It is unavoidable. There comes a time in life when we feel unmotivated, hopeless, without illusion and without desire. Suddenly, existential questions fill our minds and we enter a loop in which nothing fits us. Lost and aimless, because what meaning does life have? Maybe we are going too far. If you don’t find meaning in life, what can you do?
What is the meaning of life?
- It could be the midlife crisis, which can actually happen at any age. Or it could be because of a breakup, because of a layoff, because of the death of a loved one, because of an accident, because of a hospital admission… You start noticing without desire, without enthusiasm, without strength, confused. And suddenly there comes the most feared question: does my life make sense?
- First of all, you must understand that it is a question that we have all asked ourselves at some time. And it’s not that everyone has found the meaning of life, but they have found some comfort in the answers. Your life has meaning, like everyone else’s, but maybe you’re looking at the wrong reasons.
- We live subject to expectations: ours, our family’s and society’s. Sometimes we want to achieve grandiose goals, like winning the Nobel Peace Prize. That would be giving meaning to your life, right? But it does not have to be such a great and laudable reason. You don’t have to be superheroes to be someone in life, because from the moment you are born you are already someone.
- The meaning of life is very simple: evolve as a person. From there you can focus on further developing certain aspects of life, such as being a happy mother, taking care of your family, climbing the career ladder, or living every moment to the full. Here each one pursues a dream, and that is the meaning of life.
- But be careful because those dreams, those motivations and that sense of your life can change at any time due to your personal evolution. That is why some vital crises find their origin in obstinate us in pursuing a dream that no longer motivates us, a dream that we have had since childhood and that we are too embarrassed or too lazy to abandon. But deep down we know that it will no longer make us happy. Because now we have other dreams, other goals.
What to do if you don’t find meaning in life
- But let’s get to the practical issues. When you are at that moment in which you are wondering about the meaning of life, about that meaning that you cannot find, about that “why”, you are at risk of suffering from depression. So the time has come to give some answers. What do we live for?
- Life is evolution, it is constant change, so do not insist on seeking the same goal throughout your life.
- Life is what happens now. This precise moment is endowed with full meaning, so make it worth it. No matter the past or the future, it matters how you feel now and if you don’t feel well now, find a way to smile. Now, tomorrow we’ll see.
- What do you have in life? Your family gives meaning to your life, your friends give meaning to your life, your work gives meaning to your life. How you relate to your environment gives meaning to your life and, above all, how you love yourself gives meaning to life.
- It is normal and even healthy to feel lost in life at times. These are moments for you to change course and find yourself, they force you to do an introspection exercise so that you connect with yourself.
- And speaking of connecting and intimate knowledge. Are you clear about your values and principles? Because the meaning you want to give to your life depends on them.
- The meaning of life depends on each person, but there is something general in all human beings that will make us live noticing that full meaning: being honest with ourselves, being authentic.