Purpose in Life

[Mystic]

To value all life and cherish it and connect to people and leave a legacy in this world.

[henryp]

I'm struggling right now and one of the things that I'm struggling with is purpose in life.  I'm not one who believes that there is an inherent purpose to our lives any more than there is an inherent purpose to the life of a worm or a tree or an antelope.  That's never bothered me before but now I'm facing the chasm of my future and it feels so empty.

I know I'm posting this in the philosophy forum but I'm less interested in the philosophical question of meaning and purpose in life and more interested in what gives your life meaning and purpose and how I can find that for myself, post-cancer.

I think it's a ruse, and it contributes to why so many people are so unhappy.  Because we're told from childhood to look for this bigger meaning/purpose in life, and not to waste it, and follow your dreams, and all this language that is trying to point people towards it all being some grand thing.  And then people live a perfectly fine life, and they feel terrible about it because they were sold this idea that it should have been something more.

What do you like?  Try to do that a bunch.  My deathbed goal is to look back and think "I enjoyed that."  Not "I changed the world!"  or "People will remember my name!"  Just that it was nice, and I'm glad I got to do it.

[Whateverist]

And already banned is trying to prey on vulnerable mind

Yeah, their sales pitch goes like this: when reality sucks there is an alternative ..

---

I do think that life has an inherent purpose.  I find my own purpose, specific and more compelling than any general sense of purpose, in doing what i can nearest me to further that, to exemplify it and fulfill my potential.  It took me awhile, but I found something I'd do for free..something I'd pay other people to let me do.  Something that fulfills all of my smaller and more immediate goals but can never be done..or finished.  Something that provides peace of mind in a list of neverending tasks.  The slow burn of constant work and delayed satisfaction that consumes my rambling thoughts.  Zen in blue and green, I suppose, lol.  

I doubt it would work for everyone, though I think everyone's qol could be improved by dabbling a bit.

How much for a small bottle?

[The Grand Nudger]

Bout a dolla-fitty..last I checked. 

[Whateverist]

Bout a dolla-fitty..last I checked. 

Trust it is still made with genuine snakes.  

[energizer bunny]

Purpose in life is up to us to create. I don't believe in an ultimate purpose, that we are all here for a reason.

[Edwardo Piet]

Purpose in life is up to us to create.

Sounds like existentialism

[J a c k]

My purpose in life is to make myself happy. It sounds selfish, but I learned that others are hardly satisfied no matter what we do anyway. One day my kids will grow up and leave me, and if I make them my purpose in life, I won’t have a purpose when they leave. Instead,I make it a purpose to make me happy, and raising good humans makes me happy. Spending time with them, cooking for them, playing with them makes me happy. Going to poetry events makes me happy. Writing poetry is a happiness generator. Driving a few hours to find new spots and taste new stuff is joy. If something isn’t working towards that happiness factor, I do my best to remove it. When I’m old, I don’t want to regret wanting to do things and not doing them when I could. If I don’t want to do something, and not doing it makes me happy, I don’t do it.

My purpose is to live a plentiful and happy life. One that is satisfying. It’s why I rarely resist temptations unless they’re bad for my happiness. It’s why I’ve messed up quite a bit, but ultimately I enjoyed myself. I wasted too many years being oppressed. Life for me is meant to be experienced happily and I plan to indulge. Helping people makes me happy. Seeing people suffer and me not doing shit about it makes me sad. It’s why I’m a social worker. Being considerate makes me happy. Does that include being a good parent to my kids? Absolutely. Not being a good parent would make me miserable. Their happiness makes me extremely happy. Sometimes my decisions don’t make sense to others, but I know within that they’re making me happy. It’s why I take so long sometimes to make up my mind. Actually, I’m in the middle of some decision making, and my happiness is what’s confusing, so I gotta make sure.  

[Edwardo Piet]

I love your purpose

Nothing wrong with selfish

[Mr.Obvious]

Striving for and acting towards self-improvement is something I would recommend as 'life's purpose'.
Good luck in your Search.