I have been reflecting on the issue of Happiness vs. Meaning – Recent research states that finding or having meaning in one’s life does not necessarily mean we are happy.

“…Happiness is mainly about getting what one wants and needs…In contrast, Meaningfulness was linked to doing things that express and reflect the self and in particular to doing positive things for others. Meaningful involvements increase one’s stress, worries, arguments, and anxiety, which reduce happiness…Whereas Happiness was focused on feeling good in the present, Meaningfulness integrated past, present, and future, and it sometimes meant feeling bad. Past misfortunes reduce present happiness, but they are linked to higher meaningfulness—perhaps because people cope with them by finding meaning.” From an article written by Baumeister et al. (2013) in the Journal of Positive Psychology, 8(6).

Also worth reading is “Man’s search for Meaning” by Victor Frankl (over 17 million copies sold). “Psychiatrist Viktor Frankl’s memoir has riveted generations of readers with its descriptions of life in Nazi death camps and its lessons for spiritual survival. Between 1942 and 1945 Frankl labored in four different camps, including Auschwitz, while his parents, brother, and pregnant wife perished. Based on his own experience and the experiences of others he treated later in his practice, Frankl argues that we cannot avoid suffering but we can choose how to cope with it, find meaning in it, and move forward with renewed purpose. Frankl’s theory-known as logotherapy, from the Greek word logos (“meaning”)-holds that our primary drive in life is not pleasure, as Freud maintained, but the discovery and pursuit of what we personally find meaningful.” (book review of ‘Man’s Search for Meaning’)