Finding Purpose in the

in the Time of

the Coronavirus

By Paul Irving

This is a dark age for many of us. The coronavirus pandemic has put global populations at risk, stripped millions of people from jobs and savings and isolated us in ways many have never experienced. For those of us of who are older, the danger is elevated. But the lessons of history offer perspective.

Humanity survived and thrived in the wake of earlier pandemics. The pain inflicted by invisible enemies like the Black Death, smallpox, and the Spanish Flu was devastating, but the world recovered.

We have survived even worse — our own inhumanity. That’s why this is a time to turn again to the work of Viktor Frankl and his powerful book, Man’s Search for Meaning.

Frankl was the prominent Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist who wrote of his personal experiences in the Auschwitz concentration camp. He observed that prisoners who found purpose in the face of unimaginable conditions were far more resilient and likely to survive than those who did not.

What Purpose Can Do for Us Frankl’s words, “life is never made unbearable by circumstances, but only by lack of meaning and purpose” are a call to action today. Finding purpose, a fundamental requirement for human health and well-being, will not cure the coronavirus, but may well mitigate its effects and enable a more rapid recovery.

In this moment, as we face physical isolation, financial loss and threatened health, finding purpose may actually save lives.

Researchers agree that purpose in life increases overall well-being, improves mental and physical health, enhances

resiliency and self-esteem and decreases the chances of depression. A strong sense of purpose is associated with slower development of age-related disabilities, reduced incidence of cardiovascular disease, improved cognitive health and longer lives. Finding purpose can promote energy, satisfaction and protective preventive health behaviors.

As Dr. Philip Pizzo of Stanford University, another Next Avenue Influencer in Aging, wrote in a recent piece for the Journal of the American Medical Association, “having a purpose, seeking social engagement, and fostering wellness through positive lifestyle choices are important in reducing morbidity and mortality and improving the life journey.”

While each of us sees purpose through our own lens, there is common ground. Some suggest that purpose is found at the intersection of our talents and skills and a need in the world. Others say it is the thing that drives us and keeps us going when things get tough.

Certainly, contributing to and caring for others is a shared instinct and aspiration. Social connection, engagement and sense of community are also key parts of the formula. Importantly, a loss of purpose can be a symptom of isolation.

That is a risk we all face today. So, if isolation is the enemy, how can we preserve and elevate our sense of purpose during a period of social distancing? 1. Call and email. Connect with family, friends and colleagues, particularly with those who are alone. This is an opportunity to renew and mend relationships and offer comfort to those in need. 2. Volunteer. Help others by reaching out to community organizations to offer assistance. The benefits of volunteer service are powerful, both for beneficiaries and for volunteers themselves who often realize enhanced physical, mental and emotional well-being related to their service. 3. Prioritize learning. Determination to learn can foster a sense of purpose. Reading connects us to new people, places and ideas. Online courses and periodicals expose us to fresh perspectives. Virtual museum tours, music lessons and performances, poetry readings and cooking classes are all available. 4. Write. Writing challenges us to organize and express our thoughts. Begin a journal. We’re living history today, and this is our opportunity to record it. 5. Exercise. Set daily goals and do what’s possible. The health benefits are obvious, but fitness goals can also be a manifestation of purposeful living. 6. Count our blessings. A sense of awe and gratitude are associated with purpose and an increased inclination to engage in altruistic behaviors that make a contribution to others. 7. Plan for what’s next. This pandemic will ultimately be controlled, so now is a time to prepare for recovery —at home, in business and in community. Things may be different, but human beings have proven to be remarkably adaptable and we’ll adapt to this as well.

Of course, all of us will have good days and bad as the coronavirus pandemic plays out. But each of us can choose to adopt positive attitudes and control our own response to the circumstances. Let’s take the lessons learned from reading Viktor Frankl and live this difficult time with purpose.

What Should You Tell The Kids About Their Inheritance?

parents—as much as $12 trillion overall. That amount will be eclipsed when boomers leave it to their children. Now, I don’t recommend that you report every penny of your financial situation to your adult children on a regular basis. But, I do think it’s a good idea to inform them, at least generally, about the nature of your assets, your investment and savings goals, and your ultimate estate planning goals. If you intend to leave your kids some, but not all, of your estate, then it’s a good idea to tell them why you reached that decision. Billionaire Warren Buffet, who has famously decided to give away most of his fortune rather than leaving it to his children, thinks that the “correct” amount of money to leave the kids is “enough money so that they would feel they could do anything, but not so much that they could do nothing.” And Buffet, who updates his estate plan fairly regularly, allows his children to read the latest version each time a change is made. Most of us don’t have the kind of “billionaire problems” that Warren Buffet has. Most of us hope that we are in a position to leave our kids anything at all. But, it is not the size of the inheritance that matters. Family Money is still a taboo topic in polite society. We don’t engage in small talk with someone we’ve just met by asking them “So, how much did you pull down last year?” Instead, we stick towards mundane and unoffensive topics like the weather. But, this social taboo may extend to our families as well. At one time or another, parents with inquisitive school-aged children will have to address the inevitable questions from their young ones about whether their family is “rich” or “poor.” Parents generally find a way to dance around the topic while landing somewhere in the “middle class” neighborhood. Even after children are grown and have families of their own, many parents don’t want to discuss their finances or property with the kids—even if those kids are now in their 50’s. I think this is unfortunate. The fact is that most people want to leave their property to their children one day. If the kids are going to own it, why shouldn’t they know more about it now? Communication can go a long way to smooth a transition from one generation to the next. Consider the adult child who has to take over managing a parent’s finances when the parent can no longer manage on their own due to dementia. Clients often tell me that they don’t know where to begin to look for their elderly parent’s key financial information. As has been widely reported, the baby boomer generation have begun to inherit the greatest inter-generational transfer of wealth in history from their members can squander a $15,000 inheritance just as foolishly as they do a $1.5 Million. So prepare your heirs by educating them about what they may or may not stand to receive at your death. Help them to understand that their inheritance is not a sure thing, nor is it a panacea for a lifetime of poor financial decisions. Help them understand that a “fair” division of your estate among your heirs doesn’t necessarily mean that it is a mathematically “equal” division. Talking about your financial situation with your adult children is just as uncomfortable as it was to answer the questions of your young and curious children all those years ago. I realize that. But, a lot of things that are good for us are uncomfortable (I’m looking at you, dentists). Take some time, update your estate planning and financial documents, and then have one nice long uncomfortable conversation with your kids about it. Once it’s done, you’ll be relieved to know you’ve finally gotten everything in order. Raley L. Wiggins Attorney at Law, Red Oak Legal, PC 334-239-3625 | info@redoaklegalpc.com 322 Catoma Street, Montgomery, AL 36104, www.redoaklegalpc.com Attend Free Workshop Estate Planning and Asset Protection Workshop Wednesday, May 20: Hosted by Red Oak Legal, PC: 1:30-3:30 pm at 322 Catoma Street downtown Montgomery. This educational workshop presented by local attorney Raley L. Wiggins covers wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, probate administration, protecting assets from creditors, bankruptcy, divorce and remarriage, nursing homes, long-term care and Medicaid qualification. Registration is required. Call 334-625-6774 today to reserve your seat or register online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.