Outside Reading Blog #4 - Adam Paquette

 Man's Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl 04/28/2021 - I have read this book multiple times and find new things each time I read it. Today I read an article about the top three lessons to be learned by Viktor, who was a holocaust survivor. I will talk about two of the three lessons. The first lesson talked about here is "in order to survive, you have to be okay with dying at any moment." I saw this be helpful in getting rid of the fear of dying whenever, especially in concentration camps. Outside of this, it is beneficial to be okay with dying because you will live each moment in the present. Second, having meaning to your life will give everything you do and think meaning. Viktor thought of his wife every day in the camp, and that is what gave him the strength to endure the pain and trials each day. To have meaning will give your life some sense of direction and you must always revert back to it in everything you do. Most people have not figured out their life's meaning just yet, but this book shows that being in constant stress can encourage one to find their life's meaning. If someone can survive a concentration camp by finding their life's meaning, it is doable for all of us in a less stressful environment. We all must push through the bad things in life by focusing on our life's meaning, which will be different for all of us. I really enjoy reading this book because it shows me how good I have it but it also encourages me to focus on my life's meaning and be consistent in everything I do to get to that goal.

What gives your life meaning, if you know?

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