This episode is the fourth in a six-part series in which I take you through six different pathways to happiness, to human flourishing, and with each one I’ll provide you with tools that you can use. This is all based on the current research through a framework called PERMA-V. In today’s episode I’ll teach you all about the M – Meaning – and every other week, when I do a solo episode, I’ll be discussing another one of the 6 pathways. After you listen to each episode, I hope you’ll practice the tools I’m providing so you can apply this to your own life.

Here’s a bit of background to help put all of this in context. In the first episode in this series (Episode 30) I discussed a bit of the history of psychology in the twentieth century and the birth of the field of positive psychology, which stemmed from the recognition that we needed to focus on and learn more about wellness, and not just illness. A key idea in positive psychology is that the absence of illness is not wellness. Just because you don’t have diabetes or cancer doesn’t mean you’re healthy, and just because you haven’t been diagnosed with depression or bipolar disorder doesn’t mean you’re thriving and flourishing. Positive psychology started developing the understanding that, more than the surface happiness, which, while it’s pleasurable, is more fleeting, we should be learning to cultivate a deeper, more fulfilling happiness. I addressed the concept of the hedonic treadmill as part of the reason why the search for more money and a better job doesn’t lead to true, deep, lasting happiness, and what Aristotle called “eudaimonia,” or wellbeing and flourishing.

The field of positive psychology has been studying what it takes to really cultivate our own wellbeing and the wellbeing of others, and a recent theory has laid out 6 pathways to flourishing: PERMA-V.

• Positivity
• Engagement
• Relationships
• Meaning and Purpose
• Accomplishment and Achievement
• Vitality

In today’s episode I discuss Meaning and Purpose, obviously a topic near and dear to my heart. I talk about how meaning and purpose are so critical to living a happy, fulfilled life, and how Abraham Maslow addressed this in his “hierarchy of needs” (referring to self-actualization). I define purpose as the unique, active impact that you make in the world, and I dive into the concept of purpose in great detail, why it’s so important, why the search for purpose can be so challenging, and how we can begin to uncover our own purpose. I end with several Purpose Power Tips around your own purpose.

Here are a few resources I mentioned:

Ritual, a fantastic supplement that you can get here: https://ritual.com/purposegirl

The Women’s Happy Shop:

https://bit.ly/womenshappy

Victor Frankl, Man’s Search For Meaning, which you can get at Amazon:

https://amzn.to/2RT3VxZ

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May you live purposefully, may you love yourself, and may you love life.

Bye for now!