that i just can't find. What am i supposed to do?

Answer 1

This is going to be a long one, I think, so buckle up your safety belt.......to be continued.....

Here it goes......

Some times life can feel a bit like we're on a treadmill in a hamster cage endlessly running and getting nowhere. This feeling usually hit's people just before they are 30.

At 21 we realise that life isn't all going to fall in our laps the way we thought it would.

At 25 we get a bit worried about what the future holds and become aware that we are no longer "young" and nature betrays us by making thick black hairs grow from our nostrils....Nobody warned us about that when we were at school!

At 29 we start to ask questions like the one you've just asked. I did. Everyone does.

I view myself as lucky because I chose to stay single and not have kids. I question this choice frequently and in some ways I envy people like you when I see them getting on with the chores taking the kids out etc. The grass is always greener on the other side.....at least it is in our imaginations.

At 30 I went to India for a few months. I'd been injured at work (I was a prisoner custody officer) and lost my job after 6 months as it had not healed. I had to sell my flat (apartment) and fortunately made enough profit to go travelling. I had the feeling you describe in your question: that it feels as though there is no meaning.

I should have gone to Jerusalem but Ariel Sharon made it all kick off again in the week I sold my flat and I didn't want to put my family through that worry. So I went to India - home of the global fancy dress party. The locals don't hold the party, the tourists do - choosing to try to adopt spirituality by dressing up in the relevant spiritual disguise but for the most part never going beyond appearances.

Sticking feathers up your butt does not make you a chicken.

I'd spent my six months off sick from work reading most of the scriptures of the world. While I found a certain ammount of peace after the storm of reading so much spiritual stuff. I still needed to see other things and be in other places.

I see all the things which happen to me as part of a path that opens up before me. Some of it, I choose and some of it is chosen for me. Whatever I do now is a part of the meaning in my life and it is regularly boring, repetative and frustrating - the same as every other human beings.

Have you ever bumped in to something because you weren't looking where you were going? or crasked in to the back of somebody else's car because you were looking at another part of the road instead of where you were driving?

We tend to think that "meaning" exists as an outside entity from ourselves and our lives. That's like hunting round the house looking for a TV signal instead of turning on the TV and tuning in to a channel. The first thing you have to do is turn on the TV in your mind.

Why use the comparison of TV? TV signals are all around us and even pass through us and it's the same with meaning in our lives. It's there but you have to tune in to it.

To tune in you first have to value everything, every moment, either awake or asleep, every mouthful of food, every breath, every bag of rubbish you take out, every person you talk to, every bill you pay, every dinner party, every kids football game, every time you help them with their homework etc.

Then realise that if you do the same thing all the time, at least 50% of the reason for that is because you choose to.

Ask yourself what you would like to do with your spare time and then do it in stead of telling yourself why you can't do it or haven't got time to do it. Look for ways to enable yourself to do the things you want to do instead of looking for the ways to imprison your mind and stop you living your life.

I have no idea what your financial situation is but if the thing holding you back from being free is the nice home, stable job, comfortable sofa and what the neighbours think of you etc., it's time to get rid of those things. Prisons protect you from the outside but they also make you unhappy and stop you going anywhere.

You can't buy happiness or meaning. They're both priceless but they cost nothing and they already exist within you.

There is a funny answer to your question about the meaning and purpose in life. It's in a book called "Scepticism Inc." by Bo Fowler. I'll leave you to find out for yourself. I don't want to spoil it for you.

Films you might like to watch:

American Beauty.
Fight Club.
The Matrix.
Dark City.

and read Scepticism Inc.

It's never painful to be anywhere, it's only painful to wish you were somewhere else.

Now ask yourself: where do you want to be and what do you want to be doing?

If you need specific answers/ help on what to do next, email me through Answers.

P.S. India is NOT now my "spiritual home" nor am I a hindu convert or drug fiend. My faith isn't really an important part of this answer and there is no category of religion that I fit in to. Some would say that I'm "confused"....because they are. Part of your life is your family so whatever you do you have to include them in your ideas and respect their choices.

Answer 2

Because I'm Christian, I have a particular view on the purpose of life here on earth. Rick Warren's book, The Purpose Driven Life, may be a good place for you to start. If you'd rather have something 'meatier' or more meaningful, go for Sjogren's book Cat and Dog Theology. Both these books are for Christians, and do describe the meaning of life from that perspective.

