The meaning of life is a concept that refers to the meaning that everyone gives to their experiences, goals and projects they have in mind. It varies from person to person, as each individual needs to make sense of their life through a journey within themselves.
Last update: February 26, 2020
"My life has no meaning. I feel like I'm going to drift, without a goal. I don't know what I want, nothing motivates me enough and I can't find my place in the world ”. Most likely you are reflected in these words, as we have all felt this way at some point in our existence. Bad times and existential crises are inevitable at certain stages of life.
In general, existential crises occur as a result of painful situations, such as the end of a story, the death of a loved one, a betrayal, the loss of a job ... In short, all those situations that cause us pain and despair could lead to in an existential crisis. Although for some people these are temporary crises, for others not finding meaning in life can become part of everyday life.
It can be a profound existential crisis that makes us feel totally lost. We doubt who we are, looking to the future with the insecurity typical of the feeling of indefinite. "I feel so lost that I feel my life has no meaning, and I can't find a way out."
What is the meaning of life?
The meaning of life is historically a subject of endless reflections and debates. Many experts (writers, scientists, philosophers…) have tried to answer this great question, although none of these answers have ever been adopted as universal.
The meaning of life refers to the meaning that each of us gives to our experiences, goals and goals we have in mind. It varies from person to person, because each individual needs to find their own meaning in life by embarking on an inner journey.
The psychiatrist and writer Viktor Frankl, in his work The Man in Search of Meaning, argues that life has meaning in any case, because even in the case of suffering and adversity, if a person is able to make sense of it, it can transform your own drama into a success, so you can move on. According to Frankl, therefore, the meaning of life for each of us lies precisely in this, waiting to be found.
Each of us writes their own story, decides how to feel in the face of certain situations and shapes their existence day after day.
My life has no meaning, sadness pervades me
In times when you feel that your life is meaningless, it is common to experience certain emotions associated with this condition. It is important to pay attention to the alarm bells, as they indicate that there is a problem and it is highly likely that you will need the help of a professional. We could try:
- Feelings of sadness. We feel apathetic, sadness pervades us without knowing exactly why. Some people also think that there is no reason to feel this way, since they have a good job, a family, friends ... yet, they feel a sadness that they cannot explain.
- I don't know who I am. A detachment from oneself comes into play, in the form of “my life has no meaning and I feel lost, without knowing who I am or what I want”.
- Anhedonia. You lose interest in the activities you used to enjoy before. We enjoy nothing, nothing seems to be rewarding. Precisely for this reason, a feeling of boredom arises in view of any action.
- Social isolation. Sadness, lack of interest and frustration in the face of dissatisfaction with one's life lead to greater social isolation, as there is no desire to relate to others.
In the event of an existential crisis, take a journey within yourself
Take some time to look within, take a journey within yourself. You will probably need to during this trip ask yourself some questions: do I need to change something in my life ?, what do I feel, what do I think and want?, do I put myself first? Am I really who I want to be?
Seeking answers to these questions can guide us along the path towards knowing ourselves; therefore, behind a loss of the meaning of life, a low knowledge of oneself, of who we are and of what we want, could be hidden. It is therefore likely that to find this meaning it is necessary to connect with ourselves, value ourselves and dedicate the time we need.
Let's think about it: can our life really have a meaning and a meaning if we don't know who we are? Since the existential emptiness (loss of the meaning of life) involves the loss of contact with oneself, it is as if little by little we had distanced ourselves from ourselves and had begun to be spectators of our life.
What happens is that while we are focused on a goal or a person, we have not paid attention to what was happening in us. For this reason, in the face of the affirmation "my life has no meaning", one must above all look within, reconnect with one's inner world, with oneself.
Man realizes himself when he commits himself to satisfying the meaning of his life.
-Viktor Frankl-
