For thousands of years, priests and gurus have been proclaiming lies, I think. You shouldn't delude yourself, swallowing a hoax to make yourself feel good. I try to look at reality factually like a scientist. It's depressing to say, I'm going to die and just end. That's a dismal prospect.
People naturally avoid facing it.
But if you're honest, you have no other choice. Once you reach this grim understanding, it makes you determined to improve life for people here and now. That way, you give meaning to life. In the ultimate sense, life has no discernible purpose, no grand plan. We are born into an existence that is joyful and painful, dull and exciting, wonderful and horrible, sensible and crazy.