Purposeful Living Improves Health
If you’ve ever felt that whatever you were doing felt just right, that you were in the moment, then you know what it’s like to live in tune with your deepest desires. Living with purpose means that you are aligned with your inner authenticity. Now science has shown that living with purpose doesn’t just help you reach your goals. It can actually improve your physical, mental, and emotional health. Here are four ways of living with purpose has been shown to improve your health.
Physical Health Benefits
Living with purpose has been shown to have a surprising range of benefits for your physical health and purposeful living has been associated with improved cardiovascular health, and even with greater longevity. A strong sense of purpose has been described as a buffer against mortality across the adult lifespan.
People who have a sense of purpose seem to be able to tolerate pain better and are less likely to develop Alzheimer’s disease and problems with mobility.
Benefits for Your Personal Relationships
A study conducted in 2010 (1) found that people who felt they led meaningful lives had a more active connection to their loved ones and their community. They were more content with their lives and got on better with friends, family, colleagues, and neighbors.
Having a Healthier Retirement
Retirement is one of the most vulnerable times of your life. Instead of having a job, a career, a business, you are faced with, what? For some people, they have no life outside their work. Research (2) shows that people who have a deep sense of purpose go on to make the most of their retirement, living longer, happier, and more fulfilling lives.
Becoming More Resilient
Living with purpose does not mean you have fewer life challenges. It does mean that you will weather the storms of life better than someone who has not found their purpose.
Living a life aligned with your deepest values and beliefs builds greater resilience. You find meaning in all the things that happen to you, you feel more in control of your destiny, and you are not crushed by setbacks or failure.
It has been shown that people with a strong sense of purpose found abundance in their lives, no matter what their current circumstances. Greater resilience means being able to handle stresses without them having a negative impact on your mental and physical health. You will feel calmer, healthier, and happier over a longer life!
About Anne
Anne, a mother of 2 and grandmother of 3, shares her insights about health through Menopause & Beyond Menopause. She does this by sharing pearls of wisdom collected in her 72 years of living and working with clients since 1999. She deepens her knowledge by reading, researching and learning as much information on the physical and mental aspects of menopause to help you through your journey with these changes in life!
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References
- Umberson D. & Karas Montez J. (2010). Social Relationships and Health: A Flashpoint for Health Policy. J Health Soc Behav. 51(Suppl): S54–S66doi: 10.1177/0022146510383501
- Yemiscigil A. Powdthavee N. & Whillans A. (2021) The Effects of Retirement on Sense of Purpose in Life: Crisis or Opportunity? Psychol Sci. 2021 Nov;32(11):1856-1864. doi: 10.1177/09567976211024248.