The purpose of life is to feel alive

Finding softness in hard times

For me, tough times often bring a kind of forced reflection—as I try to find meaning or at least a positive thread to hold onto during difficult days. It’s no secret that for many of us, life feels a little (or a lot) unsettling right now, in all sorts of ways. And so, as always, I find myself searching for ways to cope, to stay grounded, and maybe even feel a little better.

I was recently reading a wonderful book called The Creative Ambush by Matteo di Pascale  (highly recommend it if you’ve ever felt the pull to live a creative life), and one line in particular jumped out at me:

“The purpose of life is to feel alive.”

That’s it.

Simple.

Powerful.

And when you think about it—true.

What is it that makes you feel alive? That spark of joy, awe, or energy that makes you feel present and connected?

At first, it seemed like such a big question. But when I sat down and really thought about it, my list came surprisingly easily. And it wasn’t filled with the big, dramatic moments we often think we’re meant to chase. It was the small, everyday joys that came to mind. The little glimmers.

Here’s what makes me feel alive:

• Listening to music that lifts my spirit

• The taste of a really good coffee

• A homemade cake

• Marvelling at a great dance routine

• Finding a good book that inspires or takes you away

• A moving TV show or film that stays with you long after it is finished

• A stunning theatre performance that brings tears to your eyes

• Experiencing another culture in a new country

• Really good food

• The colours is a beautiful sunset

• The stars at night when you take the dog out before bed

• Comfy clothes that feel like an embrace

• A cold pillow and a warm duvet

• The smell of coconut suncream that takes you back to a distant holiday

• A much-loved old movie

• Shavasana at the end of a yoga class that you never want to end

• Doggie cuddles anytime

• Loving messages from your grown children

• A rainy day spent cosy inside

• The stillness of new snow

• Autumn sun filtering through the trees

• Waves breaking on the beach

• Finding the perfect colour to include a painting

• Music from the 80s or your teenage years when life seemed better somehow
  

These are the moments that make up a life. Yes, it’s so easy to be overwhelmed by the chaos of the world or the very real pain that life sometimes hands us. But noticing the small glimmers—the softness, the beauty—can gently remind us that life, even in its hardest seasons, still holds joy.

It’s not about ignoring the hard stuff. It’s about remembering what makes us feel alive in spite of it.