Have you ever noticed that when you are focused on achieving a goal you have lots of energy, you feel alive, and you have a sense of meaning and purpose about your life? When I am clear about my path, opportunities open up, miracles occur and great joy is experienced.
It is in having a goal and working to achieve it that we are able to feel a sense of purpose in our lives. Sitting around with nothing to do does not bring joy and a sense of fulfillment. It usually brings sadness and a sense of loss. I am a great admirer of the work of Dr. Victor Frankl, M.D., Ph.D., (1905-1997), who was an Austrian Neurologist and psychiatrist, as well as a holocaust survivor. He was the founder of logotherapy, which is based on the belief that the most powerful motivating and driving force in people is their striving to find meaning in their life. In his classic book, Man’s Search for Meaning, Frankl discusses his experiences in a concentration camp and describes how he was able to find meaning and a reason for living even in the most difficult of life’s circumstances. He found that when a camp inmate had someone they wished to be reunited with or they had something they wished to accomplish after the war that they were much more likely to survive the camps. It was their sense of purpose that allowed them to find a way to go on living.
Interestingly, Dr. Frankl had developed his theory before the war. He felt that the time he spent in a concentration camp only confirmed and provided evidence for his theory. He also felt that “when we are no longer able to change a situation….we are challenged to change ourselves”. Ultimately, the power resides within us to determine how we will respond to our circumstances.
There is a lot of upheaval in our world at this time. Tropical storms and hurricanes, earthquakes, high unemployment, and many other difficulties certainly abound. However, I have personally never felt more optimistic about all of the many opportunities that exist today. It is all about where we put our attention, what our attitudes are and the goals we set for ourselves. I hope you will always find meaning in your life and that you will experience the great joy and fulfillment that comes with accomplishing your heart’s desire.
Love & Light,
Felicia Weiss
“Everything can be taken from a man but one thing; the last of the human freedoms‚Äîto choose one’s attitude in any given set of circumstances, to choose one’s own way.” – Dr. Viktor Frankl
About Felicia Weiss, Ph.D.
Felicia co-publishes the Holistic Networker and produces the Wellness Expo. In her spare time, Felicia enjoys reading and working in the garden.
