How to Live a Life That Feels Like Your Own

Living meaningfully isn’t about having all the answers, it’s about asking the right questions. Who am I? What do I truly want? What impact do I want to make? When we search for meaning, we embark on a journey to uncover our Authentic Selves. And in doing so, we find what we’ve been seeking all along: inner peace, happiness, and a life that feels like our own.

Psychologist Roy Baumeister identified four core needs that help us construct meaning in life: purpose, value, efficacy, and self-worth. When we actively seek to fulfill these needs, we not only find meaning but also uncover our authenticity. Here’s how:

🔹 Purpose: What drives you? A meaningful life starts with a clear direction, something worth striving for. It doesn’t have to be grand; it just has to be yours. Without purpose, we feel lost. But in searching for it, we discover our true aspirations and motivations.

🔹 Value (Justification): Do your actions align with what you truly believe? When we live by our core values, we feel a deeper connection to ourselves and the world. Meaning arises when we contribute to something bigger than ourselves, whether it’s family, a cause, or a craft we’re passionate about.

🔹 Efficacy: Do you believe you can make a difference? Meaning comes from knowing that our efforts matter. Every challenge we overcome, every step forward, reinforces that we are capable. The search for efficacy pushes us to grow, learn, and trust in our abilities.

🔹 Self-Worth: Do you feel deserving of happiness? Many people struggle with this, but meaning is rooted in self-acceptance. When we recognize our worth, we stop seeking validation from the outside and start embracing who we are. The journey to self-worth is the journey to self-love.