I think meaning comes from worldview. Religions offer a ready-made worldview, but not the only ready-made worldview. If I abandon religion I am left with no worldview and hence, no meaning. Atheism is not a worldview; it's just the absence of belief in a god. But if you throw god out, you end up throwing religion out too (generally, but not all religion is theistic) so you are then without a worldview.

I can see only three options: adopt an existing ready-made worldview (either theistic or non-theistic), build your own worldview, or tolerate life without meaning. So what is a non-theistic worldview? Some variations of many religions are practiced without a belief in a literal god. Certain Buddhist sects come to mind. I'm sure there are even Christians who do not take the god of their religion to be a literal person. But any deeply and broadly developed philosophy of life is a worldview; it need not have "religious" implications.

I don't think, as some suggest, that you have to create meaning where none exists. That would just be replacing one lie with another lie. I think life is inherently meaningful, but also mind-numbingly complex. Overwhelming complexity without order can obscure meaning. Philosophy brings order. Order reveals meaning. Find or build an all-encompassing philosophy that is internally consistent, that is based on verifiable fact to the extent possible, and that describes the relationships between all its parts, and you will, at minimum, be one giant step closer to discovering the real meaning life holds.

Why is meaning necessary to being happy?

Without church dogma in the way you are now free to experience the REAL value of life. Every second of conscious awareness is a phenomenon so great that it staggers the mind and taxes the emotions. The implications are beyond anything you have ever thought of in scope. Existence is a grand journey, beautiful, joyous, magnificent, mysterious!

cause whether or not im happy doesnt hinge on whether or not life has meaning

Think of it as a diet. No matter which one you use to lose weight it will work. Some better then other. Ie. Live free or die. Or religion or making money or family (my favorite). Just focus on what makes you happy.

I've said it before; find purpose and meaning will surely find you.

we are not imbued with “meaning” at birth so that just means me must search for our own. just because to the grand universe our lives have no “meaning” doesnt mean we can't give one to ourselves. its actually a power that religion strips from people. saying that our entire reason for existence is to worship some omnipotent being that isnt real stops people from finding their own meaning for their own lives. atheists have a freedom to find fullfillment in life free from the bonds of worthless platitudes to an imaginary creature.

Life has no meaning.
It does have a purpose of sorts, to be what you are and become what you are capable of becoming.
Your meaning is what you want it to be.
Determine, for yourself, your own nature in accordance with your own free will.
You can can manage your own destiny, translate a sensation or perception, not by instinct, but by thought and deliberation into whatever action is best for you.
Are you happy? If so, then why did you need to ask this question.
If you are not happy, it is up to you to change it.
Change it now.
A child says, "when I am big ." But what is that?
For the big child says. "when I grow up."
And then the grown up, says, "when I am married." But to be married, what is that, after all?
The thought then changes to "when I retire." And then, retirement comes, and we look back over it and somehow we have missed it all and it is gone.
(I am on the verge of retirement!-again ).
This is the difference between the believer and the atheist, we don't have the same restrictions, it is not all mapped out for us.

There is a meaning to our existence - evolve and get better. we are meant to work together like social creatures and we do our greatest work when we share a common goal. we must evolve through homogenization or however and get past our differences so we can achieve a collective consciousness and share experience simultaneously or some such.

Why must you have a meaning? Isn't your life sufficient on its own?

Well, there is no absolute meaning, but you should persevere in seeking it. That is the meaning; like in the saying: "The journey is the destination."

You exist purely to be you. To do your thing in whatever manner you decide. No one else can determine the meaning for your existance except you. Until about 10 seconds ago you did not exist in my world at all. Now you do. Is it magic? Nah. In the end I think we're all really here just to be fertilizer. So we got that going for us.

I agree with the many people who have said it already: the beauty and meaning of life is no less apparent without a god, it’s just that it’s now open ended for you to decide. We aren’t pidgeon holed into the one subservient meaning, cowering and worshipping something because it’s powerful and capriciously fearsome like a drunk dad.

We’re free to serve whatever purpose we deem worthy, not motivated by fear but by love or empathy or whatever else you damn well please. I’d still caution everyone to be careful about what you allow to motivate you (anger, fear, greed, insecurity etc can still cause most of your reactions if you let them) but unless that’s the only fuel you can find and you decide your purpose is to outdo/harm others there aren’t many other possible wrong answers.

Atheists have a natural wonder and curiosity about the world around them, and a greater appreciation of their very limited time here. There is no actual meaning to existence. Existence exists. As others have said, you determine your own life's meaning, choose your path, and live life.

I always wanted to be magnetic ink.

Excellent question..
It's a question all Athiests must ponder and need to answer for themselves before they can truly embrace their philosophy.

Firstly you need to accept that there doesn't need to be meaning for our existence. You need to start at that point..there is no grand plan. Let go of religious conventions like meaning, faith, purpose etc

Secondly you need to accept that you have one life, take care of it, and don't waste it pondering the meaning of your existance. Most Atheists will tell you to find your own purpose and make thst your reason for your existence..love, children, altruism whatever gives you happiness and peace of mind.

What is the inherent meaning that theists believe their lives have? What's their intrinsic purpose? To be God's pet? To worship an invisible deity for all eternity? To make it through this life as a trial or test for an infinite reward, thereby avoiding infinite punishment? Why do they feel better with the belief in a cosmic daddy figure? It seems to me that they feel comforted by the idea that there's some plan that transcends this life, but I fail to see how that makes life more meaningful or gives us a higher purpose. We are an insignificant species living out mediocre lives on an obscure planet in a quiet pocket of the universe; the only demonstrable value we have is within our own environment — obligation to family, duty to our community, helping our neighbors in need. And there's personal value, I think, in experiencing life and pursuing dreams and having a sense of self-determination (even if such control is ultimately illusory). I figure despite accidents of birth, we're all in the same general boat, and whatever we believe about a grand scheme is irrelevant because we're all living life here and now as best we can. That's all any of us has. Just make the most of it in whatever way makes sense for you, and forget about the delusions others use as a broken crutch to get through life.

The realazation that "meaning" derived through a belief system or any excternal source is just a form of manipulation, is truly liberating. Once free of all dogma and shame you can decide for yourself what your legacy can be. If you feel life has no meaning it's because you nave yet to make that decision.

"The key to happiness isn't the search for meaning. It's keeping yourself busy with unimportant nonsense and one day you'll be dead" - Mr. Peanut Butter

I am just a tourist in this life. I got 3 children that I love and they love me. That is my meaning of whatever you want to call existence. Here today, gone tomorrow and I am okay with that... I had lived not read about it. Lived. Notice I did not mentioned religion or god or atheism.

I can't think why my life needs meaning or why I should'nt pick and choose meaningfulness at whim - if I go on a fairground ride I have chosen to have an experience if I choose scrambled eggs on toast over cheese on toast that is meaningful. Sometimes i might choose something meaningless why ever not sometimes I laugh sometimes I cry sometimes I sulk sometimes I sigh its sort of called living.

I sort of think thats a non question you just live and take the consequences of your actions - I can be happy, most of the time, why do you think you might not be able to be?

Life, to quote Ray Davies, is only what you conjure.

Hmmm, if you accept that part of quantum physics that says all possibilities exist until am observation is made thereby collapsing the possibilities to reality, then your purpose is to help make the universe real by observing it.

What meaning does your existence have for you? Is your life actually diminished by no longer having to conform to somebody else's expectations?