The Search for Meaning: A Cornerstone in Life Transitions and Growth

Throughout my years as a life coach, guiding individuals through life’s transitions, adversities, and crises, I have found that one factor consistently emerges as central: the search for meaning.

Though I have coached individuals since 2004, it was only about five years ago that I fully realized how foundational meaning is in helping people navigate transitions and grow through challenges. This understanding deepened significantly when I discovered Viktor Frankl’s work and logotherapy, which articulates what I had long sensed intuitively—the human capacity for meaning is what enables us to endure, adapt, and flourish.

Frankl’s insights, developed through his own profound suffering as a Holocaust survivor, emphasize that even in the darkest circumstances, we can find meaning, and this can be our greatest source of strength. His assertion that “life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose” is not merely a philosophical idea but a guiding principle in how people recover from trauma, loss, and major life changes.

The Role of Meaning in Life’s Transitions

As I reflected on my own life and my research on second-generation Holocaust survivors, including my own experiences, I recognized that many people who have faced profound adversity have sought meaning in ways that transcended personal healing. Many children of Holocaust survivors, for instance, have dedicated their lives to projects of legacy, education, and service—acts of self-transcendence that offer a powerful blueprint for how meaning can drive personal and collective growth.

Meaning plays a critical role in helping people not only survive transitions but also emerge from them with newfound clarity and direction. When individuals face major changes—whether career shifts, loss of a loved one, aging, or recovery from illness—they often find themselves questioning their identity, values, and future. Without meaning, these transitions can feel like endings rather than new beginnings.

Healing Through Meaning

When individuals experience trauma, grief, or major life upheavals, they often struggle with questions such as: Why did this happen? What now? Where do I go from here? These are not simply logistical concerns but existential inquiries, and the answers are deeply personal. Through Meaning-Centered Coaching, I help individuals uncover their unique sources of meaning, whether through relationships, creativity, personal growth, or contributing to a cause greater than themselves.

For example, a client recovering from a serious health crisis may find meaning in helping others with similar conditions, turning their struggle into a source of strength. A person grieving the loss of a spouse may find meaning in sharing their story and supporting others facing similar losses. My own years of searching for my true career calling in my previous career in business development and marketing was full of frustration, lack of purpose and fulfilment. Little did I know that this experience, with all its pain and confusion, actually contributed immensely to my ability to coach others in their career choices and path. The search for meaning does not eliminate pain, but it can transform suffering into a stepping stone toward renewal and purpose.

Beyond Coping: Growth Through Meaning

The concept of post-traumatic growth—where individuals develop new insights, resilience, and a deeper appreciation for life following adversity—is deeply tied to the search for meaning. Research has shown that those who actively seek meaning in their experiences tend to emerge stronger and more purpose-driven after hardships.

Meaning is not an abstract or distant ideal; it is real life. It is in the small, everyday choices we make, in the relationships we nurture, and in the courage we summon to keep moving forward despite uncertainty. It is in the stories we tell ourselves about our past and the futures we dare to envision.

Mental health, happiness and personal growth go hand in hand with finding meaning in one’s life. Whether you are navigating a major transition, facing a personal crisis, or simply seeking deeper fulfillment, the search for meaning can be your guiding light.

The journey is yours, but you do not have to walk it alone.