We All Need A Purpose

I just read an interview article on Beliefnet with actress Doris Roberts, who is best known for her role as Marie Barone, Ray’s mother on the show “Everybody Loves Raymond.”

She is playing in a new Hallmark Channel movie this weekend called “Our House” where she plays a lonely old woman who gives up on life. That is until she meets Bobby, a homeless woman played by Judy Reyas- from ‘Scrubs.”

In the story the homeless woman helps the Doris’ character find an new purpose, offering her home to homeless people and helping them out.

I know this is a movie but it reminded me of how we all need a purpose.

There are many older people who are living a lonely depressed life because they feel they no longer have a purpose.  Their children are away on their own, they are no longer working. perhaps not involved in any activities and alone.  This is a perfect example of what the mind will do when there is no drive for any reason, it can be a major cause of depression and anxiety.

People need a reason, a why, a purpose to drive and motivate them in order to experience happiness.  Feeling low self esteem can become a problem when you don’t feel you are of use.  There are statistics indicating that a large number of men die within a few years after retiring from high powered jobs, where they were busy, responsible and challenged.

If they don’t find a new purpose to get involved with they feel useless, which can lead to stress, anxiety and depression.  When a person feel useless and of little value the will to live can become extremely low.

And what about the homeless people?  Many of them have lost their drive because how they feel about themselves.  Self motivation is difficult when you see no purpose.  Due to circumstances they may have given up on a purpose they once had, seeing it as no longer feasable.  Maybe  they never had one.  It becomes easier and easier to drop futher away from the average productive life because it takes effort which must be backed by drive — that they don’t have.

These groups of people are but two examples of people who could use assistance finding a purpose to get behind mentally and emotionally.  This should be part of the effort given to help these groups as well as others.

People will do much more for themselves when they have their own reasons to exert effort.

Those who are driven to actively support their own purpose can easily miss the fact that there are people out there that are struggling with life because they do not have this crucial motivational key.  We just don’t imagine someone without a purpose when we are embroiled in fulfilling ours.

But look at all the individual suffering and the burdon on society these people frequently are, just because they lack purpose.  What if we could assist them with finding something they can get excited about?

Pay attention to others you are around.  Better yet, give them some attention by taking the time to find out whether they feel they have a reason to get up in the morning?  Maybe you can help them discover one.  Imagine what could happen if you assisted them in raising their motivation level to match yours?

Pay attention, there are learning and growing opportunities everywhere,

John
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