Contributing to others. the way of meaning

Finding deep meaning in life, an essential component of the PERMA model, is achieved in a meaningful way through dedication and service to others.

This outward orientation, towards contributing to the welfare of others, not only benefits those who receive the aid.

Rather, it primarily enriches and gives purpose to the life of the person who offers it.

However, the motivation and the internal state from which this support is provided are crucial for this practice to result in genuine well-being.

Helping from Abundance

The most genuine and healthy way to help others, and therefore to find meaning, is to do so from a state of personal "abundance".

This implies that the person already feels internally complete, with his or her own emotional and personal development needs well taken care of.

As in the analogy of the oxygen mask on an airplane - where one must first put it on before helping others - it is essential to have worked on oneself first.

When one helps from this fullness, the act of giving becomes a natural extension of one's own well-being, like the sun that radiates warmth because it generates it by itself.

Actions are not motivated by the search for approval, affection or the need to feel good through external validation.

You offer support because you genuinely want to and have the ability to do so without expecting anything in return.

The Risk of Helping from Scarcity

In contrast, helping others out of "scarcity" or need can be counterproductive to one's own well-being and to the quality of the help offered.

When a person tries to help others to fill their own emptiness, seeking approval, affection or to feel useful for an internal lack, the motivation is extrinsic and can generate dependence or frustration.

This form of help is not sustainable and can become a burden, since it is given with the conscious or unconscious expectation of receiving something in return to meet one's own unmet needs.

Instead of being a source of well-being, it can perpetuate a cycle of dissatisfaction.

Steps to Meaningful Service

To cultivate a meaningful life through service, a process is proposed that begins with personal development: pensar en los demás y cómo se les puede ayudar utilizando las propias habilidades y conocimientos es un primer paso.

This leads to a sense of usefulness and service, which in turn generates positive emotions associated with the past (what has been done), the present (what is being done) and the future (projects to be carried out for the benefit of others).

This virtuous cycle, anchored in abundance, is what truly gives meaning and purpose to existence.