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Finding Purpose and Meaning in Life

A friend once said to me, "There is no meaning in life, except what we create". At the time, I thought she was nuts. Now, I understand.

What is the meaning of your life? Some will say that it is to glorify God. Others will say to do good and make a difference. Still others account for their purpose for existence in their children. All of these ideas may have validity, but it still comes down to one thing. What do you decide is of value? What do you choose to be the purpose of your life?

The beauty of this concept is that again, you have the power to choose. Purpose and meaning is not some flighty ideal that only a few can comprehend. You have the power, the right, the responsibility to find your purpose in life. No one else can do it for you. With choice, there is power.

If you are sure of what your purpose is, if there is no doubt as to why you exist, good for you. Go for it with gusto. Embrace it, enjoy it, fulfill it. If you are not clear about your purpose, the meaning of your life, create it. You have so much in you to explore.

We humans have so much potential to create. We can create meaning, and we can create happiness. We can create misery and pain. We are creating our purpose and meaning every moment of the day. What purpose are you creating for you life, right now?

If you are still stuck, let me give you and idea. Make your purpose in life to be the best "You" that you can be. Work diligently on developing yourself, learning, growing, and most of all, loving yourself. If that is you major purpose, and you do it correctly, without judgement, in a healthy and balance manner, you cannot help but becoming a happier person, and your joy is sure to spill on to others.

Developing yourself to be the best possible "You" you can be does not mean seeking after fleeting and meaningless pleasure. That will only bring you pain. Developing the best possible you takes hard work and dedication. When I talk about being the "Best", I am talking about being the most noble, the most balanced, the most healthy (mentally and physically), the most authentic, the most honest, the most generous, the most logical, the most intelligent, the most loving, the most self-sustaining individual you can be.

Notice, I didn't say the best person in the world. I said, be the best you can be. If you start to compare yourself to others to see how much better you are then others, you will set yourself up for trouble. You will either be deflated, because there will always be someone better at something then you. Or you will falsely inflate your ego, which will only serve to bite you in the end.

In my opinion, being the "Best You" that you can is everyone's ultimate purpose. It will be in everyone's best interest if you concentrate on your best self-interest. It is also hard work. That is why so many people would rather opt out and let others make their meaning (God, your parents, your spouse etc) . If you take an active role in developing the "best possible you", you will make your world a better place, not just for you, but for those around you.

The bible says "Love your neighbour as yourself". You cannot fully love others until you truly love yourself. Make that your purpose, and the world will thank you.

Donna Hedley is the founder of http://www.strategies4happiness.com, a website dedicated to helping you to find your own personal Happiness Potential. She also publishes Strategies4Happiness, a bi-monthly e-mail newsletter full of ideas and insights to help you make your life more fulfilling, as well as practical strategies that can transform your life.