Tools to Build Resilience: 4) Make Your Life Meaning-Filled! May 29, 2025 Reading Time: 5 min ShareTweetPinShare0 SharesResilience isn’t just about recovering from setbacks—it’s about having compelling reasons to move forward. Because when life gives us a setback, meaning helps us get back up…People who believe their lives have meaning are happier, more confident and more resilient. And this meaning comes from three interconnected areas that work together to create unshakeable resilience.Quick Check: How meaningful does your life feel right now?Do you have a clear picture of where your life is heading?Do your daily actions reflect your values?Do you believe you make a difference?If you hesitated on any of these, you’re not alone. Let’s explore these 3 areas a little further.3 Key Areas that Add Meaning to Our Lives1) A Clear Vision for Your LifeDo you know what you want your life to look like? Where you’re heading? Not just vague hopes—but a clear picture of how you want your life to be?Because when you have clear direction, life’s problems feel smaller because they exist within a larger story.And this helps with resilience because setbacks become temporary obstacles rather than a huge deal. Instead of seeing setbacks and challenges as purely negative, we’re more likely to see them as part of a larger story. And it’s always easier to get back up when we have something inspiring to move towards…In addition, working towards a life vision increases our feelings of empowerment and agency, which we can draw upon when facing life’s inevitable challenges.If the fire in your heart is strong enough, it will burn away any obstacles that come your way. Suzy KassemQuick Start Activity:Complete this sentence aloud—or in your journal: “In five years, I want to be _____”.Don’t overthink it—just write whatever comes to mind.2) Living our ValuesDo you know what your values are? And are you expressing them in your life?When we live our values, you literally feel good about being yourself. Scientists call this “moral elevation” and it creates a solid foundation of purpose and meaning we can lean on in times of difficulty.This helps with resilience because when our actions align with our values—not only do we feel good, but we develop a deep sense of satisfaction and self-trust: I can handle this.In addition, living our values provides an anchor in crises and turbulent times, giving us inner strength and a strong compass for decision making.“You just decide what your values are in life and what you are going to do, and then you feel like you count, and that makes life worth living. It makes my life meaningful.” Annie LennoxQuick Start Activity:Think of your top three values, and then rate how well you’re living each on a scale of 1-10.If any score is 7 or below, that’s a great starting point to explore how you can express that value more in your life.3) Contributing and Making a Difference to OthersOne great way to become more resilient is to focus less on your own issues—and more on the positive impact you bring to the world.And. When we consciously contribute/do something to make things better for our community, workplace or world, this gives us a powerful sense of meaning and fulfilment—we view ourselves more positively.This helps with resilience in several ways. Knowing we make a difference means that even when our personal circumstances become difficult:We feel better about ourselves.We gain perspective and are reminded that we’re not alone—we’re part of something bigger.And we feel more of a sense of agency in our own lives: if you can create positive change “over there,” you start believing you can create change in your own life too.And contributing often also creates social connections that can provide practical and emotional support during difficult times.You may not always see the results of your kindness, but every bit of positive energy you contribute to the world makes it a better place for all of us. Lisa CurrieQuick Start Activity:Do a Random Act of Kindness today that makes you feel good, and also helps someone else!So, Meaning = Increased ResilienceThese 3 areas together (life vision, values and contribution) add meaning to our lives, and this in turn helps us be more resilient. A meaning-filled life helps us experience:Less stress and helplessness—and more confidence and inner strength.A greater sense of empowerment and agency—we believe we can make change in our lives.Increased self-worth—we feel better about ourselves and are less dependent on external validation and circumstances.More clarity and motivation—we have more energy and enthusiasm for our lives.So, how do we make our lives meaning-filled?Life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose. Victor FranklWell, meaning doesn’t magically exist, we must create it for ourselves. So next are some journaling prompts to add meaning to your life.3 Journaling Prompts to Help Add Meaning to Your Life STEP 1) Begin by answering:What does a meaningful life look like for me? What (do I think) gives life meaning?This can be a powerful journaling question all on its own. So you can stop here if you like. Or continue on…STEP 2) Now explore these 3 areas that add meaning to our lives:What is the vision you have for your life?What is the life you’re aiming towards? Use the questions below (and anything else you can think of) to write out an ideal day in your life from waking up to going to bed.Where are you?Who is around you? What else do you see around you?What can you hear?What are you doing? And what does this give you?What do you feel—both physically to the touch, and emotionally? How do you want to feel?Are you living your values in life?Make a list of your Top 10 values, then alongside each value, write a score out of 10 for how well you’re living that value.Then for each score that is 7 or less, identify one action to help you live into that value more.And to go deeper, take your top 3-5 values, and write out what it would look like to live that value at a 10/10!Recognize what you already do make the world a better place!Make a list of all the things you already do that help make the world a better place, and alongside each item write out why it’s so important to you.List out any time you’re consciously doing something to improve your community or the planet that has meaning for you… (and I’ll bet that list is a lot longer than your expect!)Finally, read your list, and give yourself a pat on the back!TIP: Include anything and everything you can think of from big to small like using reusable bags, buying local, donating, volunteering, at work, in your family, if you cycle to work etc.Finally, if you feel inspired and want to go deeper, complete step 3 below!STEP 3) Wrap up by considering how you can bring even more meaning into your life:What more can you do to move forwards in each of the 3 areas?What one action will you commit to that:Moves you closer to the vision you have for your life?Helps you live your values more fully?Makes a difference and helps make the world a better place?Wrap-upCreating meaning in life is important work—and it’s also deeply satisfying. And there are 3 practical ways you can do this:Connect with a vision for your life.Know—and live—your own values.Make a difference (however small).These 3 areas energise us—and boost our confidence and self-trust. Your vision gives you direction, your values provide your compass and your contributions connect you to something larger than yourself. This creates a “resilience multiplier effect”, so that when life gets tough you have three interconnected pillars of meaning holding you up.More Meaning = More Resilience!Liked this article on boosting resilience and taking charge of your life? You may also like:Tools to Build Resilience: 1) A Strong, Healthy Mindset + 7 Beliefs to HelpTools to Build Resilience: 2) Cultivate Your Joy and AlivenessTools to Build Resilience: 3) Take Charge of Your Destiny!Change the world. 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