Why Are We Here?

Victoria Carr

Description

Have you ever found yourself questioning the meaning of life? Through collecting and sharing peoples perspectives, this book will help you unlock the answers.
It is nothing new to question the meaning of life. History shows that the search for understanding has been ongoing for many years, not only in the modern world but also in ancient minds. Throughout time, many people have pondered this subject, and in this book you will become familiar with many outlooks from people past and present.
This book is a special collection of answers to the eternal question: what is the meaning of life? In its pages you will find the musings of a diverse and inspiring group of people, along with an exploration of philosophy and a selection of poignant quotes that will influence your own life’s journey.
If you have ever found yourself questioning the meaning of life, or are seeking a deeper understanding of something you can’t quite articulate, this book will help you unlock the answers.

Sujets

• Santé et bien-être
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Bien-être émotionnel
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Bien-être
• Mindset
• Life
• Happiness
• Coaching
• Meaning
• Self-help
• Spiritual
• Philosophy
• Guidance
• Espiritual
• Personal Growth

Informations

• Publié par: Balboa Press AU
• Date de parution: 06 mars 2023
• Nombre de lectures: 0
• EAN13: 9781982296865
• Langue: English

Extrait

WHY ARE WE HERE?
 
A COLLECTION OF PERSPECTIVES ON WHAT THE MEANING OF LIFE IS ALL ABOUT
 
VICTORIA CARR
 
 
 
 
 

 
Copyright © 2023 Victoria Carr.
 
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be used or reproduced by any means, graphic, electronic, or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, taping or by any information storage retrieval system without the written permission of the author except in the case of brief quotations embodied in critical articles and reviews.
 
Balboa Press
A Division of Hay House
1663 Liberty Drive
Bloomington, IN 47403
www.balboapress.com.au
AU TFN: 1 800 844 925 (Toll Free inside Australia)
AU Local: [phone] ([phone] from outside Australia)
 
Because of the dynamic nature of the Internet, any web addresses or links contained in this book may have changed since publication and may no longer be valid. The views expressed in this work are solely those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher, and the publisher hereby disclaims any responsibility for them.
 
The author of this book does not dispense medical advice or prescribe the use of any technique as a form of treatment for physical, emotional, or medical problems without the advice of a physician, either directly or indirectly. The intent of the author is only to offer information of a general nature to help you in your quest for emotional and spiritual well-being. In the event you use any of the information in this book for yourself, which is your constitutional right, the author and the publisher assume no responsibility for your actions.
 
Any people depicted in stock imagery provided by Getty Images are models, and such images are being used for illustrative purposes only.
Certain stock imagery © Getty Images.
 
 
 
ISBN: 978-1-9822-9685-8 (sc)
ISBN: 978-1-9822-9686-5 (e)
 
Balboa Press rev. date:  03/02/2023
CONTENTS
Acknowledgements
Foreword
Introduction
 
Chapter 1     The Past
Chapter 2     The Present
Chapter 3     Lessons I am learning on my journey
Chapter 4     Happiness
 
