Finding Your Purpose In Life At An Older Age

People are very busy with their purpose in life these days. Apparently, this doesn’t only apply to youngsters. In fact, in a study on “purpose in life among men and women aged 85 years and older,”¹ researchers found “very old people … [to be] indecisive about their purpose in life.” And the consequences for this was “poorer psychological health.”

So, how can you find your purpose in life?

Good question.

The truth is that this quest is highly subjective and personal, so only you can decide what gives you purpose in life.

You may also find it interesting to know that many people don’t get too philosophical and are content with living life as they know it. So if you’re not preoccupied with finding something ‘bigger,’ ‘meaningful,’ or ‘more’ and are fine with your life, don’t worry about it.

Nevertheless, here are 3 questions you can use to pique your mind and access some internal wisdom to help you align your life with your purpose:

Questions

If you could do whatever you wanted to, what would it be?

Imagine you didn’t need to do anything for money or health and you weren’t too old or young, etc., what do you see yourself doing?

This question allows you to bypass conscious filters and think outside of your current constraints. It can be pretty powerful.

Who do look up to in life?

Sometime somewhere there was probably a person that you admired. Perhaps it was an act of selflessness or a major accomplishment they did. Chances are these people symbolize something for you, something you valued and wished to emulate. Connect to the image. How would you feel if you’d find a way to make these behaviors your own?

What do you enjoy daydreaming about?

Yes, daydreaming is a great portal into your unconscious desires. They can reflect where you’d like to be in life to some degree.

If you get lost thinking about spending more time with family and friends, for example, maybe you’d feel like you found more purpose in life if you’d be able to actually be around them more often. Or, maybe you can help organize or run social or family-based functions, since you connect with the underlying value, you’d most likely find a lot of purpose in it.

If this speaks to you, thankfully, you don’t need to look to far. At Wellington Estates you’re sure to get the social stimulation you crave.

What’s your purpose in life?

Please share in the comments below. 

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Disclaimer, or Use At Your Own Risk

Wellington Estates does not take any responsibility for this post’s content. So any action you take based on its information is strictly at your own risk. You should always speak to your doctor regarding medical information and your health.

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¹ Hedberg, Pia, Yngve Gustafson, and Christine Brulin. “Purpose in life among men and women aged 85 years and older.” The International Journal of Aging and Human Development 70, no. 3 (2010): 213-229.