What is life without meaning? It is an essential question as many of us seem to be plodding forward like zombies in a maze. It is easy to get caught up in life’s obligations and routines without thinking about their value. A cynic might say that living without meaning is not living at all. While you may not agree, we all have times when we wish that our lives were more fulfilling. It begs the question, can we take certain actions to make our lives more meaningful? Here is a roadmap to help you add meaning to your everyday existence.

Meaningful Connection

If we have learned one thing from the COVID-19 pandemic, it might be that we need connection with other people. The isolation many felt pointed to the power of relationships as a required ingredient in our search for meaning. And what do we mean by connection? Is it just being around others? Can I go to a library and just stand there and feel the meaning surge inside me? Maybe, but probably not. The deeper the connection, the more meaningful that relationship will be to our lives. That means that you have to dive below the superficiality and form a deeper connection. You need to be vulnerable and open. Ask yourself, do you want to have some acquaintances or do you want to have close relationships that you care about? Let people in and you will be rewarded with a more meaningful connection.

Family

Speaking of meaningful connections, family is the number one source of fulfillment in life. This is not totally surprising. You share genes and, often, environments, with these people. Family members care for you during the ups and downs and you seem to be stuck with them no matter what. Therefore, if you have poor family relations you should try to do something about it. Now, this doesn’t mean you have to make amends with truly nasty relatives but people with close family relationships are more likely to find meaning in them.

If, for some reason, you are estranged from your family and don’t want to repair those relationships, don’t despair. Family doesn’t have to be flesh and blood. In case you didn’t notice, the definition of family has changed in the last 50 years. If you have their back and they have yours, then they are family. You may have to work a little harder if you are trying to establish that type of relationship with someone that isn’t actually your next-of-kin. But it is worth it to make an effort. If you don’t have people in your life that you consider “family” you are missing a core piece of fulfillment.

Purpose

What are you doing with your life? Do you have a goal? If you feel like you have a purpose you are more likely to find your life meaningful. Now, you don’t need to establish a non-profit agency to have a purpose. It can take many forms. Purpose can be found in family, career, or social justice. Whatever the case, figure out what you are passionate about and go for it. Otherwise, you may find yourself flailing around like a fish in a parking lot.

Take Control

People that believe they have personal control over their lives tend to feel their life has more meaning. This is what we call a sense of agency. Do you perceive that you are making things happen or is life controlling you? For clarification, let’s look at two people. Person one has a job that they don’t value, where they don’t speak up, and they simply go through the motions waiting for the day to end. Person two has the same job, but they take pride in their work and they bring suggestions to their supervisors and fight for their rights and those of their coworkers. Who do you think has more job satisfaction and meaning in their life? When we perceive life is out of our control we feel helpless. Taking control over our actions makes us feel like we are accomplishing something meaningful.

Spirituality

People who are observant of religion are more likely to feel their life has meaning. In contrast, only 29 percent of atheists and agnostics make the same claim. And the more religious you are, the more likely you are to cite religion as a source of meaning. As a result, you may ask, “do I need to be religious to have a meaningful life?” The answer is no. But it does help to be spiritual. Religion is the act of prescribing to a specific ideology. Spirituality, in contrast, is believing in something greater than yourself. This can be God but it can also be family or nature or caring for the needy. The beauty of spirituality is that it can be whatever guides you. And if you can figure out what principles you live by, you will find more meaning in your life.

Helping Others

Helping others is what most people immediately think about when they talk about instilling meaning in their lives. They picture themselves volunteering at a soup kitchen or raising money for cancer research. Why do these images come to my mind? Because helping others is a rewarding experience for both ourselves and the community. You feel good about yourself and you are helping other people have a better life. It is an act that we control that speaks to a higher purpose. The truth is you can’t be totally selfish and have a highly meaningful life. You need to look outside your own needs and serve other people, whether that is family, friends, or strangers. Don’t believe me? Think of one way to help someone else and try it today.

Do Something

Want to feel like a rudderless sloth? Spend all day doing nothing. While it is ideal to fill your life with altruistic activities that provide a sense of purpose, at least do something more than spend all day watching TV. Binge-watching Netflix may give you some joy at the moment but you are guaranteed to hate yourself if that is your daily routine. You don’t have to spend all your free time volunteering at Goodwill but do something that won’t cause you to loathe yourself the next morning.