The Most Important Questions to Ask While We Are Alive

There are questions we ask to survive like… What will I eat? How will I make money? Where will I live? Then there are questions we ask to live. The difference between existing and truly living often lies in our willingness to ask, wrestle with, and revisit life’s most important questions. Questions like Who am I? What is the meaning of life? How do I find happiness? These are not meant to be answered once and tucked away, but explored over and over again as we evolve.

In my opinion and based on books I have been reading lately, below are some of the most vital questions we can ask ourselves and why they matter.

Who am I?

This is perhaps the most fundamental question of all, yet also the most elusive. “Who am I?” is not a question of what we do or what we own, it’s a question of essence. It invites us to peel away the layers of titles, roles, and expectations that society and circumstance place upon us.

When we stop identifying only with what we produce or how others perceive us, we start discovering the deeper self, the one that exists beneath the noise.

To go deeper with this question, try journaling not what you are (The leader, The parent, The partner) but who you are when those labels are stripped away. I meditate on my values, patterns, and what feels most like truth when no one is watching.

What is the meaning of life?

This question doesn’t have one universal answer, because meaning isn’t found; it’s created.
Some find meaning in faith, others in service, love, creativity, or growth, maybe even all of those things. What matters is not that our answers are the same, but that we are asking. Meaning gives direction to our days and purpose to our pain.

To go deeper, ask: What makes me feel most alive? or What would I do even if no one noticed or cared? The answers to those questions often point toward your unique meaning and have given me a lot of answers. 

How do I be happy?

Happiness is not a permanent state to achieve, but a practice to cultivate. It’s built in moments of gratitude, presence, and connection—not in perfection or control.
The pursuit of happiness becomes toxic when we assume it’s something external, something to earn or buy. But when we see happiness as an inner orientation, we reclaim power.

To go deeper, shift from asking “How can I be happy?” to “What blocks my happiness right now?” This has been HUGE for me and my personal growth. By identifying what we resist (fear, comparison, guilt, shame) we create space for joy to enter naturally.

What am I here to do?

Each of us comes into the world with gifts that can contribute to others. This question isn’t about finding the perfect path, it’s about aligning what we do with who we are. When we live in alignment, even simple acts feel purposeful. When we live out of alignment, even great success feels hollow.

To go deeper, reflect on: Where do my talents and passions/purpose meet the needs of others? That intersection is often the path toward contribution and contentment for me. 

What does love mean to me?

The biggest growth area for me this last year has been all about love. Love, in all its forms, romantic, familial, communal, divine is the thread that weaves meaning through life. But love also asks something of us: vulnerability, patience, courage. Asking what love means to you helps us understand how we give and receive it, and what boundaries or fears may keep it from fully flowing.

To go deeper, consider: How do I show love when it’s difficult? How do I accept love when I don’t feel worthy?

What does it mean to live fully?

We can move through life efficiently but not fully. Living fully means engaging with our days intentionally, feeling deeply, taking risks, creating memories, and staying awake to the miracle of being here at all.

To go deeper, ask: If I had one year left to live, what would I do differently starting today? That question tends to clarify what matters most for me and puts things in perspective. 

Why These Questions Matter

The quality of our life is determined not by the answers we have, but by the questions we are willing to keep asking. These questions bring awareness to our patterns, meaning to our actions, and compassion to our relationships. They remind us that life is not something to conquer… it’s something to understand, to experience, and to evolve with. BEING vs DOING! 

When we dare to ask these questions (and to live them) we move from being a person in the world to being the person we are meant to be.