Finding Meaning in a Busy Life

By Susan Begeman Steiner

Recently I started the practice of declaring an aim for the day. Every day when I first wake up, I find my aim. It might be Generosity, Simplicity or even Love. It just comes to me. So before I get out of bed, I know what I will focus on the whole day while I am working.

This has my busy days unfold in a more meaningful way.

An aim gives meaning to a day. You are not just on the treadmill.

Yesterday my aim was Not Knowing. During the day I was more aware of when I didn’t know something and how that made me feel. I happened to buy a Hewlett Packard computer yesterday for some specialized client work I’m doing. I am a Mac person and I don’t know how to operate PC’s. As I tried to set up my new computer, I was face to face with Not Knowing. I observed how much I struggle, how angry I get when I don’t already know something. It was ironic that I would try to set up a PC on the day I was focusing on Not Knowing.

Now I have some interesting thinking to do about not knowing. How can I ease this automatic reaction I have to new situations? What am I afraid of? Why do I get so angry? I’m not sure of the answers to these questions, but now I can explore. This illustrates the second value of an aim.

With an aim you become aware of things you weren’t aware of. When you are aware, you can learn.

If you are looking for more meaning in your life, maybe you want to find your aim every day. Or maybe there’s something else you know you can do.

Daily practices like this one can be quite helpful. A daily practice is personal and can be very effective. Some people use prayer or meditation, some use affirmations or a walk in nature.

Whatever is right for you, find the way to keep taking your life deeper. Then the daily challenges and frustrations can be turned into a way to learn more about yourself. Since these challenges are going to happen anyway, we might as well make the best use of them.