#452 Meaning in Life & Levels of Well-being

     "Meaning in life is regarded as a critical facet of well-being, referring to people’s judgments that their lives are coherent, make sense, & are endowed with a sense of overarching purpose. Most research on meaning in life (& the closely-related construct, purpose in life) has drawn from adult samples. Across hundreds of studies, higher levels of meaning in life consistently are related to greater well-being & better health, as well as lesser psychological distress & reduced impact from physical illness, including death. Although research on meaning in life within adolescents is more scarce, a similar pattern of results emerges, leading some to suggest that meaning in life is foundational to positive youth development."
       Henry KL et al. The potential role of meaning in life in the relationship between bullying victimization and suicidal ideation. Journal of Youth and Adolescence 2013 DOI 10.1007/s10964-013-9960-2.

      The depth of each person's interest, investigation & direct experience of life's meaning, self-concept, & worldview can vary greatly from blissful ignorance to transcendent joy, with a broad band of "ordinary unhappiness" in between.

     "People might search for meaning if they feel like their lives are meaningless or if they were motivated to continually deepen their ideas about what their lives mean. The definition of search for meaning accounts for both kinds of motivations. Essentially, the presence of meaning is about the destination and search for meaning is about the journey."
       Steger MF, Kashdan TB. The unbearable lightness of meaning: Well-being and unstable meaning in life. The Journal of Positive Psychology 2013; 8(2): 103-115.

     Mindfulness practice is a wise, life-long, progressive path from ignorance & unhappiness, towards joy. 

     "When you're walking through hell,

       Keep walking!"

 

cfh25   www.dpreview.com