Technology's always been advancing, but it feels like with the rise of these AI models, like ChatGPT, that things are going incredibly fast now.

It's like the genie is out of the bottle, and I don't think anyone really knows what their impact is gonna be and how this is gonna affect our jobs in the coming years.

We also just came out of a global pandemic, and now we're likely headed into a recession, and it's all just making me take a step back and ask myself the age-old question: What is the meaning of it all?

What is the purpose of life?

What are we even doing on this planet? And before we dive into it, I do wanna briefly thank Headspace for sponsoring a portion of today's video.

It's my favorite meditation app.

We're gonna chat more about them later on. So, what is the meaning of life?

I obviously picked a light topic to discuss in today's video.

I think the answer to this question is, of course, deeply personal, and there isn't just one right answer.

I feel like the world's wisest minds have been pondering this question since the dawn of man.

And I actually think it's pretty remarkable to see how many different viewpoints have emerged from this one particular question.

Like religion, for example, tells us that we're all part of a divine plan and that the meaning of life is to come closer to God.

Buddhism tells us that we should strive for enlightenment, to transcend materialism and attachment in order to reach nirvana.

Hedonism, though, tells us that the purpose of life is to experience as much pleasure as possible while minimizing any pain or suffering. And then there are the nihilists.

They tend to think there is no particular rhyme or reason to life, that life is essentially meaningless, and so we shouldn't take things too seriously.

Or to quote the author and philosopher Albert Hubbard, "Don't take life too seriously, you're never gonna get out of it alive anyway." I kind of love that one.

And so, while I love kind of researching these various kind of philosophies, I think the reason I'm bringing it up in today's video is because of a discussion I recently had with Robin, who's my husband, for those of you who don't know.

And we had just finished watching David Attenborough's documentary that's called "A Life on Our Planet".

And in it, Attenborough provides a firsthand account of the drastic reduction in biodiversity that he's witnessed over the course of his 60-year career as a biologist and historian.

And I think the part that just really struck me was his predictions for the remainder of the century.

How our actions here on Earth are gonna affect our planet, from deforestation to the decline in global food production, to rising temperatures potentially triggering another mass extinction event.

And now I'm kind of at an age where I feel like I need to figure out whether or not I wanna have kids.

And if I'm being honest, I have some reservations.

I do worry about what kind of world I'd be bringing them into.

And this is what I shared with Robin.

And it turns out he is way more optimistic than I am, which I did not expect.

And maybe it's because he's an engineer who's always thinking in solutions, but he really believes that scientific advancements are not only gonna sustain, but also improve the lives of future generations in many ways,

including the environment and even our chances at space exploration, maybe even taking life out into the cosmos.

And I don't know if I completely see eye to eye with him on this, but I hope for the sake of humankind that he's right.

And so, having had this conversation and pulling some of my favorite bits from the different philosophies that I've been researching, I think I've distilled what the meaning of life is, at least for me.

And for me, it consists of three parts.

The first is to nurture life.

All the life that we know about is confined to this one small, magical little planet that's just hovering in the vast universe.

And as long as we exist, I feel that it's our responsibility to sustain and protect it and to keep the spark of life alive. And while we're here, we might as well make it a pleasurable experience.

And by that, I mean, to practice loving kindness and compassion towards ourselves, to other people, but also to other living beings, creatures, critters, our environment. Then the next is to create.

I think we are a source of novelty and beauty.

And anything that we create has the potential to add to the experience of life itself.

Many religions even view the power of creation as a reflection of the divine in humans.

And this, by the way, is a distinct feature that I think these AI models like ChatGPT, they lack in this department.

You see, they're trained on historical data.

So even though they can generate new results, they can't really produce anything beyond that which already exists in some form.

But you, as a human, you possess a power far greater than that.

You have the power to express your uniqueness, whether that's through art, music, expressing new ways of thinking, writing, sculpting, contributing to scientific discoveries.

One of the most beautiful things that we can do that gives us and others meaning is to create. And then lastly, simply be.

You really are the universe experiencing itself.

And that makes any interaction that you have with anything a unique and worthwhile moment.

I feel like we so often overlook chances to fully appreciate just the ordinary moments that make up our lives.

We're too busy worrying over what was said or done in the past.

We're anxious about the future.

But as Eleanor Roosevelt once said, yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift.

And that's why we call it the present. But being present in our high stimulus world is super difficult, especially if like me, you've got racing thoughts.

And I think this is where meditation has just been a constant in my life, like a practice that just helps to ground me.

And for the last eight years, I have been using the Headspace app for my guided meditations.

And it's always been a dream of mine to be able to work with them.

So I'm really grateful that they wanted to sponsor today's video. So I picked up meditation, like I said, many years ago because I was just going through a very difficult period in my life.

But I think the reason I've continued with meditation well beyond that is because it helps me feel like to some degree, I have some power over my life.

Like I have the power to detach from negative thoughts.

I have the power to appreciate the beauty in simple, mundane, everyday moments.

And even though I still experience intrusive thoughts and a wandering mind during meditation, using Headspace just makes it feel so much more manageable.

It just feels like you've got a teacher holding your hand and guiding you through the process and reminding you to practice loving kindness and compassion towards yourself to not judge the thoughts that might pop up.

So I try to meditate for just three minutes every day, but they do offer longer sessions on there as well.

I just find the shorter sessions keep me more consistent with it.

And they have a whole bunch of other mindfulness content too.

Things like mindful walks and runs, breathing exercises, and even sleep content.

So if you want to try it out for yourself, Headspace is actually offering a 60-day free trial.

I'm going to leave a link for you in the description box below, or you can scan the QR code that I'm going to leave for you right here. And so now I've also shared, you know, what my thoughts are on the meaning of life, the three different parts, but I'm curious to know what your thoughts are.

Is there a particular purpose or meaning that you've attributed to your life?

Does it all just kind of make your head spin?

Let me know in the comments.

I'll see you down there.

And thanks so much for hanging with me today.

I really appreciate it.

Pick Up Limes signing off, and I'll see you in the next video.