From adolescence onwards, you may hear people talk about purpose in life, focusing mainly on the pursuit of a career and work that will make an impact.
This begs the question: what does it mean to have a purpose in life? What is it to have an impact?
Life purpose?
Purpose is a need that applies to any human being, anywhere in the world. It allows your life to have meaning and to experience feelings of well-being, happiness and satisfaction.
The purpose in life must make sense to the person who constructs it, so that his or her actions can be coherent with what he or she dreams, longs for or envisions. Incoherence between what one wishes to be and what one does is one of the main reasons why a person experiences personal dissatisfaction.
This is defined by each person, based on practising mindfulness.
The speed at which everything moves forward causes the human being to lose himself and to focus his energy, thoughts and resources on things in the past or the future, over which he has no control. This lack of awareness takes a person away from enjoying the present as it is, and from his or her own purpose in life.
Therefore, mindfulness and awareness will allow you to identify what you want and align your thoughts so that your emotions and behaviours are oriented towards what you are seeking.
Purpose in life is not necessarily one. There will be people who have a single purpose, as well as those who have purposes for multiple situations that are important to them.
New Opportunities
What has happened in the world in the last year has been a tremendous opportunity to identify opportunities for improvement and different options for creating a more friendly, harmonious and balanced world. For us and for those to come.
Many people are looking to dedicate a part of their lives to generate changes in the planet from what they have within their reach and take advantage of platforms and communication channels to generate positive impact, such as the one we are on.
Planet Earth is beckoning every person on it to do something. Regardless of whether it is considered something small or big, it is about making change and sharing it with others.
The UN Environment Programme in its report In a state of neglect: the impact of marine litter and plastic pollution on environmental justice shares some data that are relevant to highlight because they affect us all . It mainly highlights that the pandemic has increased the use and demand for plastic due to the sanitary need for mouth covers and disposable gloves.
As it is a global health situation, it is understood to be for human welfare. However, there are options to be able to have a responsible transit through the world that is not only responsible towards other human beings, but also towards the planet.
Generating Change
The data we can find on the web are alarming and can be just that: alarming data. Or they can function as an engine to revise one's thinking, action and make a change, involving in it also one's life purpose.
This change will not only affect the life of each person who makes it, but it will also have a positive social impact and provide a sense of satisfaction, as it is directly linked to the purpose of life that human beings pursue by nature.
Personal motivation changes over time, as personal needs, interests and characteristics can change over the years. However, when motivation comes from within for a balanced, conscious and consistent lifestyle, great things can be achieved.
Nature
Contact with nature and living responsibly with nature can create a sense of satisfaction and happiness in your life. As well as dedicating a space in your busy personal agenda to create a purpose that has to do with the environment.
Everyone can do it, based on their own possibilities.
The first thing to do is to be aware. Recognise what your consumption habits are, identify what things you really need and what things you don't and consider what steps to take.
The change does not need to be abrupt, it can be gradual and based on the identification of opportunities for improvement in those products that you consume on a daily basis. A good strategy is also to ask yourself the reasons why you do things, for example: what is the reason why I use plastic containers instead of glass or another material such as bamboo?
From this, a new purpose in life can be generated: to positively impact the environment. And along the way, engage new people and also satisfy the human need for affiliation.
There are many people around the world making change, creating impact, creating conscious purpose. You can be part of that great team of people who contribute, who do it from their innermost being and with the mobilising energy of love.
The environment, nature and your consumption habits also have to do with mental health. Remember that we are whole beings and bringing about change also motivates towards psycho-emotional achievement and well-being.
