Meaning & Purpose
When Life Starts to Feel Directionless
Purpose does not necessarily mean discovering one big reason for your existence.
For many people, meaning develops through relationships, work, family, contribution, interests, experiences, values and the way they choose to live.
The difficulty can come when we become so focused on responsibilities and getting things done that we stop considering whether those things still matter to us.
You can become very good at functioning while gradually losing connection with where you are going and why.
You might find yourself asking:
- What am I actually working towards?
- What matters to me now?
- Do I still want the things I once wanted?
- Who am I outside the roles I perform?
- Is the direction I’m travelling still right for me?
These questions don’t always require immediate answers. Sometimes the value is in creating enough space to genuinely consider them.
The Roles We Carry
Much of our identity can become connected with the roles we perform.
Partner. Parent. Son or daughter. Brother or sister. Friend. Provider. Employee. Manager. Business owner. Leader. Carer. Teammate.
These roles can provide enormous meaning, connection and purpose.
They can also occupy so much of our attention that we lose sight of the person performing them.
When a role changes or disappears through retirement, separation, children growing up, job loss, career change, bereavement or other circumstances, questions about identity and purpose can become more noticeable.
Sometimes the question isn’t simply:
What should I do next?
It is:
Who am I now?
Therapy does not provide you with a ready-made answer about what your life should mean or tell you what direction you should take. It can provide the space to stop, reflect and better understand yourself.
