At Vail Health’s Learning Lab, ‘Purpose Professor’ Christine Whelan Shares How to Live a Good Life
On July 10, Dr. Christine Whelan, Ph.D., professor at Emory University, delivered a presentation at the Eagle-Vail Pavilion as part of a Vail Health Learning Lab titled “Living with Purpose as a Pathway to Health and Wellbeing.” The event, which you can watch in the recording above, explored how crafting and acting on a personal purpose statement can serve as a daily tool for well-being.
“You don’t discover your purpose; you build it through your daily choices,” said Whelan. “All too often, we go through our lives doing all this good stuff and not understanding that we are building cathedrals of purpose.”
According to Whelan, the purpose people choose to integrate into their lives should be based on the impact they wish to achieve each day. It is shaped through intentional decisions that align with their values. It’s important to recognize that even small, consistent actions aligned with those values contribute to something meaningful and lasting.
Her message not only supports people in their day-to-day lives, but it also aligns with Vail Health’s mission at the Behavioral Health Innovation Center (BHIC), where her husband, Dr. Charles Raison, serves as executive director.
Dr. Raison emphasized, “There is a huge database showing that if you have a sense of purpose and meaning, you will have much better mental health than if you don’t.” He highlighted the vital connection between living with purpose and mental well-being, noting that finding ways to activate people’s sense of purpose is a key strategy at BHIC.
This event was proudly underwritten by the McMunn Family and presented in partnership with Vail Valley Partnership.
