How To Create A Meaningful World
Happiness is not something that is given to us, but it is up to us to create a meaningful world ourselves. Man is by nature focused on survival, not on being happy. We are programmed for survival, but to find happiness we must “dig” a little deeper. The prerequisite for being happy is to seek meaning in life.
José Luis Sampedro, a Spanish economist, author and humanist, believed that we live to discover ourselves. Most of us have ever wondered why we live. If we can figure out the answer to this question, we can get a sense of the purpose of our lives. The real purpose.
Everything we experience outside of ourselves reflects our inner self, what we think and what we feel. The shortcomings and merits we see in others we carry to some extent within ourselves. No matter how many doubts and wonders we have, we already carry the answers within us, because within us are already the keys to a meaningful world.
It may sound a bit ironic but only we ourselves can make us upset, to feel confused. The cause of our suffering is not outside ourselves, but within us… in how we deal with our pain.
Others can hurt us physically, but on the emotional level, only we ourselves have the power to inflict harm or bring order. Even though our thoughts give rise to all imaginary conflicts, the result is a multitude of emotional torments, such as guilt, bitterness, hatred, punishment, and vengeance.
Our way of interpreting different experiences and our emotional reactions explain why we suffer and are in conflict with ourselves. Ultimately, we are responsible for the damage we suffer. Therefore, it is important that we focus on ourselves and become aware of our feelings, so that we gain a deeper understanding of our inner self and can build a meaningful world.
When it comes down to it, only ourselves can change. Everything else is just surreal concepts. We may be outraged that there is no more justice and equality in the world, but that is not something we can achieve ourselves. Our job is instead to change and improve our inner life. If we succeed in this, we will experience an incredible peace of mind and learn to deal with different challenges.
Alignment is a threat to us. Like when we get lost in a city filled with skyscrapers, or forced to obey unwritten rules. We often refrain from acting on the basis of our principles in order to appear in a better day. This is a way for the “system” to exercise control over us, by rewarding us for our obedience. Do this and do as I say, and I will look after you.
The result is that we take care of everything except ourselves: the car, the motorcycle, and other controls. It’s like we went on autopilot, without realizing that our lives have so much more to offer.
Depending on where and with who we are, we can sometimes choose to behave in a special way. We reveal certain aspects of ourselves and hide others. This can be practical in some situations, such as when we are looking for work, attending meetings or being at our workplaces. But in the long run, this attitude can create conflicts within us.
Perhaps our most difficult task is to discover ourselves, to connect with our inner self and show our true selves. This should be seen as a challenge and not a threat. It is not always easy, but when we are on the right path, we will be filled with inner peace. It is important that we take responsibility and act purposefully in our lives and not just react aimlessly to what is happening. This is how we shape a meaningful world.