If your life feels meaningless or purposeless or just plain dull and routine, it sounds like you need to be doing more for others. Whether you're Christian or not (you didn'tsay) I'm sure you can see the need for serving one's fellow man. You can find places to serve by asking around, reading the newspaper, or even using Google. If you're Christian, ask at your own church and at others. Check for places that need volunteers. Many seniors need help getting to and from appointments, shopping, and such. Kids who can't afford it also need tutoring help. Places that care for people (nursing homes, handicapped residences, etc) always need volunteers to come in and spend TIME with the people there. That's one thing the professional caregives really can't do -- even though most would like to -- because they're spread so thin. Community clean-ups often happen in the spring. They always need folks. Many organizations are still going in groups down to the Katrina-stricken areas to help rebuild. They still need volunteers. If you have a specialty, many groups could use your expertise and help.

Answer 3

Im young and I even feel that way some times. I think you should just try to let loose sometimes. Play hooky from work and spend time with your children. Maybe you could even try to find a new activity that you really enjoy doing so that you can relax and let off some stress, maybe poetry or photography. As far as the meaning of life goes, I dont think there is any way to know for sure.

Answer 4

Yes, life is monotonous. Are you just looking at doing something different, or something more? There's something called meditation and when you start learning and practising meditation every day, you learn about the real meaning of life, death and beyond,. You then start thinking about how little you actually knew, and what a meaningless life you led till then. If you learn spirituality and meditation from a well learned person, preferably from a country like India, it might help you learn about a lot of things, including karma, which will change the way you live.

Answer 5

a million) u check ur possess reason of dwelling, no one can do this for u. U have to be inventive there LOL. two) on account that folks are egocentric, until any individual isn't lifeless, no one cares. three) Good factor. Rightness must have got to manage morals. Society has legislation. Now, although it has those legislation, no longer every person respects them, on account that a few suppose they're above the legislation. However, legislation aren't excellent themselves, on account that they're made through people while morals aren't made through people, they're concept through people, however they're unachievable on account that they're excellent, while people aren't. So what legislation do is to check out and get as nearer as they may be able to to morals, however they're going to in no way be morals, so they're going to in no way be one hundred% correct like ur possess morals. So, the one approach to be correct is to be as OBJECTIVE as viable (this is the reason we've got a few well legislation). "Outcast" no one is an outcast, every person is "professional-jected" into the World, thus every person belongs to planet Earth. Whoever mentioned that to you, is an asshole, name him that if u see him. four) Not actual, you'll make a decision to not research and get unhealthy marks, I preferred to be trained to jot down and talk. What different schooling could you advise? U do not have to have simply that schooling in ur existence, institution schooling is only a fundamentals to get ur possess unbiased schooling as u develop older and extra reviews, see? Experience is one more style of schooling, however regrettably we are not able to find the money for to enjoy the whole lot and recognize the whole lot, on account that in truth we're all ignorant. Educating, approach being rather much less ignorant, however this can be a well possibility to take advantage of u recognize? five) A truly instructor must take the fine out of the pupil, no longer dictate. If u think like ur instructor is ignorant, then difference institution. Sure, a well instructor is a correct of every person 6) Society isn't always confined, it's ruled through a few confined thinkers. Nothing is absolute, no longer even society. Society as a phrase does not even make experience, on account that Society offers an inspiration of togetherness, while we're all egocentric and separated only some are lucky and feature the cash and govern others, this isn't Society must be a cradle that protects and includes all people. 7) I am no longer definite what u imply LOL. Well I lived my possess existence on my own and I was once blissful, on account that I listened to my morals. So you suppose immoral folks are living larger? LOL. eight) What occurred to you? Have you no longer been dealt with as an identical? Equal to what? To a antisocial? You must be blissful you haven't been dealt with as an identical, correctly we're all people, however we're all exceptional people, so equality isn't relatively a correct noun to explain us. Good night time xxx Eastern folks continuously say: believe others but in addition assess.

Answer 6

Its inside you. Is there something you really want to do that you don't have time for?

I go to church on Sundays, I give to Charities when I can, I have learned to be more kind and considerate toward others and smiles are indeed contagious. This makes me happy.

Join a club, play a sport, teach, be a mentor. Anything you will know when you come across it.

Answer 7

I HAVE NO IDEA BUT IF YOU FIND OUT CAN YOU PLEASEEEEEEEE LET ME NO THE ANSWER COS I AM JUST HAVING ONE OF THOSE DAYS WHERE EVERYTHING SUCKS AND I FIND MYSELF ASKING THE SAME THING 'WHATS THE POINT'......

GOOD LUCK!!!