The meaning of meaning
I was kind of a nerdy kid, and sometimes for fun I would read my dad's dictionary (you're learning a lot of fun facts about me here 😅). I still love to dig into definitions and think about how they connect with what I'm learning.
Exploring the word meaning is an interesting exercise. It appears as though we have a few different options to choose from. Here are a few possibilities from the dictionary:
Meaning (noun):
- what is meant by a word, text, concept, or action.
- implied or explicit significance.
- important or worthwhile quality; purpose
So when a new circumstance arises, we don't actually have any control over definition #1. That's from whoever the word, text, concept, or action is coming from. What we do have control over are #s 2 and 3. We can decide if the circumstance warrants any kind of significance in our lives. If so, we can choose what is significant and why. If not, we can release the meaning we've attached, and establish a different meaning that serves us better.
This is the power we hold as creative beings. We can always -- even if it's not easy -- craft our thoughts in response to external circumstances in a way that supports our growth, rather than keeps us small, stuck, and upset.
Think of it! What if we released -- or at the very least fact-checked -- the meaning of the things that happen to us? How much more free would we feel, and how much mental/emotional/spiritual bandwidth would we have available as a result?
I say it's definitely worth experiementing.
