Dr. Aaron Hartman argues that purpose, meaning, and belonging function as healing. Research shows purpose reduces depression and builds resilience after serious diagnoses like cancer and heart attacks. A clear "why" rooted in family, community, or a broader calling helps people cope with stress.
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Purpose is healing. There's a question ask people often what is your why? Why do you do what you do? Do you have a higher purpose than meaning? Family? Friends? Do you have a higher calling? Are you part of something bigger and greater than yourself? Just having that sense of a greater sense can be a massive impact for how you deal with stress. For example, there's great research showing that people have a higher sense of meaning, purpose and value, deal with life stressors better. They also deal with diagnoses better, cancer diagnoses, heart attacks, strokes, less prone to depression after heart attack, for example. So having that purpose, value, meaning is super important. And it comes down to community, family, and a sense of higher purpose and meaning. We have resources on our website, we have communities. We'd love to share them with you.