Having a positive purpose in your life is essential for achieving optimal health, happiness, and longevity. But having a sense of purpose can be elusive.

Around 60% of young adults say that during the past month they felt they lacked meaning or purpose in their lives, and only 28% say their work is meaningful.

And for people ages 50 and older, a study in JAMA Network Open shows that lacking a sense of purpose in life increases health hazards and mortality, while having a sense of purpose in life is strongly associated with healthy behaviors and protects against sleep disturbances, stroke, depression, and diabetes.

So what is a sense of positive purpose and how can it be cultivated?

A sense of purpose acknowledges that there is something bigger than yourself and you can make a meaningful contribution to it. It's also associated with generosity and empathy.

How can you discover your sense of purpose? Make a list of projects you enjoy — gardening, playing sports, reading ... anything that interests you. Then list organizations you think are making positive contributions. See which ones overlap with projects you enjoy, and explore how you can contribute to their efforts.

And if you can combine your job and sense of purpose into one, that's even more powerful.

We're lucky. Our purpose is to let you know how much control you have over your health, and to motivate you to take advantage of that control — and it's our job too.