SEARCHING FOR MEANING
“When we are no longer able to change a situation…we are challenged to change ourselves.”
-Dr. Victor E. Frankl, Psychiatrist, Holocaust survivor, Man’s Search for Meaning
I was introduced to Dr. Frankl’s groundbreaking book, Man’s Search for Meaning, during my residency training and have never forgotten it. Over the years, his words and teachings have provided inspiration and guidance in both my personal and professional life.
In 1942, Frankl was deported to a Nazi concentration camp along with his wife, parents, and other family members. He was in the camps, including the infamous Auschwitz until 1945 and was the only member of his family to survive. When he returned home after the war, he wrote Man’s Search for Meaning based on his observations and experience in the camps. In an attempt to find meaning in spite of his suffering, Dr. Frankl postulated that when we cannot change our situation, we are forced to change ourselves.
His theory, called Logotherapy (from “logos,” the Greek word for meaning), is that people can endure hardship by searching for purpose in life. Logotherapy involves helping people find meaning in their lives as way to motivate themselves to continue forward, even in the most trying circumstances.
A part of his theory that resonates with me is that life does not always promise fulfillment or happiness; however, it does offer opportunities for purpose and meaning. Approaching difficult moments from this vantage point helps make sense of them and forge a path ahead rather than dwelling on misfortune or being consumed by despair or hopelessness.
Another tenet of Logotherapy inspired the name of my practice: human beings are driven by a search for meaning, which can be finding meaning in the moments. In order to do this effectively, we have to be present in each moment and learn to live in a deliberate, mindful way. Maybe a moment is just a moment but if we aren’t attuned to it, we may lose sight of any potential meaning!
Like most people. I have endured my share of hardship personally and professionally. In hindsight, I can see that the universe did not intend to “punish” or “break” me. Instead, it was shaking me awake so I could reset my inner compass and seek meaning for myself from within rather than from external markers or expectations. I hope the journey continues for a long time to come and look forward to guiding my patients to find their own mindful paths of meaning.