It might seem counter-intuitive to think that you could discover your life’s purpose during a global pandemic. However, a crisis can sometimes open up possibilities that didn’t exist before. It can also help us to clarify what really matters to us. Jane Rubin, Ph.D., has more insight on finding your purpose even during a pandemic.
Is It Possible to Find Your Purpose During A Pandemic?
That’s a really complicated question. A lot depends upon what we mean when we talk about finding your purpose. This is not a good time to be looking for a new job or a relationship. People are losing jobs, not finding them. And people who have been meeting at bars or restaurants are now confined to their screens.But, despite these challenges, many people are finding new possibilities in their lives that they might not have found before the pandemic. Look at Black Lives Matter and the way the demonstrations are already shaping public opinion and public policy in new ways. Police have been killing black men forever. Why is there suddenly massive resistance now? Why do the majority of Americans now support the demonstrators when, six short years ago, they didn’t support the protesters in Ferguson, Missouri?I’m not a social scientist, but I have to believe that the pandemic has significantly affected people’s responses to the killing of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and the many, many other African Americans who have been killed by the police. And I don’t think that’s just because people are working from home, or are out of work, and therefore have time to go to demonstrations. I think the pandemic and the government’s response to it have laid bare the many inequities and injustices in American society and led people to feel that they have to make their voices heard.
What Can People Do in Their Own Lives?
First of all, there are many things people can do to address our current crisis. That includes participating in protests, working on the election, sewing masks--many, many more things than I can possibly enumerate here. But the key issue for me is that the pandemic can be a time that opens up new possibilities even as it closes down other ones.I belong to an international organization of psychotherapists that has a conference every fall. That conference isn’t happening this year. But, last week, I was on Zoom with three hundred other members for a wonderful interactive presentation with one of the most senior members of the group. I don’t know if that member would have been able to travel to the conference in the fall if it took place. But we were able to celebrate her and share in her wisdom through Zoom.Similarly, almost everyone I know has talked about being in more frequent contact with family members or friends who live in other parts of the country or the world. So, while we’re grieving being able to see people in person, we’ve found new ways to stay connected.
How Can We Be Strengths-Based About This?
I think it’s really important not to minimize how much people are suffering during the pandemic. People have lost jobs and businesses. They don’t have food. They can’t see their children or grandchildren. We have no idea what the world is going to look like when the worst of this is over. Even if researchers find a vaccine, life is never going to be the same as it was before. However, it’s also important to recognize the tremendous strength and resourcefulness that people have found in this terrible situation. I know two young women who live on opposite sides of the country who organized mutual aid networks in their communities. Neither one of them had ever done anything like this before. But they saw a need and created a network of volunteers to make sure vulnerable people in their communities can get their groceries and their prescriptions and other things they need.
How Do You Communicate This To Your Clients?
That really depends upon the individual. Some patients who suffer from chronic depression are, surprisingly, actually feeling better than they usually do because they’re working in essential services like health care or the grocery business. They have a new sense of the importance of their work, and they’re getting positive feedback from patients and customers.Other people are really struggling. They can’t work, and the social activities that would ordinarily make them feel better aren’t happening. With them, it’s important to both acknowledge the depth of their suffering and try to help them find things they can do that will give them a sense of purpose and meaningful connection with other people.Similarly, some people who ordinarily experience intense anxiety are experiencing less of it because the activities that cause them anxiety aren’t happening. People who have social anxiety don’t have to worry about going to parties, for example. At the same time, many people who usually aren’t anxious are very worried about their future. Will they still have a job next week? Is school going to be happening in the fall? Of course, therapists can’t predict the future. But we can help people hold onto hope and possibility in these difficult times.Any Final Suggestions for Those Looking For Their Life Purpose?I think the most important thing is to resist the temptation to give in to a feeling of hopelessness. That’s not to say that things won’t feel hopeless at times. I don’t want to encourage a false sense of optimism. We’re going through difficult times, and they’re not going to change any time soon. But, as we’ve seen in recent weeks, difficult times can also call forth a new sense of possibility. Just as we’re finding new possibilities in our public life, we can also find new ones in our individual lives.Click to learn more about finding your purpose with Jane Rubin, Ph.D.Jane Rubin, Ph.D., is a clinical psychologist in Berkeley, California. She works with individuals in Berkeley, Oakland, the East Bay and the greater San Francisco Bay Area who are struggling with depression and anxiety. She also specializes in working with people who are trying to find meaning and direction in their lives.