Everyone needs a purpose. And while finding happiness is very important, a meaningful life is found more in reaching out to others than reflecting within.
As we grow older, we often look back on whether we’ve lived a useful life or made a difference. But what traits make for a purposeful life? It may vary from person to person but here are 5 typical characteristics that often contribute to a life well-lived.
5 qualities of purposeful living
1. Having friends and valuing those relationships
As social beings, we need others – not only to add meaning but to survive. The negative impact of isolation can take a great toll on both our physical and emotional lives.
The significance of making friends and sharing our relationships is truly valuable. Having others we care about who also care about us is essential. There may be no higher purpose than being there for people, helping them and knowing that you made a difference in their lives.
2. Lifelong learning and embracing new experiences
As we grow older, some people believe it’s time to slow down or not try new things. Nothing could be further from the truth. Don’t miss out on all the opportunities that life has to offer because of an ageist belief system.
While you know what you physically are able to participate in, don’t let anything else stand in your way. Start learning that new foreign language or finally take that art appreciation course. It really is never too late.
3. Prioritizing your mental and physical health
Many people are so busy taking care of others that they forget about themselves. But there are tremendous impacts to your life based on the choices you make regarding how you eat, sleep, exercise and socialize.
Maintaining emotional balance and physical fitness affects your outlook on life and the energy you’ll have to engage with others. A purposeful life was found in one study to play a role in helping older adults maintain better physical function. It’s important to take care of yourself.
4. Living the life you always wanted
Much can get in the way of realizing the life you once dreamed about. But the benefit of growing older is that time may now finally be claimed as your own. When the children are grown and the responsibilities of careers are no longer pressing, make sure you revisit the life you wanted to live and ask yourself the hard questions.
Are you living where you want to be? Had you planned on exchanging the mountains for the beaches or self-maintenance for the luxury of having someone else take care of the household chores? If this isn’t quite the life you thought it would be, consider what it would take to make it happen.
5. Making new connections when others have been lost
For many people, how they defined themselves became closely intertwined with who they were, the roles they played and the titles that were assigned. But as raising children or contributing to a work project is left in the past, you may question your identity now.
If you miss the role of leadership, there are so many opportunities where you can help. Having the chance for an encore career or volunteering in a field that you always had a passion for can bring great meaning to your life. You still have so much to offer.
You need to define and discover your own purpose
It’s not always easy to find your niche but it’s out there. Everyone is unique but that doesn’t mean you can’t borrow inspiration from others that have traveled before you if you’re struggling to define your purpose. Asking these questions may help lead the way:
- Who do you admire and why?
- How have they approached finding meaning in their lives?
- Do you have an unspoken passion or talent that you’ve never been able to fully express?
- What is the greatest need of people that you see today? Where could you be most helpful?
- What activities have you always wanted to try but haven’t? Train for a race? Try your hand at watercolors? Become a masterful bridge player?
- For some people, finding what they were meant to do seems to come easier but don’t let that deter you. You may just need to look a little deeper. Just remember that it’s never too late to set new goals.
- It may take trial and error to find your purpose but be patient. The discovery process itself can be so much fun. The important step is to get started and watch it unfold from there.
How Assisted Living can help
One of the biggest advantages of Assisted Living is not only how easy your life can become as soon as you move in but how full of possibilities.
Research has shown that as we grow older, we may think we don’t have as many opportunities to contribute meaningfully as we once did. But it may just be that you’ll need to expand your search. And it’s worth it. Those who believe they are useful have a stronger sense of well-being and are more likely to remain healthy
Ingleside’s Westminster at Lake Ridge Assisted Living community
We understand the impact that purposeful living has on your life and those around you. That is why we encourage all of our residents to engage and embrace their community and opportunities to the fullest and we are here to offer support every step of the way.
Call (703)794-4631 if you have any questions or would like to schedule a personalized virtual tour today.