Having A Purpose In Life Can Protect Your Brain
(BeWellBuzz) Have you ever asked yourself what are you REALLY living for? What is your greater purpose in life? If not, it is time to do so.
Having purpose in your life is one of the greatest and most empowering feelings in the world, especially at the moment when one discovers and commits to it.
You really feel “alive”, happy, lighter and your troubles become too small to even worry about. You get a different perspective on life. You feel satisfied with the decisions and actions you take.
How To Recognize Your Greater Purpose In Life?
Many of us lose that life light when something bad happens. It is very important to surround yourself with people that you love, bring back the passion for life, and get back on track.
According to the late Ashland coach Bob Wright, answering a few questions can help determine what one’s purpose in life is.
- “What would you like your epitaph and your obituary to read?” As simple as this question may seem, the answer requires a lot of thought. More often people would not want it to say how many cars or condos they own, instead how many people they have impacted in their lives. In fact, for most people, life is measured by connections; be it connections with people, nature or beauty.
- Another thought provoking question is “Who are the people you would want present at your death bed?” This indeed forces one to think about the end goal or the greater purpose in life.
Why Should We Have A Greater Purpose In Life?
Evidently, it requires an astronomical amount of consideration. So, why would one want to invest time and thought on this? Having a life’s purpose can keep you sane! Research shows that it prevents harmful effects of Alzheimer’s in older people and dementia.
Dr. Patricia A. Boyle conducted a study called the Rush Memory and Aging Project with 260 patients, who agreed to be a part of the cognitive testing for ten years. As a part of this test, patients were asked about their purpose in life derived from their life experiences. They were tested for their focus and concentration of these purposes. A brain autopsy was performed on these patients after their demise, and the number of plaques and tangles, associated with Alzheimer’s were quantified. Patients who had shown a greater focus for their purpose in life showed a decreased number of plaques and tangles!
This research opened a whole new arena of research to explore cognitive benefits of having a sound mind. According to Dr. Boyle, a purpose in life reduces the rate of mortality.
According to another study conducted in Chicago, most elderly people bear a notion “I have seen and done everything in life.” Because of which, they lose the will to live. The brain responds to this state of mind and its function diminishes. This is manifested in the form of illnesses like Alzheimer’s or Dementia.
Why Else Should One Have A Purpose In Life?
Having a reason to live not only helps you to live longer, but it significantly improves the quality of life. Alzheimer’s is one of the most prevalent illnesses of the mind in older people. Technically, everyone is aware of the symptoms of Alzheimer’s – loss of memory and other cognitive functions. Unfortunately, symptoms that one fails to mention are the loss of dignity and severe dependence on others.
Having a purpose in life helps a person to maintain that dignity that he has lived with all his life. Some of the other benefits of living a purposeful life are as follows.
- A life with meaning: A life’s motive is considered not in terms of the quantity but by the quality of actions taken throughout life. What a person chooses to do with every day gives meaning to his/her life.
- Passion: A purpose in life drives one to excel and gives one the energy to deal with barriers, irrespective of age.
- An idle mind is the devil’s workshop: A purpose automatically brings concentration and focus in life and helps to turn a blind eye away from negative emotions and inhibitions.
- A purpose in life can set you free: When one has a tenacious hold on one aspect of life, they can release other thoughts that do not matter.
Start Thinking Of A Greater Purpose!
How can one find the time in this day and age to sit back and think? Even though, it may help them in the long run, people are always looking for quick fixes.
However, you must understand that there is no quick fix for a peaceful life. To get you started, you can keep in mind how people have come to realize their purpose in life. Find out why other people do what they do and assess if you could follow the same path or purpose in your life.
For example, many have found peace in giving; giving what they’d love to have or giving what they were deprived of. And some people’s mission is to eradicate poverty, and they would help people find ways to make a living and do everything in their power to help poor and needy.
A purpose in life can save the world! More importantly, it can save you. Why are you living?
References:
http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2012-05/rumc-pil050412.php
http://personalexcellence.co/blog/why-should-you-have-a-purpose-heres-5-solid-reasons-why/
