A STAGGERING nine in ten young Brits believe their life lacks purpose, according to a new study. A UK wide survey reveals the extent to which the younger generation feel disillusioned, with the MAJORITY (89 percent) of 16-29 year olds, claiming their life lacks purpose or meaning.
This is compared to an average of 80 percent across all ages, but just half (55 percent) of the over 60s, signalling true contentment may simply come with age.
In fact, as many as 30 percent of today’s youngsters believe they are stuck in a rut, with 84 percent claiming they are failing to “live their best life”.
Overall, 36 percent of Brits (of all ages) would give their lives a complete re-do if they had the chance.
And according to the study of 1,500 Brits, conducted by Yakult UK, the biggest barrier to finding purpose and achieving greater happiness is a lack of finances (45 percent).
ANXIETY
Worryingly, as many as a third of the Brits polled (34 percent) claimed anxiety is stopping them from achieving the things they would like to achieve.
Illness and poor health (22 percent) were also major stumbling blocks for many Brits, in terms of achieving their dreams, according to the poll.
It comes as no surprise then that two thirds of us admit to feeling jealous of colleagues and friends who seems to have their entire world in order.
Daisy Whitfield-Davis, Yakult UK PR Manager, said: “This research proves how many Brits are searching for their true objectives in life.
INTRODUCING ‘IKIGAI’
“As a Japanese Company, we want to introduce the nation to Ikigai, a Japanese self-development concept, which is a framework for bringing satisfaction, happiness and meaning to your life.
“Ikigai is built around weighing up aspects of your life across your passion, your mission in life, your profession and your vocation, and it appears it’s something we need in our lives, with 60 percent of us admitting we have no balance in our existence.”
When it comes to the bigger questions, such as the meaning of life, over half of Brits (51 percent) believe we were put on the earth to be as happy as we can be, while 37 percent say we should make people around us happy.
Almost a third (31 percent) believe our purpose should be to do as much good as possible.
MORE ‘ME’ TIME
According to the study, the average Brit spends over half an hour (34 minutes) a day dreaming of a better, more fulfilled life.
But 43 percent admit they don’t have enough ‘me’ time and 38 percent wish they could spend more quality time with their families.
83 percent feel they would achieve greater purpose if they could contribute more to their local community.
When it comes to what gives our lives purpose, the study found that 49 percent of Brits say it is their loved ones, a quarter say it’s being healthy, and 24 percent want to create a loving home.
Ikigai Expert and author of Japonisme, Erin Niimi Longhurst said,
“Japanese culture and traditions are uniquely special as they are intriguing and incredibly enlightening.
“Ikigai is that element in our lives that provides a delicious richness, meaning, or raison d’être and those who discover their Ikigai have everything they need for a happy journey through life.
“I’m delighted to be working with Yakult to encourage the nation to discover what they love, what they’re good at, what the world needs from them and their vocation, in order to strike the right balance towards living a long, healthy and happy life.”
Edinburgh is the most content city where 32 percent of people’s lives have meaning – three times as many as the least content city, Bristol (10 percent).
Source: https://www.thesun.co.uk/news/9637619/young-brits-life-lacks-purpose/
