The power of meaning.

To understand the power of meaning we have to understand the human nature. All human beings want to be happy. This is our ultimate target. We feel if we fulfilled our needs we can be happy. That’s why, we Humans, are guided by needs. So what are people needs?

Each one of us has four needs related to: our body, mind, heart, and soul. Our respective needs are: to live, to grow, to love, and to have meaning.

The main concern of our body is to sustain itself, survive and have the pleasure of the senses. The main concern of the mind is to grow intellectually. The main concern of your heart is to love and connect with people. The more refined needs are those of the soul. They deal with the meaning of life and your purpose on earth. Bringing meaning to yourself and to your life will satisfy the needs of your soul.

Let’s take few examples:

If we look at the pleasures of the body, they are summarized by the pleasure of the senses. Sometimes we seek pleasure as if pleasure means happiness. For example we eat till explosion. Or we try to get some flesh pleasures through sex. We may get make happy for a moment. After that we are back to our concerns and dissatisfactions.

We can pleasure our mind by reading a book or getting a new life experience. We feel that we had grown in wisdom and we are happy for that. Because we carry our thoughts with ourselves we tend to get more pleasure from this kind of activity but the tornado of our thoughts is never happiness. Sometimes it’s deep anxiety!

We can pleasure our heart by falling in love or discovering a new friend. But are they a solution for our deep concerns and seeking?

Pleasure is not happiness! Pleasure never lasts. It comes for instants in case of bodily pleasures and may last a little longer in case of your mind and heart pleasures. Pleasure comes from an external event.

In contrary, happiness comes from inside. Happiness is a state. When you are happy, you are always happy no matter what. It’s something that comes from within and do not depend on any external circumstances. Happiness is related to the soul. When your soul discovers its own peace you become happy. To seek lasting pleasure or happiness you must look for the needs of your soul.

As dalai Lama said: “Our business is happiness”. Every person is looking for happiness and we cannot settle down until we find our ever lost happiness. And it’s only achieved if you take care of the needs of your soul. The best way to bring happiness to your soul is to bring meaning to your life. Bringing meaning is the “pleasure” of the soul. If you can bring meaning to every action into your life you start to be happy!!

If you bring meaning to your sexual relation by making it a way to “connect”, your little pleasure of the flesh will turn to be a more “pleasurable” experience and the rewards will last much longer. If you read a book in the purpose “to sustain your spiritual growth” you will hold this growth in you for much longer. If you love people and enjoy your friendships as if you have a mission to “bring inspiration to people through love” you will start to enjoy each and every interaction as it’s a part of your purpose in life.

As you can see, bringing meaning to your actions can give your life a more purposeful presence and settle yourself into peace, harmony and happiness.

How can you bring meaning to your life?

The best way to start bringing meaning to your life is to put a meaning to every major thing in your life. Bringing meaning is done by “labeling” the most important things with a very inspiring “metaphor”.  Each time you likened something with something else you are using a metaphor. A metaphor is like a symbol and, as such, has the power to trigger a very powerful emotional response. Example of a metaphor: describing your wife as your “best part”. In that case you likened your wife to a very positive and inspiring metaphor. Each time you are connecting to your wife you interact with her through the lenses of this metaphor: “best half”.

The most empowering strategy of using metaphors is to put a general life metaphor, a “life mission statement” plus metaphors for the sub parts of your life activities.

General life metaphors are the metaphors related to life and you:

What is life for you? Is it a gift? Is it a game? Etc.

Who are you? Are you a flower? Are you an inspiration? Are you a messenger? Etc.

 Life mission statement is a metaphor that answers this question: What is your mission in life? Is it to make difference in people’s life? Is it to be the change you want to see? Etc.

Sub metaphors are metaphors related to sub parts of your life as your work, employees, friendships, people, etc. Example of respective metaphors: My work serves the goal of creating abundance in the world. My employees are my assets. My friends bring me the opportunity to love. People are opportunities for my growth. Etc.

When you start bringing meaning to every aspect of your life, you will feel more engaged in everything you do, more present, and enjoy doing. No doubt, you will be a very happy person. You know it, I know it.

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