[MBTI General] Finding meaning in your life.

[CrystalViolet]

This is a question for some of the more life worn people in the forum out there.
Have any you come to the point, where the struggle for life, the day to day activities just seem pointless. You guys probably know from some of my inferences that I've just come through a particularly difficult period in my life. I don't think I'm depressed, not yet any way, but I've arrived at period of stillness in my life, where I'm regrouping my self, and reconstructing my world view.
How did you find meaning in your life once again and when did you begin to feel like you were moving forward again? I just feel lost, some thing I haven't felt since my early to mid twenties, and I feel weird not having a purpose, or some goal (how ever ridiculous it may be). I really need to get my mojo back.

 

[disregard]

Working gave my life meaning. I'm a workaholic. It is my passion.

Helping my mom with her finances. Working on my fitness.

Build an empire. It will be your meaning.

 

[EnflamedHeartofSand]

In my mid twenties, I began to find meaning in my life, but it wasn't intentional, it all began with the desire to "cleanse" myself of all the bitter feelings I had about people and life in general. I didn't really have an idea of what was going to come of it, but by trying to eliminate my negative disposition towards everyone and everything, I found that I was more open to listen to people who I felt were genuine. Luckily at the time I was working for a very perceptive woman who somehow understood I was having a hard time. She would take her lunch breaks with me, and we would just talk about life. I knew she was a caring, feeling person, and I trusted her instinctively. She really paved the way to helping me open up to people, and learning how to trust again. I should state, that I am still in the process of learning how to do so, but it all began with that initial desire to not be negative.

I'm saying all of this, because sometimes finding meaning shouldn't necessarily mean that you are actively seeking something new apart from your life, but it can also mean, looking at your life now, and seeking to change those things about you that you feel just aren't right.

I hope that helps you.

 

[INTP]

there is no meaning in life, just try to enjoy it while it lasts

 

[cafe]

I have purpose. My purpose is helping the offspring able to make independent lives for themselves.

Meaning . . . I think I'm a little too GenX for that concept. Really, nobody is even going to remember my name a fifty years after I'm gone unless some descendant gets on a genealogy kick. I just try to not screw things up too bad for myself and others and enjoy the little things when they happen.

 

[Metamorphosis]

Amazon.com: Man's Search For Meaning (9780671023379): Viktor E. Frankl: Books

Read it.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Amazon.com: Man's Search For Meaning (9780671023379): Viktor E. Frankl: Books

Read it.

I ordered a copy.

 

[Lark]

This is a question for some of the more life worn people in the forum out there.
Have any you come to the point, where the struggle for life, the day to day activities just seem pointless. You guys probably know from some of my inferences that I've just come through a particularly difficult period in my life. I don't think I'm depressed, not yet any way, but I've arrived at period of stillness in my life, where I'm regrouping my self, and reconstructing my world view.
How did you find meaning in your life once again and when did you begin to feel like you were moving forward again? I just feel lost, some thing I haven't felt since my early to mid twenties, and I feel weird not having a purpose, or some goal (how ever ridiculous it may be). I really need to get my mojo back.

I've experienced this, I turned 31 lately, I'm not really old enough for a proper mid life crisis and I tend to take a stoic and incredibly long view on things anyway but I am feeling that things have taken a turn for diminished opportunities vs. hightened expectations/hopes maybe.

Two things have been pretty important in this, I've always been really certain about my religion but I've had serious doubts this past while, in part to do with what I've been reading but also with just how pervasive and widespread disbelief or angry atheism is. I remain pretty much stoked because some of the disrespectful attitudes towards my beliefs make me furious but that's no remedy for my doubts.

A lot of my other beliefs have a terrible isolating effect, they arent popular or shared but I think they are important and I boldly maintain them, I'm not a beast of left or right properly understood, they're like leviathan and behemoth, but I identify most strongly with socialist beliefs which are simply dismissed as relics, the very linguistic filters which have been generated since before the seventies have reframed things so those beliefs and labels associated with them are just prejorative or terms of abuse.

I dont struggle for meaning, I sort of have that but sometimes its not fufiling or totally satisfying, although man doesnt live by meaning alone if you know what I mean.

 

[Lark]

Amazon.com: Man's Search For Meaning (9780671023379): Viktor E. Frankl: Books

Read it.

You know I read that, I've got his autobiographical Recollections to read and I'm hoping that may be a bit better. Didnt really find it that impressive, Primo Levi's survival in Auschiwitz was about as good but Levi decided one day to use the revolver in his desk to shoot himself dead.

 

[Metamorphosis]

The concentration camp process seemed like an introduction for the important stuff, not the real purpose of the book.

 

[Synapse]

I'll tell you when I get there, heh, this could be a long wait. Still learning how TO everything in this world of worlds and what I've noticed. The best meanings are a few fold.

Internal, rebuilding your inner temple, the inner sanctuary as your own structural integrity to self belief. Without this you aren't able to pick yourself up. Then surrounding yourself with affirmative and influential people who build you up and don't tare you down. Those kinds of people are worth more than a million bucks because they are then your anchor into this world, they give you a meaning, a sense of purpose, an energy of positive reinforcement to accomplish where accomplishment is reluctant.

