We’ve all heard it, and many of us have asked it: What’s the point of life? You’d think with all the different answers out there, we’d have it figured out by now. But the truth is, a clear answer still escapes us, and maybe it always will.
If you ask a doctor, they might say it’s all about survival; toughing it out, getting through whatever life throws at you, and to just keep on going. But talk to someone in business, and they might tell you life is about achievements and building a legacy. It could be about owning the biggest house, driving the fastest car, or having a massive bank account.
To me, though, it’s pretty simple: the point of life is to enjoy the time you have, in whatever way makes you happy. That looks different for everyone. One person might love getting lost in a good book or writing stories, while another person finds joy in gardening or building things with their hands. If something doesn’t make you happy, it probably shouldn’t be part of your life.
The Uncomfortable Truth of Privilege
I understand that life-status and privilege may come into play with this discussion, and you’d be right to think that, because it’s true. People are born or get themselves into different privileges than other people, that is the way of the world, and not just limited to human existence.
If you find yourself in a position that you do not enjoy, than I recommend you take the necessary steps to get yourself into a position you do like. Perhaps that’s impossible, and you are destined to continue with drudgery and mundanity, then you should seek to carve out some time for the things you do love, and ensure that they are incorporated into your life, even if in some small manner. Going about our lives without joy is not recommended.
One important aspect to consider is that there will always be a spectrum of life enjoyment: some people will enjoy their lives immensely while others detest their existence; the enlightened understanding is that – this is natural and applicable to all aspects of life. This is an issue with the ego, and issue with the “self”; because people are living in their own bodies and only have their singular point of view to discern an opinion from, however, if we pull back and see the earth or humanity as a whole , then we can see that sometimes things are good and sometimes they’re bad, but overall, they are balanced. We may not believe that life is fair, or that things are going well if we, on an individual level, are experiencing hardship, but if we “zoom out”, then we can see the earth is spinning along just fine.
Here’s an example: Consider the bacteria in our gut. They are living creatures and are in a constant state of warfare. We label some of them “good” and some of them “bad”, and they fight to the death every single day within our digestive system. All of this death is inside of us, going on every day, but it really occurs to us. In fact, we need these bacteria to fight for us, otherwise the “bad” ones would overcome our systems and we would die. This is an example of privilege: we survive and go about our lives because these bacteria fight and die for us.
Core Tenet: Enjoy Your Life
The main point of living is to enjoy it, have fun, and take it all in. Life is a gift, and the main point of living is to enjoy it, have fun, and truly take it all in. We’re fortunate to live in a fantastic time, surrounded by the beauty of nature and the countless stars shining above. It’s perfectly okay to get caught up in the day-to-day routine, to work at your job, and to navigate life’s challenges, but it’s crucial to pause and remember that life is temporary.
Embrace Kindness and Positivity
When you find yourself feeling upset, angry, or impatient, try to remember that we’re all on this journey together. Strive to be considerate and kind to one another whenever possible. There’s a scientific reason for this too! According to SSM Health, “Physiologically, kindness can positively change your brain. Being kind boosts serotonin and dopamine, which are neurotransmitters in the brain that give you feelings of satisfaction and well-being and cause the pleasure/reward centers in your brain to light up. Endorphins, which are your body’s natural pain killer, also can be released.”
Being good to others not only helps them but also benefits your own brain chemistry. Positive feelings can ripple outwards, influencing others to feel good too. These positive pulses are disrupted when we dwell on negative thoughts or act on emotions like anger or aggression. Instead, we should aim to release these negative feelings back into the void.
Shifting Your Perspective
So, how do we do that? While we’ll explore meditative principles in future posts, here’s one suggestion that helps me when negative emotions arise:
First, I take a moment to analyze what’s happening. I let the situation or event process before I react. Most of the time, I allow myself patience and let my emotions run their course. Then, I think about our solar system, just one of billions in the universe, and I let that perspective wash over me. It’s a reminder that this is all a grand experience, and there’s truly nothing to be overly worried about.
Choose Your Ride
We’re all on a finite journey from the start, leaving us with two clear options. We can fall into a cycle of despair and anxiety, or we can embrace the opportunity to enjoy this ride for as long as possible. I highly suggest you actively seek out the things you enjoy, and truly savor them.