In the fast-paced lifestyle we live today, it is easy to get caught up and lose meaning in life. There is more to life than just waking up each day without having anything to look forward to. There is a limit to how long you can go on following the same routine day after day. A breaking point will come and leave you face-to-face with a dead-end. It is better to be proactive and break out of this cycle. No one else can help you find purpose and meaning in life. It is time you started believing in the age- old maxim: "God created everyone for a purpose." Call it a midlife crisis or whatever, but almost everyone goes through this phase.
Here are some steps which you can follow to define what your life's purpose is.
Who Are You: The first step to finding purpose in life is to answer the perennial question: who are you? Get to know yourself better. Figure out all your passions, dreams and desires. Also determine the things which make you feel unhappy and sad. Once you have done this, you will stand a better chance of finding your purpose in life.
Meditate and Reflect: Take some time out from your schedule to sit and reflect on your life. Yoga is not the only way to meditate. Sitting in a corner of your home where you feel relaxed is good enough. Go over all aspects of your life and try and find the points which you think are responsible for your dilemma.
What Makes You Happy: When you contemplate, you will come across the things that make you happy and sad. First, list down the things which make you happy. More often than not, you will find that following your passions and dreams brings a smile to your face. Try and fit in more of these things into your life.
What Makes You Unhappy: Next, list down the things that make you feel down in the dumps. It could be anything: your job, family issues, financial, anything. When you have jotted these down, you can start working towards removing or changing these aspects of your life.
What Do You Want: This is an extremely important question. What you want in life defines who you are as a person. If you just want a nine to five job with a fat salary even if you have to give up all your dreams, then you are likely to be unhappy most of the time and facing this crisis. On the other hand, if you chase your dreams, you will find happiness much quicker. Make your decision and write it down as well.
Read Between the Lines: Gather the notes you have made and go over them thoroughly. Read them again and again. After reading them, you will have a fair idea of where you stand in life and what directions your future life can take. There are three roads you can take: Continue on the same pattern which you are on and make no changes. Do a radical overhaul and start afresh. Choose a middle road by making a few changes but carrying on your existing life pattern.
Final Decision: Make a final decision and stick to it. There is no turning back so don't come to a conclusion halfheartedly. If you have reached this point, it means that you have a few regrets in life. Think it through and decide what changes you can make to improve your current situation. You never know, your life's purpose may be in front of you but you failed to recognize it.
