Meaning is the Magic you Need

Meaning is the Magic you Need: He’s a Baker and a Lover

“Don’t ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive, and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.”
Violence Unveiled, Howard Thurman

 

Meaning is what makes us come alive and is the theme of this week’s Love at Lunch.

 

Meaning is one of the 5 components identified my research that brings more happiness and contentment to life. Meaning makes life, even the mundane parts, feel more magical. Find out how to create more meaning in this week’s Love at Lunch ❤️

 

When interviewed for a film series called Lives Explored, which featured stories of people who lived truly engaged lives from all walks of life, reflecting on what gave his life purpose and meaning, Francois, a Sara Lee bakery supervisor, referred to himself as a baker and a lover.

He reflected: “My job is to make sure that the product that we put out there is of higher quality. That’s something that’s is dear to my heart. At the same time, I want to make sure that the people I work with love working with me, enjoy the fact that I interact with them and the fact that I care about them. It’s not just about the product; I care about the people I work with, ask them how they’re doing, how’s their family, the little things go along way. The employees like to know that I care about their lives, know how they’re feeling out of work. It brings me a lot of joy to my heart. I come home, and I am happy that we put a great product out there, and the employees are enjoying working with me and doing a great job and loving what they do. These are two elements I really hold dear to my heart. ”

He goes on to say, “you can’t fail by being loving to someone. You can never fail in that. It might take time, but there is no way you can fail in being loving”. Deepening Engagement, Diane Millis

This is meaning.

Of all of the components of creating a flourishing life, meaning, the fourth component of the PERMA framework is my favourite.

Reading how Francois describes his job makes me well up. His work matters. He knows meaning. Not because he’s got a masters degree, not because he’s a graduate of one of the world’s top culinary schools, but because he knows deeply what is meaningful to him. He shows people love and that matters.

We all have that chance. We can look deeper into our day to day lives and discover what gives our lives meaning.

If life has lost its lustre, uncovering more meaning in your life is the magic that you need. The video talks about ways to cultivate more meaning. One might even shock you. It’s not hard to find, and when you do, you might become your version of a baker and a lover. AND then you will truly feel alive.

I would love to hear what makes you come alive. For me, I am no baker, but I am indeed a lover. I LOVE people, and I love to see them come alive. It feels like a miracle. Hit reply and tell me what brings you meaning and makes you come alive.

 

Lots of love to you all! xo

Leona

 

P.S. If you missed last week’s Love at Lunch about building thriving relationships, you can check it out here: Love at Lunch: Healthy Relationships

P.P.S. If you want to know more about PERMA, the five components of flourishing (in a practical/life-changing way), you can join the launch list for my book, Finding Your Joy Spot, where each chapter highlights one of the parts of flourishing and creating a joy-filled life.

 

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