Finding Meaning In Life

Ep. 102: Finding MeaningWhy waste time with silly topics? That’s not our style at The Hippie Science Variety Hour. We jump right into the deep end of philosophical debate with Finding Meaning In Life. “There was no “You Are Here” button on the map of my life. There was just a blank slate...the map...everything was just gone.” JessicaHow do you refocus after life or illness knocks you off your envisioned life path? By reinventing what gives us meaning and purpose we are able to find the source of meaning for our lives. When you are sick, finding an outlet to better yourself and those around you despite your physical condition is key.Struggling with deciding to find meaning IN the suffering VS. finding the meaning THROUGH the suffering.We are not predestined to live a life of torment.Stop giving your power away to outside forces. YOU have the power to make this life mean something. And only you.Standing up to your illness allows you to transfer from victim to fighter. It takes the fear away from the disease and suffering. Once faced head on these struggles can deepen our passions and open other opportunities we wouldn’t have imagined otherwise.What to do with a year of healing?A more positive and productive way to look at these down times, the moments we deem in our lives as wasted. Take this time to better you on every level. Whether it be disease or derailment after you lose your way in life, you can choose to make these opportunistic. You have the power.Stop looking at your situation as the enemy. Making these difficult challenges into catalysts for change.There is power in your mindset and perspective. Meaning does not come from the external nor the situation. It is found in the process of trying to better yourself and find your passions.Bad moments pass just like those good ole days we put on a pedestal. And when your physical limitations won’t improve you can learn to do those activities in NEW ways to adapt to your abilities. Just accept these limitations and plan how to still achieve your goals.Everyone feels like they are inadequate. Even those people we admire don’t feel like they have it together either. No one does. Cut yourself some slack.How self-doubt can steal the joy from your journey.Setting self-appointed goals for the day can lead to big changes in your life and mental health. James Clear’s Atomic Habits explains this beautifully.There is an odd freedom that comes from following through with a structured schedule that allows time for you to connect to yourself. Set time aside to do things that are for your own improvement.Meditation is a skill that we both use immensely in our daily lives. The role that meditation can play in you finding meaning in life and simply fulfilling your goals. Big or small. It also allows the best ideas to rise to the forefront of your mind.“Meditating cleans out all those junk thoughts.” SethFailures are just apart of the process. Accepting that and starting overFinding meaning isn’t about finding anything. It's the process of building you. It’s revealed in the journey. “The choice is up to you and nobody else. There is no one else that can make this better for you, other than you.” JessicaThose times that you feel like you have lost your NORTH, those aren’t lost days...you’re learning more about yourself and the way that everything interacts. You can choose to make this experience meaning something by the simple act of deciding it is meaningful.You are allowed to assign the weight of any circumstances. On boths sides, negative and positive. You are the one that decides what has meaning in your life.You have more power than you think you do.The Mighty: 52 Small Things ChallengeJoin our co-host Jessica in the 52 Small Things Challenge by The Mighty. Let us know what your list and goals are during this incredible exercise.https://themighty.com/topic/52-small-things/https://themighty.com/2019/02/52-small-things-weekly-challenge-list/For our fellow hippie science geeks...Here are links to some of the research done for this episode. Enjoy your decent deeper into the rabbithole. We sure did. Book Referenced:Atomic Habits by James ClearPublications: Suzanne C Thompson, Ph. D. Suzanne C Thompson is Emerita Professor of Psychology at the Department of Psychology, Pomona College. Suzanne does research in Health Psychology, Social Psychology and Applied Psychology. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/247808299_Finding_Positive_Meaning_in_a_Stressful_Event_and_CopingDavid B Feldman, Ph.D. David B. Feldman, Ph.D. is an author, speaker, and professor of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University.https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/supersurvivors/201805/the-paradoxical-secret-finding-meaning-in-lifeLachlan Brownhttps://ideapod.com/psychology-says-finding-meaning-life-comes-4-basic-pillars/YouTube Video Research:Shawshank Redemption Explained: Andy’s Inner Lifehttps://youtu.be/_llZeVWBoz8How craving attention makes you less creatice: Joseph Gordon-Levitthttps://youtu.be/3VTsIju1dLIStop searching for your passion | Terri Trespicio | TEDxKChttps://youtu.be/6MBaFL7sCb8What Makes Life Meaningful: Michael Steger at TEDxCSUhttps://youtu.be/RLFVoEF2RI0The Myth of Meaningful Work | Ryan T. Hartwig | TEDxAzusaPacificUniversityhttps://youtu.be/2li_1oMJLqEHow to find meaning when reality hits you | Manisha Koirala | TEDxJaipurhttps://youtu.be/3nsPcBJAdxIRick and Morty - Finding Meaning in Lifehttps://youtu.be/ez1rWBPznEc