Injecting Meaning Into Life Through the Practise of Presence
How Reverence and Gratitude Inject Meaning Into Life
April 26, 2022
Why There’s Disillusionment Even in Purpose Pursuit
May 3, 2022
Life gives us very many extremes. Between these extremes, one can always find meaning in life. At some point, the stinking rich will be committing suicide because they have failed to see meaning in life from the things that they have done so far.
At another point, the poor of the poor would find meaning in life by simply sharing what they have with others. Perspectives shift from one person to the next. A life of meaning is the only way we can make sense of this life whether we are the stinking rich, the middle class or the poor of the poor.
“A life of meaning is the only way we can make sense of this life whether we are the stinking rich, the middle class or the poor of the poor.”
— Lawrence Namale
Injecting Meaning In Life
I have been writing of late about injecting meaning into life. In the previous articles, I have said that the following things can help us to inject meaning into our lives.
Bonus 1: Reverence and Gratitude
Today’s article is the second bonus. I do hope it is the end of this series but I am open to more inspiration about it even as we go along.
Bonus 2: Reveling In What We Have
I hinted about this yesterday, that if we think we will find meaning away from where we are, we might be in for a mighty shock. For the most part, it is easy to find meaning where we are. That’s why we need to revel in the moments we have today.
We need to drink the best of life that we have today. The art of appreciating what life has offered us today is one of the biggest lessons that we can learn. When we look at life from the angle of what we do not have, we fall into the trap of thinking that there is no meaning in life.
“When we look at life from the angle of what we do not have, we fall into the trap of thinking that there is no meaning in life.”
— Lawrence Namale
Being Present
However, when we look at life from the angle of what is available is important, we can put up the attitude of seeking to find meaning in what is already there. As such, you will find it valuable just to put away your phone and be present in the moment during a conversation. That simple act injects appreciation in life and brings meaning to it.
“We live in a world that has elevated consumerism so much so that we walk around thinking we don’t have this and don’t have that. We walk around thinking we are not like this, and we are not like that. In the process, there is no meaning around us.”
— Lawrence Namale
Scarcity Mentality
We live in a world that has elevated consumerism so much so that we walk around thinking we don’t have this and don’t have that. We walk around thinking we are not like this, and we are not like that. In the process, there is no meaning around us. We think that this meaning will come from acquiring that which we do not have now. It is a scarcity mentality that leads to a life that has no meaning.
Why? It is because meaning has been robbed from what is and has been given to what is not. The problem is that it is a vicious cycle. Scarcity is a mentality that will never be satisfied. You could be living in a treasure trove but with the attitude of scarcity, you see no meaning in life. You fail to realize what Kim George says that indeed, you are the treasure.
Slow Down and Identify Meaning In Life
That’s why we need to make one stop at life and slowly just look around us. Stop the helter-skelter, the running here and there and just drink in all the things that are around us. Stop the being all over the place and just be present in the moment as you are alive. You will find that there is so much meaning in life with that approach than otherwise.
This are simple pointers you can use to revel in what you already have in life and in so doing, see that the meaning of life is indeed already available:
Like a traveller through the desert that finds water for his parched lips, learn to appreciate what you have at hand as if it is a treasure. Learn to experience it. Do not be in a rush. You don’t drink up as if there is scarcity. Drink up moments as if they are treasures of life. Appreciate them.
Drink up moments:
In so doing, you will see how your relationships with your children, spouse, workmates and so on will have meaning. You will see how changed your approach to work will be. You now find meaning by savouring what is available and get the opportunity to use it to create more.
Bring Moments Wherever you go
You know the famous saying: There are two types of people in the world. Those who enter a room and say, “Here I am” and those who say, “Ah, there you are!” When you have the attitude that you are treasure, you use your life as a catalyst bringing meaning to life wherever you go.
Again, there are two types of people in the world. Those who bring happiness wherever they go and those who do so whenever they go. To bring meaning into the world wherever we go is to have a high sense of self-awareness that this world needs us, not us needing the world.
As such you are appearing in this world not only grateful for what’s there but also slowly taking everything in and also giving your flavour to life where you are. In so doing, you get to find meaning in this life by just revelling in it.
