Purpose and Healing

 

Have you ever had the sense that there was something bigger meant for you? Some unique impact you were intended to have while living this life?

That quiet pull—toward meaning, contribution, and connection—can be what helps us weather the darkest seasons. It’s the sense that maybe all of this isn’t meaningless… maybe we can use it as the foundation for something deeper to emerge. That belief is what helped Viktor Frankl survive his time in concentration camps, as he describes in Man’s Search for Meaning. It’s the driving force behind ikigai, the Japanese concept of a “reason for being,” and it parallels what Buddhism calls Dharma—one’s sacred duty or righteous path.

This isn’t a concept exclusive to one culture or belief system. It’s a thread that runs through many traditions, philosophies, and lived experiences. Whatever name you give it, purpose gives your life circumstances a bigger context. Rather than simply being about hardship, adversity can become part of a path to impact.

That doesn’t mean suffering is good or that trauma should be minimized. The pain is real—and can be lasting. But when we are able to reflect, sometimes we discover a deeper story unfolding—one that includes meaning, growth, and generativity: the desire to contribute to the well-being of others.

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