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David Baxter PhD

Late Founder
Why Finding Your Purpose Is Important When Battling Depression
by Jasmine L. Bennett, World of Psychology
Feb 5, 2020

When your mood is at the lowest of low, it’s hard to even think that someone loves you or cares about you. You feel like you’re unnoticed by everyone. It’s hard to even think that anyone wants to have you around, and you may even feel like you’re a burden to everyone.

In reality, you do have value and a meaning in life. Everyone is imperfect and everyone makes mistakes. But we all need to understand that imperfections don’t put a value on our worth. You have awesome abilities and talents that no one else has and that makes you uniquely valuable.

Your life matters, and when you begin to understand what gifts and talents you possess, you’ll begin to see your worth and value. There is so much to be discovered about your abilities, your potential and the things that you want to do but allow fear to stop you.

Once you realize what you were created for, the thoughts of low self-value may begin to disappear. You’ll be able to see your life impacting others and stop doubting that your existence is valuable or questioning your worth.

Here’s why finding your purpose is important:

Find Your Worth
When people are positively impacted by your life and deeply touched by what you’ve given, done or said to them it encourages you. When we’re able to give out to others the love and passion that we have inside of us, it makes a huge impact on others. And in turn it shows us how much we really are appreciated and how priceless we really are. Once you begin living out what you believe you were purposed to do the way you think about yourself will change. You’ll soon realize that you have worth.

Focus on Others
Sometimes we can get so wrapped up in our own life struggles and problems that we forget that anyone else exists. We begin to become so self-centered because we feel like our issues are what the world revolves around. It can seem like the world stops when we have a rough day or when we have a day full of disappointments. Our whole lives can feel like they’re full of disappointments. When we become engaged in helping others with their problems and encouraging others who may be having a rough day, our issues don’t seem as dire. Giving others the special lift, they need by just doing what you were created for can turn someone’s life around.

Learn About Life
Getting an opportunity to learn about other people’s experiences in life also helps our lives feel smaller. We sometimes think that we are the only one’s that have had terrible life experiences and can’t relate to anyone else. We may just need a moment to step back to hear about other people’s lives and stories. While doing whatever you were born to do, you’re able to learn about other people’s lives and how they’ve gotten through their tough life struggles. You’re able to gain knowledge and wisdom from someone else, which can help us through our own lives.

Experience Encouragement
We all need encouragement. In fact, I think the reason why most people are depressed may stem from a lack of encouragement. Everybody wants to be affirmed and told that they’re good enough or that they are welcomed. Being able to help others while working and doing what you were called to do will help with that. You’ll feel the appreciation and love coming from others because of the passion and love that you give to them coming from inside of you. When you are happy and enjoying what you’re doing, people sense that. The same joy that you give out will come back to you through others. You never know, when you’re having a bad day the same people (or random people) that you encouraged and loved will come along to help you when you least expect it.

Total Fulfillment
Getting to the point in life where we finally figure out what we want to do and what we were created for can give us the most fulfilling feeling we can in life. We can receive so much closure by understanding how our lives matter to others. As women we are taught to be great wives, mothers, daughters, sisters, and friends. But those are just roles that we fill as women because of relationships. Our purpose encompasses those titles and shows us how we are different we are to everyone else.

How to Find Your Purpose
What are you most passionate about? What do enjoy doing in your spare time? What do you have a natural talent for? These questions may help you on your journey to find out your life’s meaning. Start pondering about what you love doing most to find out what you were purposed to become. Think about what talents and abilities you have. Ask loved one and friends what they consider to be your gifts and talents. Write out your skills and interests to begin finding out what it is that you were created to do.

If you or someone you know battles with depression, know that you are not alone. There are treatment options, support communities and resources available for you or your loved one.

If you or someone you know are in an immediate crisis, get help by calling the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (1-800-273-8255) or visit The International Association for Suicide Prevention to be connected to a trained counselor at a crisis center nearby.
 
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