Beyond The Mirage of Unrealistic Expectations, Exploring the Idea of Purposeful Living

 

What does it mean to be living purposefully? Is it determined by the list of professional achievements on your LinkedIn wall, or by the popularity of your social media presence? Is a purposeful life about being happy all the time as claimed by the champions of toxic positivity? 

We indeed live in the most advanced technological age till date, but also in an age of unrealistic expectations. So what then is purposeful living, beyond all the mirage and illusions of commercial marketing. This blog is a humble attempt to put forward my personal view point on the same, welcome to the latest blog from tea break with life. 

Exploring The Idea of Purposeful Living: 

Today, many people live in a world suffocated by commercial claims that offer you a purposeful life. It fascinates me to look back and observe how this has grown over the years. Today it has reached a point where parents start stressing about their child's school admissions when the child is a newborn. From children learning coding to the entrance stress that now seems to begin as early as 8th standard. (I maybe wrong here, the last time I checked entrance coaching foundation begins from 8th, science peeps, correct me if it's even earlier!). Now, there is nothing wrong in kids learning coding, or entrance examinations, my point is entirely different. These things alone do not determine if your life is purposeful. It may all be part of the story, but certainly not sufficient. Fundamentally the problem is the idea that, a purposeful life can be bought commercially or via acquiring something. 

Business today

What's worse is how social media adds fuels to fire and builds up all sorts of unrealistic expectations. I know people who are extremely talented, kind hearted and on a whole amazing people who feel worthless. Why? Because they feel someone else seems to be doing a lot of things in comparison(Professionally). This problem also manifests at a personal level especially among teenagers, who are seen to have low self confidence based on the likes/following they receive. Social media is a good complimentary mechanism, but not a replacement mechanism. Another group seen to play a role in this whole story are the mascots of toxic positivity. They end up making people feel worse while trying to spread positivity. Not everything goes right all the time, there are setbacks and disappointments in every journey. What one can do is to be there for each other in these moments and reassure people. 

My Equation for a Purposeful Life:

But what then is purposeful living? It is certainly not irresponsible living, neither is it limited or suffocated by the constrains mentioned above. In my perspective, purposeful living is nothing but the unique expression of your inner self in the world. Each of us are unique, which makes each life precious. 

In my perspective, purposeful living means the unique expression of your inner self in the world.   

Family, Friendships, Career, Social Life and Self growth are all pillars of a purposeful life. And I stress on the unique part of it, because there can and should not be comparisons. Everyone's story is different and also their unique expressions differ. There are people who enjoy keeping things low key, while there are others who like to make everything sound like a grand celebration( yeah that includes me). 

In my understanding it is in the combination of these various aspects of life that it becomes complete and purposeful. We hear of several people in high position according to their bank balances who feel alienated and out of touch. This is a very common phenomenon in metropolitan cities and the new urban life. In the busy pursuit for career advancements, it is important to carry your family relations, friendships and social connect along with you, for at the end human being are social animals. 

What is the way Ahead?

Life is an unpredictable story, we do not know what awaits us the very next moment. As mentioned earlier, we cannot guarantee a fairytale path in all journeys. But there is one thing that we are absolutely sure about, we are in this together! This journey will have ups and downs, happiness and sorrow, but if it is shared together, the human spirit shall indeed overcome! 

Therefore live from your heart, do your work with love, be there for each other and have faith in the truth, life shall become purposeful and the flowers in the garden of peace shall blossom. 

Full House is among my most favorite tv shows, and it's sweet theme song is relevant for the message here: 

Everywhere you look (everywhere you go)
There's a heart (there's a heart)
A hand to hold onto.
Everywhere you look (everywhere you go)
There's a face
Of somebody who needs you.
When you're lost out there and you're all alone,
A light is waiting to carry you home,

Go ahead and share your moments on social networks, professional gyan on LinkedIn, learn coding or whatever, have healthy competitions, the point is that do not feel overwhelmed by anyone, you are a unique expression of life, 

You my friend are here to be yourself! 

Thank You For Reading! 

Thank You to my dear friend Riya Mankar for the beautiful cover art for the blog which conveys the essence of the message. (Inspired from @colormehappu)

Give it a share among your friend and do send me a feedback. 

The Revolution of Love Shall Win! 

From Tuesdays With Morrie 

-Sreesreshta Nair(SN)