{"id":1075,"date":"2018-07-11T07:13:25","date_gmt":"2018-07-11T12:13:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/santamonicawealth.com\/?p=1075"},"modified":"2019-05-05T04:57:21","modified_gmt":"2019-05-05T09:57:21","slug":"lifeonpurpose-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/santamonicawealth.com\/?p=1075","title":{"rendered":"Are You Living Your Life On Purpose?"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why, day in and day out, do you do the things that you do?
\nBecause you have to? Because you want to? Because you\u2019ve had the same routine for years and you\u2019re used to it?<\/span><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

If you feel like your life is something that just happens to you, it\u2019s time to reassess how you\u2019re spending your time. Financial security, stability, and creature comforts are all important. But feeling that your life has purpose will become more and more critical to your emotional and physical well-being as you age — especially when you finally retire.<\/p>\n

A healthy sense of purpose.<\/h4>\n

Research into the area of human well-being draws a distinction between happiness (experiencing pleasure and avoiding pain) and the feelings of meaning and self-worth that we derive from our lives.
\nToo often, we focus on the former and neglect the latter. This is why the sheen wears off so quickly from a big-ticket purchase. Buying a new car or big-screen TV gives us a quick hit of pleasure. But sooner rather than later, new things become just more things that we\u2019ve accumulated. Once that initial happiness evaporates, we find there\u2019s no additional layer \u2013 no purpose \u2013 to improve our well-being.
\nResearchers have also found that people who feel like their lives have purpose live longer and show decreased risk of cardiovascular problems. And as you age and prepare for retirement, living with purpose helps to limit your risk of cognitive problems, such as Alzheimer\u2019s.<\/p>\n

The purpose of work and family.<\/h4>\n

Most of us tie purpose to the things that we spend the majority of our time doing: working and raising our families. Again, it\u2019s important to draw a distinction between simple happiness and purpose.
\nA doctor who has to deal with ill people and mortality might not consider her job \u201chappy\u201d all the time. But helping people gives her that critical sense of purpose that rounds out her feelings of well-being.
\nTaking care of children will, at times, make even the most patient parents want to pull their own hair out. But feelings of love, connection, and responsibility make both happy family vacations and frustrating afternoons in timeout purposeful.
\nIf you feel like your life is lacking purpose, start by looking for misalignment in these two areas. Is your job \u201cjust a job\u201d that pays the bills? How could you pivot to a career that uses your unique gifts and skills to create purpose? Or are you working so hard that you\u2019re missing key family events, which are also critical to your sense of purpose? Are there ways to improve your work-life balance?<\/p>\n

It\u2019s never too late to find and follow your inspiration.<\/h4>\n

Many people believe that living and giving generously with their time, talents, and\/or finances is a luxury they can\u2019t afford, especially once children, mortgage payments, and college tuition enter the picture. However, research indicates that senior citizens frequently cite \u201cdying with their music still in them\u201d as one of the biggest areas of regret when they look back on their lives, meaning, chances they didn\u2019t take, ideas they never pursued, or opportunities they watched pass by. It\u2019s not money they\u2019re regretting, it\u2019s the sense of purpose they missed out on that would have improved their Return on Life.
\nOf course, not everybody can have that \u201cperfect\u201d job. But even in those situations, think of it not so much about the work you do, but \u201cwho you bring\u201d to the work you do. Find ways to bring purpose to even the most mundane jobs and how that work is helping others.
\nAnd it\u2019s never to late to find that purpose. Even seniors can discover new passions that will give their golden years purpose if they approach retirement with an active, enthusiastic mindset.
\nIf you\u2019re having trouble getting started, try asking yourself, \u201cWhy do I get out of bed in the morning?\u201d
\nIs it to take care of your family? If so, then consider planning a family vacation for the summer. Coaching your child\u2019s youth sports team. Turning dinner time into a group cooking activity. Or setting a regular monthly date night with your spouse.
\nIf you find purpose in helping those in need, consider finding a volunteer position for a few hours a week.
\nDo you like to express yourself? Then perhaps start a blog or a digital photography website that you can work on in your free time. Turn that spare bedroom into a craft room.
\nAnd if you think your purpose is simply to make more money? Well, then maybe you need to start asking yourself better questions. Remember, money is a means, not an end.
\nI encourage you to come in and talk to me so that we can start a new dialogue about how your financial plan can help you get the best, most purposeful life possible with the money you have.<\/p>\n

Sources:<\/em>
\n1. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/11148302
\n2. https:\/\/www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov\/pubmed\/26630073
\n3. https:\/\/jamanetwork.com\/journals\/jamapsychiatry\/fullarticle\/210648[\/vc_column_text][investment_quote]<\/p>\n

Helping our clients build their financial futures with confidence.<\/h4>\n

[\/investment_quote][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Why, day in and day out, do you do the things that you do? Because you have to? Because you want to? Because you\u2019ve had the same routine for years and you\u2019re used to it?<\/p>\n

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