Final notes
References
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
There are many people to thank for their contributions to this book and their support throughout my journey.
I would like to acknowledge all of the incredible people who contributed their feelings on the meaning of life. Their efforts and thoughtful responses are very much appreciated.
I am so grateful for all of my wonderful family and friends, and for their support and guidance.
I want to thank Shelly Drewitz for supporting me while I wrote this book. Her way with words really helped the book come to life. Thanks also to Anna Sweet for her careful edits.
FOREWORD
It is nothing new to question the meaning of life. History shows that the search for understanding has been ongoing for many years, not only in the modern world but also in ancient minds. Throughout time, many people have pondered this subject, and in the following pages you will become familiar with many outlooks from people past and present.
A philosopher is known as someone who is searching, someone who spends their life contemplating. Philosophers concentrate on solving questions about life and our lives as humans. The meaning behind the word “philosopher” is “lover of wisdom”.
I highly recommend you do some research into these amazing, inspirational people as I am only giving you a small insight into their worlds. Look for the books you feel inspired to read and be open for information to come to you as it is needed. If you feel drawn to it, explore it, read it, understand it and enjoy the process.
“The meaning of life is to give life meaning” – Viktor E Frankl
INTRODUCTION
What do you think is the meaning of life?
Today I sit and write this book as part of my journey through life. It all began when I was young and I repeatedly asked the question, “What is the meaning of life, and why am I here on Earth?” From then on, it has been an adventure in understanding why I am here.
In my search to find answers, I have spoken with a number of incredible people about this topic and, over time, I have started to feel that I am here for a specific reason. I’ve begun to think that I need to make some major changes – not only in my life, but in others’ lives too. Like many people before me I have found myself asking, “What am I doing? Where is my life going?” To me, it feels like I am searching. I am on a mission to find out why I am here. Interestingly, I’ve found myself with a sense of guidance, as the lessons I need to learn seem to appear at just the right time.
This new outlook has reinforced my pursuit to discover more about my life’s purpose. And so, I have been moved to write this book to bring together the words from so many beautiful people, for the same reason you have been moved to read this book today. Curiously, when asking people to contribute a paragraph on the meaning of life as seen through their eyes, I found that some people needed to take time to consider their answers, while others could answer within a day. Overwhelmingly, the main message I received was one of thanks – thanks for being given the opportunity to reflect on what life is really about.
I am intrigued now more than ever as to what motivates and inspires people to learn and grow in their life’s journey. Having travelled through Indonesia, Australia, Thailand and Africa, among other places, I have been lucky enough to see firsthand some of the diversity in cultures, traditions, religions, spiritualties and ways of living all around this amazing world, which has helped me to better understand the context behind how some people form their beliefs. From high rise apartments in New York to mud hut homes in Africa, each little pocket of the world has its own way of living, its own history, and its own culture and belief structure based on what its residents feel the meaning of life is. Historically, we inherit our belief systems from our families and friends and God only knows which life we will be born into. For this reason, I have brought together many perspectives on the meaning of life with the intent of showing you how differently people can perceive this meaning, and yet how, at the heart of it, the meaning is very similar in many ways. Through collecting and sharing these viewpoints with the world, I hope to help open the door to creating change in the way we think, and to provide a renewed outlook on life through reading a diverse range of opinions: one that allows us to walk forward on our own paths.
A favourite saying of mine is life through my lenses . This helps me to remember that the reason all human beings on this Earth have a different view or perspective is because we see from different eyes, and have been conditioned differently depending on the way we were raised.
Throughout my journey to understand, I have also discovered many books and pieces of literature on this topic, and I am grateful for the ability to read because it truly allows me to dive into the minds of the greatest philosophers and generational leaders. I have also chosen to include a collection of beliefs and viewpoints from the philosophers and historical figures that resonate with me most. You may agree or disagree with parts of this book, and that is ok. We all have a different outlook on life, and the intention of this book is not to decide who is right or wrong; instead, it is my hope that it may bring something meaningful to you at the right time in your life.
Through trying to understand ancient teachings and philosophical views, I believe that we can learn more about how to live happier, more positive lives. I am glad people are taking time out to reflect on what life is really about as it is my hope that through this journey, we will be able to reduce the amount of negativity in our world. Throughout my research I have found that we seem to view people who speak negatively as smarter than those who speak positively – could this be because we have a need to survive and by hearing about negative events, maybe we feel we can prevent potential negative outcomes in our own lives? The problem is, we can then give more attention to negative aspects of the world and live a more dissatisfied life full of stress and worry. However, cultivating a mindset of seeing things in a positive way has been said to give greater life satisfaction and a happier outlook on life in general.
The word mindset means a way of thinking, an attitude, an opinion or outlook. It is an established set of attitudes, moods and intentions, and the mindset you have has been created not only from every experience you’ve gone through, but also other people’s influences throughout your life so far. It is a mental attitude that will determine how you interpret and respond to circumstances in your life. It is this that I would like you to capture throughout the book, that your mindset towards life can change if you simply notice your thoughts and review the way you want your outlook to be. Your happiness and life satisfaction depend on your mindset in every situation.
Throughout the following pages, you will read many paragraphs from a vast selection of people I have met who have chosen to express their feelings on the meaning of life, as well as a selection of literature from philosophers, spiritual leaders, inspirational quotes from books, and original pieces I have written. My intention is to help others to stay inspired and to show that other people are also thinking the same thoughts you are.
“Being happy doesn’t mean that everything is perfect, it means that you have decided to look beyond the imperfections.” – unknown
CHAPTER 1
THE PAST