Sometimes we all get the feeling that life is meaningless. But, during those times it’s important to dig yourself out of the hole and look for joy.
It’s true that no one makes it through this life unscathed or unscarred. Many people, at times, feel like life is meaningless. Problems, issues, and huge events take their toll and when a run of bad luck comes your way, it’s normal to wonder whether you’ve somehow broken a mirror and didn’t know about it, or somehow been cursed.
Life is full of ups and downs and when you make it out the other side of something that challenges you, it’s normal to feel strange or even defeated for a while.
When you see injustice and suffering in the world, of course, you’re going to wonder why it’s happening and what caused it. You start to wonder what the point of it all is and where the meaning lies.
The reality of the matter is that nobody has managed to find the real meaning of life. All you can do is make your life as enjoyable and full of happiness as you can. In essence, you find your own meaning.
[Read: What is the point of life? Secrets to decode this big cosmic joke]
Why do we feel like life is meaningless?
If you feel like life is meaningless right now, know this. You are not alone. There are millions around you wondering the same thing. And there are probably billions in the world who have pondered over this at some point in their life.
And now here you are, wondering the same thing. So why is your life meaningless? Usually, we start to feel like life has no meaning when we’re not happy with the direction of our lives. Maybe a whole year flew past, and you have no recollection of where or how the days and months went by. Perhaps, you worked hard for something and failed. Or maybe, you lost something that holds a lot of value in your heart, and now you’re lost.
You may have had a certain idea about the direction you’re taking in life. And when something goes wrong with your life plans, or when you feel lost, you can’t help but wonder if any of this is worth it. Your plans, your hamster wheel grind of daily life, your pursuit of wealth or love, everything… is any of this worth it?
Honestly, trying to find meaning and justification for every single event in your life will never give you meaning. But cherishing every day of your life and truly experiencing those unexpected joyful moments are what make life.
There is beauty in every minute of life, even in all the chaos and confusion. You just need to take a step back and find humor and love in it, instead of seeing defeat or loss. [Read: What is the purpose of my life? How to find meaning when you can’t see ahead]
Is it damaging to wonder what the point is?
If you’re thinking that life is meaningless, you’re probably also worrying whether there may be something wrong with you.
Not at all.
We all go through times like this and it doesn’t mean that you have something innately wrong with you or that you need to go and see your doctor. However, if these feelings are ongoing and they’re accompanied by a sense of hopelessness and darkness, then you should probably go and have a chat with your doctor and see if perhaps you’re struggling with depression.
While wondering what the meaning of life is doesn’t mean you’re depressed, a constant sense of negativity and darkness may do. You don’t have to live with it – you can seek out help and overcome it. [Read: Nothing makes you happy? How to make happiness your default state of mind]
The best ways to stop yourself from thinking that life is meaningless
Alongside any negative things that have happened in your life, there are likely to be countless positives too. Like the times when you are sitting on the beach, or you are out doing something fun, taking in a deep breath, looking around, and thinking… things can’t get any better than this.
It’s easy to simply focus on the bad and forget the good but we need to keep things in balance.
Those joyful moments are what make life worth living.
If you think that life is meaningless, you might be misinterpreting what “meaning” is. Everyone you touch, you touch forever. Every memory you have, good or bad, has meaning. And, everything that you do while you are here, makes life meaningful.
If you feel as if life is meaningless, then it might just be you looking in the wrong places. [Read: 17 ways to relax, sit back and find more satisfaction in life]
Here’s how to stop thinking that life is meaningless.
1. Stop thinking that life is meaningless and try volunteering
One of the best ways to get yourself out of a rut or to show you that life is not as meaningless as you feel right now, is to volunteer.
Seeing other people who are worse off than you can snap you back into reality and make you see that there is a silver lining, no matter how bad things get. Something as small as making someone smile can show you the true meaning of life. [Read: 5 ways volunteer work can help heal depression]
2. Spend the day with your kids … or any kids
Kids are like little balls of discovery. Don’t you sometimes wish that you could have that imagination, that forgiveness in your heart, and that simplicity? If you want to remember what life is all about, spend some time with a kid.
Kids see all the things that we fail to in our lives. Breaking it all down for us, they remind us what life is really about – not the house, the car, or the bills, but the small wonderment that we have floating around us everywhere.
3. Spend time at a nursing home to stop thinking that life is meaningless
Who better to explain the meaning of life than those who have lived theirs and are nearing the end? If you want to stop thinking that life is meaningless, spend the day talking to someone who has nothing but their memories and a full life to retell.
