How to Find Meaning in Your Life

How to Find Meaning in Your Life

Gratitude practice has been scientifically demonstrated to shift your physiology at the level of your immune system and your neurocircuitry. It reduces anxiety, increases motivation, decreases inflammation, etc... on par with some pharmacology treatments -AH

Gratitude releases serotonin and activates the 'feel good' areas of the brain. It makes you feel happier and/or buffers sadness. But for it to work, you need to follow a set of rules.

Here are the principles of gratitude: a) it needs to belong to a narrative (a subjective story), b) it needs to have someone receiving thanks/success, and c) it's authentic.

So, listing 5 things you're grateful does not help. Nor does reciting positive affirmations ✨ and reading law of attraction books. Please don't do those <3

Anyway, we all can make use of gratitude. Whether you're not finding meaning in what you're doing, feeling sad, or you want to upgrade your performance, this tool is for you.

Action for the day

We need to find a story that made you feel good. It can be something that happened yesterday or 10 years ago. Just make sure it's an event. It automatically has a narrative.

Examples: when you got the job of your dreams, you won a sports tournament, your friends surprised you on your birthday, you met up with a friend, or someone recovered from an illness.

Try to answer these one by one.

1. What's a fulfilling, heartwarming, happy, or maybe triumphant moment you experienced?
   ​---Think of an answer. It could be simple or a memorable life event.
   ​

2. Now, recall how you felt at that moment. What emotions were you experiencing?
   ​--- Actively remember your emotions

This practice doesn't only help you appreciate your past more. You also reinforce your brain to decrease fear & anxiety and make you optimistic. So, recall it whenever you get the chance.

That's it. Keep thinking about how amazing those moments are. And that they can happen again. You'll be a lot happier.

Here's the clip of Andrew explaining this.