The Surprising Way Living with Purpose Can Help You Live Longer

A Simple But Powerful Way to Inject More Purpose and Meaning Into Your Life Starting Today

There are many ways to add years to your life, like eating well and exercising…

But did you know that knowing and living with a sense of purpose in life can also help you live longer?

Science Links Following Your Life’s Purpose with Long Life

In a study published by The Lancet, researchers surveyed 9,000 people over age sixty-five. They wanted to find out who felt their life had purpose and meaning, and who did not.

Then, participants were monitored over 8 years to determine if the presence or lack of a sense of purpose had an impact on their quality of life.

What the researchers discovered was that the people who didn’t feel like their life had purpose or meaning scored low in the areas of mental and emotional well-being. They also had higher levels of stress hormones, like cortisol, in their bodies over time.

As you may already know, stress hormones can negatively impact brain function, heart health, mental health, immune regulation, and so much more!

Those who said they didn’t feel a sense of purpose in their lives were more at risk of bodily distress and illness. As a result, they were not likely to live as long as others who felt more clear and directed in their lives.

Common Misconceptions About Living With Purpose

You may know what your purpose in life is. If that’s the case, it’s wonderful!

But if, like many people, you don’t know exactly what your unique purpose is, it can seem like a daunting question to answer. 

First, I want to free you from the pressure of having to identify your one, single purpose in this life. Instead, consider that a commitment to living purposefully and with intention can help you create a life of ongoing meaning and fulfillment. 

To help you do so, let’s dispel a few common myths about “life purpose”:

• Your life purpose doesn’t have to be grandiose, or involve becoming famous or incredibly wealthy. It can be simple, straightforward, and even surprising. It’s all about what’s most important to you, right now.

• There is no deadline on discovering your life purpose. You don’t have to know your purpose by a certain age or stage of life for it to be profoundly meaningful. It’s never too late to choose to live with purpose!

• Your life purpose can change over time. As you grow, evolve, and discover more about yourself, the way you define your purpose will probably change! In fact, you can have many purposes over a lifetime, or even many manifestations of the same purpose.

Discovering your life purpose doesn’t have to be complicated or difficult. Finding and honoring your purpose in life means regularly doing and being what gives you an exalting feeling of ALIVENESS. It doesn’t have to be any more complex than that.

How to Live a More Meaningful Life: Your Purpose in Life Makes You Feel Alive

If you’re unclear on what your life purpose is right now, you can start by paying attention to what makes you feel happy, inspired, and energized.

Is there a particular hobby you have that fills you with inspiration and joy? Or perhaps you long to do something you haven’t done before, like write a book or learn to paint?

You may even feel a desire to make helping others your life purpose, just as I have!

One way to generate ideas for what you can do, or do more of, that makes you feel truly ALIVE is to ask yourself a simple but powerful question:

What would I love?

When you ask yourself this question, really allow yourself the freedom to entertain the thoughts that come to you. Challenge yourself to refrain from focusing on perceived limitations or the possible opinions and reactions of others. 

As you explore, you may even want to journal your ideas!

To help you identify the things you might love… 

Think about the physical signs of being in love – your heart beats faster and you feel super energized. You might lose track of time or feel particularly content. Perhaps you’re calmer or less reactive, more at peace and less stressed or anxious.

So when you focus your attention on what you would most love to be, do, have, or give…

Pay attention to how the ideas you generate make you feel. Do you immediately perk up and feel a greater sense of vitality? If so, explore those ideas further.

Asking yourself what you would love is an important step in discovering your life purpose. And in doing so, you can begin creating a life you truly love living.

It’s never too late to find your purpose in life

I’ve been coaching and mentoring others in how to apply transformational principles to their lives for over 40 years.

My mother, Dorothy Manin, had always been aware of my work. She’d always supported what I was doing, but she’d never really participated in the work I did.

Then, when he was 85 years old, my dad passed. They had been married for 63 wonderful years, and losing him was devastating for my mother. She felt lost, lonely, scared, and not sure of what direction to take next in her life.

One day she called me and she said,

“Okay, Mary, what is this dream-builder thing you do? Let me try it. I guess if I’m still breathing there’s something more for me to do in this life.”

Her choice marked the beginning of what would become the most creative years of my mother’s life.

Not only did she live seven more years, well into her 90s, but she thrived during that period. This is because she followed what she loved, and it gave her a sense of overwhelming aliveness!

RELATED: 15 Questions to Help You Discover Your Life Purpose

My mother learned to paint china plates. She gifted her beautiful creations to our entire family, and she even showcased her work in a few art galleries!

She also decided to become a published author and wrote a successful, inspiring book. She donated all of the proceeds to a non-profit she started that helped the wives of veterans.

You might choose something entirely different. You might even choose many things to experiment with. 

The point is, my mother stepped into living with purpose and doing so gave her a longer, more joy-filled life.

So you see, it’s never too late to do something more or different with your life!

Once you take the step and ask yourself what you would love, ideas will start to come to you!

Opportunities will present themselves to you in places they didn’t previously.

When you know what gives you life, you’ll feel more energetic and driven to make time for what is most important to you.

What is one thing you’ve done in your life that has helped you to find your purpose in life?

What gave you that feeling of ALIVENESS? Leave a comment and let me know!

Find Your True Calling in 5 Days

If you’ve ever wondered, “What is my purpose?”…

Or, the idea of living purposefully and exploring what you would love leaves your mind blank…

The “Developing the Mastery of Intention,” is a free 10-minute guided audio meditation that would be perfect for you!

Normally, you can only access this audio download inside my Power of Purpose™ meditation series, but right now, this meditation is my gift to you, absolutely FREE!