Then you build meaning out of your significant people in your life, the life connections you have had with your lovers, those that fell apart and those that were inspiring. You know purpose comes from the people you are most connected with and with purpose comes meaning. when you can grasp that in your life through those ideas then you can create an archer there too that is multidimensional. for you never truly lose the memories and experiences that create you as an individual.

then you create purpose from your dreams, when those dreams fall apart, so spectacularly as yours have then you would rebuild, reflect and reorganize your will, your spirit, your hunger to want what you wanted in your life. demanding any less is changing who you are into a box you can't fit into. and that is most certainly the career that has been placed upon you, not through your will, but by resonance of others who should hold zero power and influence over you but hold the greatest power and influence over you. when those energies that falter manifest then your doubt and belief and the meaning in your abilities are curtailed. me is a living example, as would many people be.

and then you find meaning in the ones you love, whether you create your meaning in the most humbling experience on earth, children, or you are given to adoption, animal spirits and more you are going to learn to find meaning in others and be able to learn purpose, that without others as an instrumental energy field your energy douses and loses the spirit to fight, to believe in the self that is your inner psyche to confront the destructive world as it is in negative gearing.

haha did i actually write that. well there you go.

 

[runvardh]

How does one work with having the temple destroyed every 3-5 years?

 

[Little_Sticks]

How does one work with having the temple destroyed every 3-5 years?

Have an existentialist meltdown, and then rebuild it/(your identity)/(your goals)/(your knowledge)/(your beliefs) again?

 

[Lark]

The concentration camp process seemed like an introduction for the important stuff, not the real purpose of the book.

There just seemed to be two things to it, if you have a reason, a why, you can deal with any how and that when you dread something and keep thinking about it you could inadvertantly cause it to happen.

 

[CrystalViolet]

Instead of a temple, I'd settle for a tent for the moment, or a caravan.

 

[spin-1/2-nuclei]

This is a question for some of the more life worn people in the forum out there.
Have any you come to the point, where the struggle for life, the day to day activities just seem pointless. You guys probably know from some of my inferences that I've just come through a particularly difficult period in my life. I don't think I'm depressed, not yet any way, but I've arrived at period of stillness in my life, where I'm regrouping my self, and reconstructing my world view.
How did you find meaning in your life once again and when did you begin to feel like you were moving forward again? I just feel lost, some thing I haven't felt since my early to mid twenties, and I feel weird not having a purpose, or some goal (how ever ridiculous it may be). I really need to get my mojo back.

I'm pretty young, but I have experienced some terrible losses in my life so I can relate to coming out of a difficult period in your life. For me what I lost can't ever be replaced so I had to "train" myself to live with what happened to me since getting over it wasn't much of a possibility. I'm also not a religious person so I couldn't really find any meaning in life through anything like that.

At a very young age I had to come to grips with mortality and how short and unfair life really can be. I missed out on a lot of the innocence some people are able to experience in their childhood. What gave me direction and focus since then has been the idea that I cannot live my life for other people. I know exactly who I am and exactly what I want to do with my life which helps me get through the more difficult days. I have very specific internally defined goals and very specific internally defined ideas of success.

Everyday I focus on accomplishing my goals. I found that it helps a lot to have multiple goals in various different areas of my life so I have professional goals, I have personal goals, I have entertainment based goals. Whenever I come across something that seems interesting instead of wishing I could do it, I start working on actually learning how to do it. Sometimes this can be pretty expensive so I also have very specific financial goals.

At the end of my life I will have to look back on what I've done and I will have only myself to answer to. Since I believe that I don't live one second of my life for anyone else. That isn't to say that I behave selfishly or do not value relationships. In fact I'm the opposite. I have only a few very close friends and I would do anything for any of them, but when it comes to making life decisions I make those based on my own internal values of what my success and happiness should be. I surrounded myself with friends that can respect that and to them I extend the same respect. So for me finding purpose in my life was first about defining myself the way I wanted myself to be in all areas and then going out into the world and working towards achieving that ideal self.

 

[runvardh]

Have an existentialist meltdown, and then rebuild it/(your identity)/(your goals)/(your knowledge)/(your beliefs) again?

Pretty much, only my knowledge seems to survive.

 

[demimondaine]

Instead of a temple, I'd settle for a tent for the moment, or a caravan.

i agree! but i'm growing weary, let's circle the wagons and camp here til dawn!

 

[Scott N Denver]

I think this is a very interesting issue and question.

For me, finding things that are valuable and meaningful and important to me, and putting forth constant and consistent effort towards those things is very helpful. Many of my interests are rather uncommon in this [american] culture, so personally I've had to "push" harder, which I think many other people don't learn because they don't have to or aren't forced to. There are many ways of doing many things. I was just watching a concert special on tv and super-famous country music artist Keith Urban was pointing out that some problems or issues are just too big or difficult for us to deal with on our own, and we have to get help from or trust in others. I think there is much insight and wisdom in his statement. Also, the world is a very big place, filled with lots of people in greatly different situations and dynamics. As much as we may try, and as hard as we may wish or push, our efforts will have an impact on our immediate circle of people we know, but very little or no impact beyond that. Expressed differently, if you try and push and push hoping to change the way(s) the whole world is, you will fail and probably be discouraged. It is important to have a realistic understanding of what one is capable of, and how much more is out there that lies beyond the ability of any single individual.

One things I've read many times in many places is the concept of "healing the healer", which basically means that if one wishes to help heal others or situations, one first needs to be healthy oneself to have the "strength" to affect change in others.

 

[Synapse]

How does one work with having the temple destroyed every 3-5 years?

Good question, I'll let you know as soon as I'm successful. Crisis for me is so natural that I'm wondering whether I'll get there myself. I suppose wanting, taking responsibility for your safety, security and peace of mind to find those anchors that enrich you and help you grow. Trying to focus on positives and learning to believe in your potential and the meaning and purpose in others and yourself to expand rather than douse the fighting spirit that wants to live.

Instead of a temple, I'd settle for a tent for the moment, or a caravan.

That's why I said sanctuary too, temple sounds too spiritual. A caravan is very great too. We're learning on this path and along the pit stops there should be a place to tend to our inner needs, like a garden that needs water. Nourished and fit for a rainy day to refocus our energy and find meaning and purpose. Of course this is harder to do than it sounds. The thoughts just popped out like that is all.