Empowered Existence: A Woman’s Meaning of Life

March is International Women’s Month and a wonderful time to honor women and their role in the universe. While there are times when it feels as if we’ve turned back time, in many ways, we have come a long way.

I’ve spent a lot of time this past month thinking about the meaning of life and what’s important to me. I often write about this in my column on Psychology Today, which might be worth your while to check out.

The Meaning of My Life

A number of years ago, I was interviewed about one of my books and was asked by the interviewer: “What is the meaning of your life?” In all honesty, the question made me pause because it’s not a question that we often get asked. However, I was glad that I was asked because it gave me the opportunity for some serious reflection.

For me personally, the meaning of life is love. Loving yourself and loving others. In many ways, I believe that love is my higher power, and I learned this from my father. When love is your higher power, it means that you are giving of yourself and that is to love deeply and compassionately without fear, regret or resentment.

The Hawaiians have it right, with their word aloha, which means affection, peace, and compassion, all bathing in love. It’s their way of saying hello or opening up a conversation. If we let love and compassion guide our lives, happiness and meaning will most certainly follow suit.

When love is your higher power, then you have more of a tendency to listen to your heart which is usually tuned into your intuition. When you are tapped into your intuition, the universe will more than likely support your endeavors. This may feel as if you have a sense of flow in your life and that everything seems to fall into place. When making decisions, it’s a good idea to listen to the decision of our hearts because our hearts rarely lead us astray. Following our hearts can lead to an overall sense of well-being, happiness and bliss.

The Meaning of Life Can Revolve Around Other Things, Too

Personal Growth

In addition to the meaning of my life revolving around love and connections, I believe that the meaning of life is also about personal growth. One way to engage in personal growth is through sharing our stories. Stories and supporting one another are essential to survival.

Storytelling

We give meaning to life through the art of storytelling from person to person and from one generation to another. Stories can be shared through writing, speaking, art, music, cinema and dance. Storytelling also fosters a sense of interconnectedness which also fosters love and compassion for the self and others.

The meaning of life is also considering what you want to be remembered for by future generations. It’s your legacy. In other words, the meaning of life is figuring out why you are here, and what you have to offer the universe.

The Meaning of Life Evolves as We Age

When we are younger, we learn the meaning of life and priorities from our parents. As we become more independent and have unique experiences of our own, we figure out for ourselves what is important. We begin to change our thoughts and emotions about life. What’s important to us depends upon our personal circumstances and experiences.

Life is complex, and as we age, we tend to become less complex. When we are nearing death, it seems as if everything superficial falls away, and the meaning of life becomes clear. This is because we have a chance to look back, examine, and reflect on our personal and global accomplishments. What rises to the surface are those things which have given our lives meaning.

The inquiry into the meaning of life is a life-long practice.

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What is the meaning of your life? Is there just one thing you can pinpoint that your life revolves around?