The Meaning of Life and Finding yourself

Life

There is no “Meaning of Life” or "Meaning to Life".

Life is a journey, for some us it is very short and for others very long. I liken it to a road trip, the final destination for all of us is Death. How we travel and the decisions we make determine the success or failure of our trip and thus our lives, not how fast we get there.

Around each corner is another crossroads or branch in the road. We have to make many decisions and with each, the path slightly alters and the results can be changed.

My goal is to leave the world a slightly better place, because of my living, than it was before I came. Believe me, this is not easy and I don’t know if or how well I will succeed.

Life is not in the journey, it is how you travel it. What are your goals, what do you want to achieve? But beware, all of our plans change despite of our efforts. Therefore you must think about it on a higher and more general plane of existence.

My advice, live the best life you can, adapt to changing circumstances and try not to get stymied or get bogged down by setbacks or blockages. This is very hard to do by the way, but is very easy to say. Always keep trying to do your best, never live in the past nor let failures and mistakes define you. Just try not to keep repeating the same mistakes, learn from them an improve as best you can.

Finding Yourself

In the 1950s through the 1990s a whole industry was created to help people “find themselves”. Psychiatrists, psychologists, life coaches and Gurus abounded and convinced people to question and quest after an unattainable goal. Fortunes were made from this and are still being made.

Many literally lost years wandering in mental turmoil and coming to the decision that they had failed. Families, marriages, and the lives of many were disrupted and impaired by each person who followed this path.

Now, I am not totally knocking all this. It is hard to figure out who you are, what you should be, we all question Life.

As a mad romantic and optimist I wander the mystic cloudy world of ideas and words. Very confusing most of the time with no realistic, concrete, solutions. As a Chartered Accountant, logic and facts have become ingrained in me. Quite a contradiction it would seem. Well there is a place for both.

My not so simple solution is this.

You are now who you are. This is a combination of the life you have lived, the successes and failures you have achieved, the environment around you including the people you have been exposed to. That is in reality who you are at this moment.

You must analyze your options and the facts, unemotionally.
(Good luck with this by the way, it is definitely not easy.)

First, who do you dislike or despise? Why?
What aspect of their lives or personalities, or the things that they do make you feel this way? Concentrate on this and try to define it. You will now know who you do not want to be. A good starting point.

Second, who do you like, admire and look up to. Why? What aspects make you believe they are better than you. Why do you think they are worth admiring? Easier to do, Right???

So, you know where you are (first para above, reread it).
You know where you would like to be, right? Therefore, what do you have to do to get there? What changes no matter how small or large can you make? Realize this will take time, patience, and determination.

Oh, disregard wealth or possessions in all of the above. Those are things and we are dealing here with who we are in our souls, not how expensive a pair of shoes we wear. (Excuse the pun).

Remember, changing is a constant process. It cannot be done in a day. You have to set your goals and desires and then constantly think about them and consciously work to achieve them.

Also remember that we are human and prone to making mistakes, backsliding, forgetting to concentrate at all times on our goals, have numerous distractions and situations that force us to deviate or delay or forget.

If you truly realize that today you have improved just a tiny bit, and are willing to change just a tiny bit each day you will become the person you really admire. It may take years, but IT CAN HAPPEN!

You will be a different person tomorrow if you try. You will be the same person if you don’t. Miracles happen on TV, seldom in real life so adopt some of my optimism and just keep plodding along the path you want to bring you success.