تمرین مکالمه

Do You Want A Happy Life Or A Meaningful One?

Mother Teresa was one of the 20th century’s greatest humanitarians.

Who was one of the 20th century’s greatest humanitarians? Mother Teresa was one of the 20th century’s greatest humanitarians.

But she wasn’t perfect.

Was she perfect? No, she wasn’t perfect.

Just like anyone else, she had her struggles, including depression and spiritual doubt.

What did she have? She had her struggles. Did her struggles include depression? Yes, her struggles included depression. What else did her struggles include? Her struggles also included spiritual doubt.

Before she became Mother Teresa, she was Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu.

Was she known as something else before she became Mother Teresa? Yes, she was known as Agnes Gonxha Bojaxhiu before she became Mother Teresa.

At 18, she became a nun and took the name Sister Mary Teresa.

When did she become a nun? At 18, she became a nun. What name did she take? She took the name Sister Mary Teresa.

Before long, she was in India teaching children from the poorest Bengali families.

Was she in England? No, she was not in England. She was in India. Who was she teaching? She was teaching children from the poorest Bengali families.

But it wasn’t until she was 36 that she found her true calling.

What did she find? She found her true calling. How old was she when she found her true calling? She was 36 when she found her true calling.

She began working with Calcutta’s poorest and sickest.

Did she begin working with Calcutta’s richest and healthiest? No, she did not begin working with Calcutta’s richest and healthiest. She began working with Calcutta’s poorest and sickest.

She famously devoted her life to “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.” What did she famously devote her life to? She famously devoted her life to “the unwanted, the unloved, the uncared for.”

She opened schools, orphanages, leper colonies, clinics, and other facilities.

Did she open schools, orphanages, leper colonies, clinics, and other facilities?

Yes, she opened schools, orphanages, leper colonies, clinics, and other facilities.

She worked personally with the poor and the sick around the globe.

Did she work personally with the poor and the sick? Yes, she worked personally with the poor and the sick. Where did she work with the poor and the sick? She worked with the poor and the sick around the globe.

And she often did so at risk to her own health and safety.

What did she often risk? She often risked her own health and safety.

She helped so many people, that she received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979 and became a saint in 2016.

What did she receive? She received the Nobel Peace Prize. When did she receive the Nobel Peace Prize? She received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1979.

What did she become in 2016? She became a saint in 2016. Why did she receive these honors? She received these honors because she helped so many people.

Mother Teresa is remembered as a cheerful person who was always smiling, but her private letters showed another side.

Is Mother Teresa remembered as a gloomy person who was always frowning? No, she is not remembered as a gloomy person who was always frowning. She is remembered as a cheerful person who was always smiling.

What showed another side? Her private letters showed another side.

She called her happy appearance “the cloak by which I cover the emptiness & misery.”

What did she call her happy appearance? She called her happy appearance “the cloak by which I cover the emptiness & misery.” In the 1950s, she found herself in an existential crisis.

Did she find herself in an existential crisis? Yes, she found herself in an existential crisis. When did she find herself in an existential crisis? In the 1950s, she found herself in an existential crisis.

She felt abandoned by God.

Did she feel supported by God? No, she did not feel supported by God. She felt abandoned by God.

But even as she struggled, she did not lose heart in her work.

Did she struggle? Yes, she struggled. Did she lose heart in her work? No, she did not lose heart in her work.

She continued her mission to help the poor and sick, offering love and support wherever she could.

What did she continue? She continued her mission to help the poor and sick. What did she offer wherever she could? She offered love and support wherever she could.

While she may not have always been as happy as she appeared, she had a deep sense of purpose.

Was she always as happy as she appeared? No, she may not have always been as happy as she appeared. What did she have? She had a deep sense of purpose.

And this purpose gave her life meaning, even through her suffering.

What gave her life meaning? This purpose gave her life meaning. Did it even give her life meaning through her suffering? Yes, it even gave her life meaning through her suffering.

According to author Emily Esfahani, purpose is critical to a meaningful life.

Who is an author? Emily Esfahani is an author. Does she say money is critical to a meaningful life? No, she does not say money is critical to a meaningful life. She says purpose is critical to a meaningful life.

She says modern society is obsessed with superficial ideas of happiness.

What is modern society obsessed with? Modern society is obsessed with superficial ideas of happiness.

But a lack of happiness is not the reason for the despair we often see in the world.

Do we often see despair in the world? Yes, we often see despair in the world. Is a lack of happiness the reason for the despair? No, a lack of happiness is not the reason for the despair.

It’s the lack of meaning.

What is it? It’s the lack of meaning.

Esfahani spent five years trying to find out just how a person can live a meaningful life.

How long did Esfahani spend? She spent five years. What was she trying to find out? She was trying to find out just how a person can live a meaningful life.

She found that a sense of purpose, or using one’s strengths to help others was crucial.

What is a sense of purpose? A sense of purpose is using one’s strengths to help others. Did she find that a sense of purpose was unimportant? No, she did not find that a sense of purpose was unimportant. She found that a sense of purpose was crucial.

Mother Teresa, of course, had this in spades.

Who had this in spades? Mother Teresa had this in spades.

Esfahani also explains that a sense of belonging, moments of transcendence, and the way we frame our life stories are also important for living a meaningful life.

Does Esfahani also explain that a sense of seclusion is important for living a meaningful life? No, Esfahani does not also explain that a sense of seclusion is important for living a meaningful life. Esfahani also explains that a sense of belonging is important for living a meaningful life. Are moments of transcendence and the way we frame our life stories important for living a meaningful life? Yes, moments of transcendence and the way we frame our life stories are important for living a meaningful life.

Esfahani says we live in a world of increasing loneliness and depression.

What does Esfahani say is increasing? Esfahani says loneliness and depression are increasing.

And she counsels that pursuing happiness does not actually lead to happiness.

Does she counsel that pursuing happiness always leads to happiness? No, she does not counsel that pursuing happiness always leads to happiness.

She counsels that pursuing happiness does not actually lead to happiness.

Instead, we should be seeking a life of meaning.

What should we be seeking? We should be seeking a life of meaning.

She says, “Happiness comes and goes.

What comes and goes? Happiness comes and goes.

But when life is really good and when things are really bad, having meaning gives you something to hold onto.”

What gives you something to hold onto? Having meaning gives you something to hold onto. When does having meaning give you something to hold onto? When life is really good and when things are really bad, having meaning gives you something to hold onto.

Watch Esfahani’s TED talk to learn more about her research on living a meaningful life.

What can you learn by watching Esfahani’s TED talk? By watching Esfahani’s TED talk, you can learn more about her research on living a meaningful life.