We can guarantee you that the things they talk about aren’t their 401k, their new BMW, or their corner office. They will tell you times from when they were young, times they spent with their family, and the little memories that hold a grand space in their heads and their hearts. [Read: How to feel better about life – 16 small steps feel great again]
4. Call an old friend just to catch up
When you start to think that life is meaningless, it is probably because you haven’t found much joy in your life lately. It is super easy to get caught up in mundane things in life, be distracted by social media, or staring at a computer screen.
One thing that will jolt you back to a time when you had the world in the palm of your hand is finding that best friend who always brought out the best in you. Reconnecting with people who mean the most is what life is all about. [Read: Good friends are like stars – 18 ways to build lasting friendships]
5. Play hooky
One of the biggest reasons that you might feel as if life is meaningless is because it is like Groundhog Day every day. You are working to live and living to work. There really are better things out there than getting enough to get by.
If you want to find the meaning in life that you lost somewhere along the way, then play hooky from work to do something you love. Or better yet, re-examine if you really are in the right career in life. Perhaps you simply need a change and that will automatically snap everything into place for you. [Read: 12 steps to change your life and find true happiness in no time]
6. Say “no” to something
It is hard to find meaning in life when it is just one obligation after another without ever doing anything fun or that you want to do. If you want to remember what life is about, then stop saying ‘yes’ to everyone and everything.
If you are trying to make yourself happy by making everyone else around you happy, that is a surefire way to make sure that you lose yourself and your meaning.
The only obligation you have is to yourself. So, stop putting everyone else ahead of yourself and find out what makes you happy… then do it. [Read: How to say no – Stop pleasing people and feel awesome instead]
7. Go on vacation alone and you may stop thinking that life is meaningless
Vacations are great, but sometimes it is just another distraction to keep us from discovering what it is that we want in life. If you want to find meaning in life again, it might be good for you to spend some time with yourself.
Learning to like yourself, finding out what you want to do, and spending quality time really considering your decisions and where you want to go in the future, is a great way to find meaning in life again and put you back on course.
So, why not book a mini-break and head off alone? All that time to think and discover could be all it takes to help you rediscover your zest for life. [Read: 15 reasons why you should travel at least once a year]
8. Do what you have always wanted to do but always put off
We can’t stand the phrase “life is too short,” but the truth is that it is too short. If you want to find meaning in life, then you have to stop postponing your life and start doing what you want now.
Stop kicking your wants and needs down the hall waiting for your life to begin. Only you can change things to find peace and happiness.
So, stop putting the things you want by the wayside, and create change today. [Read: 12 insightful lessons to help you have a better life]
It is hard to find meaning in life when nothing is real. You are the first generation to grow up with social media, which makes it difficult to know what is real life and what is make-believe. Social media has never been real and nobody ever posts the truth!
So many people now spend their time creating *and curating* their fake lives and showing people how happy they are on their social media pages than living their real lives.
If you want to find meaning in life, you aren’t going to find it on the Internet. Put down your computer and phone and enjoy the life you are missing. Comparing yourself to something that’s simply not true will never make you happy and will never help you find meaning either. [Read: Dangers of social media and why it makes everyone so insecure]
You might be feeling like life is meaningless because you haven’t figured out what it is that you want to do in life or what will make you feel fulfilled. Sometimes we follow a path because someone has convinced us that it is what we want, or we decided too young and stuck with it.
If you feel that life is meaningless, then maybe you aren’t doing what you were put here to do. It might be time to re-examine your choices in life and change the ones that aren’t making you happy. [Read: 16 things you need to give up to lead a much happier life]
We’re all here, in the circle of life
Sometimes it is difficult to find meaning in life. You are born, you die. That is pretty meaningless when you think about it. But, where is the meaning that is found in between the major events?
Stop looking for the grand scheme behind the meaning of life and take the time to find out what it is that makes you feel fulfilled, loved, and gives life purpose. Once you figure out what it is that makes you happy and feels right, the rest will fall into line.
Everyone’s purpose and meaning are different. Trying to find a generalized version is simply impossible. What makes one person happy will make another person miserable.
Life is meant to be lived to the fullest. That means making conscious choices based on your own thoughts, doing what makes you happy, and not looking for happiness from things or people outside of you.
[Read: How to be your own hero and take control of every minute of your life here on]
We hope you’ve now stopped thinking that life is meaningless. You just have to take the time to stop, look around, and find what is missing… and then fill the gap.
