How Can Purpose in Life Help Build Resilience?
We have come across quite a few articles that explain how having a purpose in life can help build resilience. In this aricle, we dig a little deeper into the relationship between purpose and resilience and what it means for those having to cope with adversity.
Having Purpose in Life Results in Good Health and Longevity
According to the National Library of Medicine, the ability to find meaning from life’s experiences may be what underlies resilience, but nevertheless results in both good health and a long life. It maintains that having purpose might inspire the ability to “reframe” stressful situations in order to deal with them more productively. This facilitates recovery from trauma and misfortune. The article states that the “enhanced ability to recover from negative events may allow a person to achieve or maintain a feeling of greater purpose in life over time.”
The article cites one particular study which found that people who had a purpose in life also had a better recovery from negative stimuli, concluding, “These data suggest a proximal mechanism by which purpose in life may afford protection from negative events and confer resilience is through enhanced automatic emotion regulation after negative emotional provocation.”
Recent Events Including the Covid Pandemic Made Some of Us Lose Our Sense of Purpose
In an article entitled, “How Finding Purpose Helps Build Your Resilience,” by Line Hilton, a vocal, performance and resilience coach, many people are now looking to rebuild their sense of purpose as they re-evaluate their careers and relationships. Many realize that they want more meaning and purpose in their lives, but don’t really know how to accomplish this.
Hilton writes, “People who have a clear idea of what they’re striving for and why, are much more likely to stay strong when things get tough. Research shows that finding meaning in what you are doing means lower stress levels and higher resilience.”
He acknowledges that its easy to lose touch with your sense of purpose when “life gets in the way,” whether it’s because of distraction, external events or personal struggles. He offers help in pursuing your sense of purpose with his “Future Focus.”
Your Personal Purpose of Life
The coaching company BetterUp combines coaching with dynamic digital experiences to drive personal growth. An article on its website states, “This personal sense of purpose guides and sustains you. Day to day and through the years. Even when you have setbacks and the world turns upside down, purpose gives you stability and a sense of direction. That’s why finding purpose is essential for living a happy, healthy life.”
Philosophers have been debating the definition of the “purpose of life” for centuries. Of course, there is no simple answer. But, as the article states, your purpose in life is as unique as your fingerprint. It’s also a long-term goal.
Finding your purpose in life matters because it leads to better physical and mental health. It also reduces the risk of chronic disease and can even help you live longer. Perhaps most important, having a sense of purpose can come from feeling connected to others.