As humans and rational beings, we are always looking to make sense of our world, find patterns, and give purpose to our existence. We have all likely heard variations of the words “It’s meant to be”, “Karma”, “It’s God’s will”, or “It is what it is” and many more! How we make meaning in our world and make sense of the world can have significant impacts on our mental health. How we perceive our world has a great deal to do with how we grew up, our culture, the values we hold, our spirituality or religious background, the trauma we have endured, as well as our privilege or other positive experiences that we have had.
When we struggle with our mental health, whether it is depression, anxiety, trauma, or other difficulties, our thought processes are often impacted. We might be more prone to believe statements such as, “Bad things always happen to me,” or the like. When we are working on our mental health, making a conscious effort to change how we think is often imperative to our healing process.
How we think about our life experiences can either give us hope or elicit a feeling of hopelessness. Oftentimes, it is much easier to change our thoughts about a specific event, rather than simply our feelings about that event. When we can practice altering our thoughts for the better, most often, our distress can be alleviated.
In one of my favorite books, Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl, the importance of meaning-making on mental health and survival is demonstrated. The author, a psychiatrist who was imprisoned in a concentration camp during WWII, exhibits the importance of meaning and hope in his survival, even in the most extreme of circumstances. There are several studies that indicate the positive correlation between meaning-making and positive mental health outcomes, such as lower levels of depression and anxiety, and greater levels of life satisfaction.
Making meaning of our lives or the events that occur in our lives does not mean that we must identify a grand purpose to our existence or our pain. We do not need a fancy career or to have the perfect family or friends. Most often, meaning can be derived from what we value or what is important to us. Relationships, work (paid or volunteer), hobbies, pets, values, new experiences, and other important aspects of life can be motivators to keep pushing through the difficult times. If we can give purpose or meaning to our lives and our experiences, no matter how large or how small, how concrete or abstract, whether it be spiritual or physical, we can lead a more enriched life.
“He who has a ‘why’ for which to live can bear almost any ‘how’.”
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