Meaningful Living Project:Meaningful Living Project:Orientation 2012Orientation 2012

A Positive Global Vision of A Positive Global Vision of

Healing and Flourishing Healing and Flourishing

Through Meaningful LivingThrough Meaningful Living

The Most Important The Most Important QuestionQuestion• What do you really want in life?What do you really want in life?• The magic question: If you were to The magic question: If you were to

be granted only one wish, what be granted only one wish, what would that be? would that be?

• How do you know that one thing is How do you know that one thing is really good for you?really good for you?

• On what basis you do you make that On what basis you do you make that important choice?important choice?

A Sad ParadoxA Sad Paradox

• Pursing happiness but finding miseryPursing happiness but finding misery

• The American dream of success and The American dream of success and happiness through hard work has turned happiness through hard work has turned into a nightmare for so many peopleinto a nightmare for so many people

• Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elvis Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson, Elvis Presley had everything on the outside but Presley had everything on the outside but nothing but pain in the insidenothing but pain in the inside

• What might be the reasons for such What might be the reasons for such tragedies ?tragedies ?

Rethinking & Reimaging LifeRethinking & Reimaging Life

• Why do we often invest our life in the Why do we often invest our life in the wrong project?wrong project?

• Why the world is not enough?Why the world is not enough?• It’s time to take stock of our life and It’s time to take stock of our life and

re-examine our assumptions and re-examine our assumptions and worldviews worldviews

• It’s time to ask tough questions: Who It’s time to ask tough questions: Who am I? What really matters? What does am I? What really matters? What does it mean to life a good life?it mean to life a good life?

The Meaningful Living (M4L) The Meaningful Living (M4L) ProjectProject

• M4L provides a global vision and M4L provides a global vision and roadmap for meaningful livingroadmap for meaningful living

• Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Viktor Frankl’s “Man’s Search for Meaning”Meaning”

• Scott Peck’s “The Road Less TravelledScott Peck’s “The Road Less Travelled• Based on positive psychology research Based on positive psychology research

time-proven wisdoms from religion, time-proven wisdoms from religion, philosophy and literaturephilosophy and literature

Learning ObjectivesLearning Objectives

• Develop a deeper understanding of self Develop a deeper understanding of self and the human conditionand the human condition

• Learn how to develop mature Learn how to develop mature interdependenceinterdependence

• Learn to live an authentic and fulfilling Learn to live an authentic and fulfilling life in spite of constraintslife in spite of constraints

• Learn how to navigate troubled watersLearn how to navigate troubled waters• Learn the wisdom of living with Learn the wisdom of living with

paradoxesparadoxes

The Paradoxes of Human The Paradoxes of Human NatureNature

• Every virtue can be a vice, and vice versaEvery virtue can be a vice, and vice versa

• Both good and evilBoth good and evil

• Both growth-oriented and self-Both growth-oriented and self-handicappinghandicapping

• Both rational and irrationalBoth rational and irrational

• Both free and determinedBoth free and determined

• Both pleasure-seeking and self-sacrificialBoth pleasure-seeking and self-sacrificial

• Full of self-contradictionsFull of self-contradictions

The Paradoxes of LifeThe Paradoxes of Life

• The most pleasurable things are often The most pleasurable things are often most harmfulmost harmful

• The most beneficial experiences often The most beneficial experiences often come from hardship and sufferingcome from hardship and suffering

• We don’t know how to live well until We don’t know how to live well until we confront deathwe confront death

• Less is more, loss is gainLess is more, loss is gain

The tragedies of LifeThe tragedies of Life

• Striving for something only to find that Striving for something only to find that there is nothing at the end of the there is nothing at the end of the rainbowrainbow

• Realize on our deathbed that we have Realize on our deathbed that we have been busy all the time but have never been busy all the time but have never really livedreally lived

• Engaged in self-destructive behavior & Engaged in self-destructive behavior & changing positives into negativeschanging positives into negatives

• Gain the whole world but lose our soulGain the whole world but lose our soul

A Global Vision of M4LA Global Vision of M4L

1.1. Provide support for all people in their quest Provide support for all people in their quest for a better life within their constraintsfor a better life within their constraints

2.2. Equip people with a meaning mindset so Equip people with a meaning mindset so that they can see with clarity what really that they can see with clarity what really matters and how to live the good life in matters and how to live the good life in spite of the inevitable negatives spite of the inevitable negatives

3.3. Empower people to have the wisdom, Empower people to have the wisdom, courage and freedom to live authentically courage and freedom to live authentically and responsiblyand responsibly

4.4. Transform individuals and society through Transform individuals and society through meaningful livingmeaningful living

Who Needs M4L (continued)Who Needs M4L (continued)

5. Do you feel lonely and alienated?5. Do you feel lonely and alienated?6. Are you worried about change and the 6. Are you worried about change and the

uncertainties of your future?uncertainties of your future?7. Are you afraid of death and dying?7. Are you afraid of death and dying?8. Do you feel helpless and hopeless about 8. Do you feel helpless and hopeless about

your present predicament?your present predicament?9. Do you have difficulty deciding what to do 9. Do you have difficulty deciding what to do

with your life?with your life?10. Have you lost your passion for living?10. Have you lost your passion for living?

How to Get Involved in the M4L How to Get Involved in the M4L ProjectProject

• Participate in the Meaningful Living GroupParticipate in the Meaningful Living Group• Contribute to The Meaningful Living Contribute to The Meaningful Living

Project page on FacebookProject page on Facebook• Sign up for the Positive Living Newsletter Sign up for the Positive Living Newsletter

on www.meaning.caon www.meaning.ca• Become a member of the International Become a member of the International

Network on Personal Meaning (INPM)Network on Personal Meaning (INPM)• Take courses on Meaning-TherapyTake courses on Meaning-Therapy• Volunteer for the Meaning ConferenceVolunteer for the Meaning Conference