Is your problem a lack of meaning in life?

[Alex]

Was reading about creativity/depression. Thought this chapter from a book seemed quite interesting. http://www.creativity-portal.com/articles/artofthesong/meaningful-life-work-days.html
More on google books here... http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=...cover&dq=eric+maisel&cd=2#v=onepage&q&f=false

"The very existence of your life plan has a deeply calming effect. Just as a believer is calmed by his belief in a supernatural being who is on his side or, if not on his side, at least not indifferent to his existence, a creator is calmed by having something to believe in that he himself has affirmed. His life plan sentence is his announcement that he intends to mean, and while it does not spell out specific meaning intentions, it provides an outline that is no more vague or less momentous than a believer’s belief in gods."

 

[stella]

having no meaning in life is the core of my problem and feeling unable to fit it.

 

[mikkiatalonelylife]

Have you tried writing down a list of long term goals on a card? I got this idea out of a career book, but I think it applies to all of life.

For example, a few of mine are:

Maintain strong mental and physical health.
Travel to visit friends and see the world.
Retire when I'm 70.

The point is, you can look at your card, and ask yourself, is what I am doing now getting me towards these goals? If not, what will. Then act accordingly.

This doesn't work for me everyday, but it is nice to look at it on occasion and remind myself what I really value.

 

[edgecrusher]

part of my problem is having no meaning/purpose in life. the other part is being lonely companion wise. i havent dont anything with myself, but one thing i would like to do and i know i could do is be there for someone i truly cared about. i just have to find that person because i think they will help me wake up from this.

 

[Bluey]

having no meaning in life is the core of my problem and feeling unable to fit it.

This is also me. You said it well for me as well.

Plus good to see you here stella

 

[MissAbiotic]

My problem is not that I believe my own existence has no meaning, it's that I believe no person's existence has meaning. That's why it's always so hard for me to break out of a depressive spell once I'm in it.

 

[Aksy]

I just made a topic about the meaning of life and here I find another one. Ok so where is the meaning ? I mean whats the point in doing something in life ? Ok so you make that card that mikkiatalonelylife said about. Lets say you do all those things but for what ? To feel good about it ? Just for an emotional status ? I can understand the people that want to go through life to do good so they can go in Heaven , but I don't believe in Heaven or Hell or in any religion for that matter ( I only have faith in God ).
And when I take a moment and look at what this world has become and how it strayed from its natural course I have even lower reason to start living in this concrete honeysuckle hole.

 

[StarStrider]

Sometimes it scares me that there appears to be no inherent meaning for why we are alive on this world. With no guidelines, no obvious destiny as such it's so easy to feel lost and unmotivated. But that also works two ways, with no guidelines we are free to interpret, and thus have some measure of control over why we are here and what we should do about it.

 

[Emmy]

Kind of, i used the scapegoat of being that life is worth living as i could one day be a mother. But, as it goes, i'm gay, so can see that as an inadequate person.. waste of life etc. Not fulfilling the requirement to create life. So, on basis of being someone who won't be giving life, does that negate life's purpose? That i find more depressing, knowing there is a meaning to my life only i've urinated on it by being the way i am. Thats way more depressing.

But, where's that leave us.. unable to create life, wasteful of our own life, hunting down pointless 'goals' which we are only kidding ourselves into believing we care about them when in actuality we are only using 'goals' to validate our purpose, truth is, majority of people give a rats ass about their life goals.. mine would be to just pick up my bags and runaway, but not fussed either way, because the main point of life has been brushed away. Rest of these goals are filler to make up for bypassing the primary reason of life, reproduction.

Hmm.. i dunno, difficult one. I think life was intended to be good, be around friends and family and loved ones, children etc.. but society in my eyes has just tried to ruin everyone's attempt at feeling happy.
Think about how i could stay home tomorrow, maybe go see an old friend, or go singing, or go paint some pictures or feed the ducks or play with me cat or go for a long soul searching walk (which is of absolute urgency) but no.. i have to work, i have to work so i can finance paying bills, why? It's bogus. I dunno. Just way things are, education.. employment.. retirement.. death.. i mean, the world has been built around the premis that if said person doesn't go nab the pennies then they will be in financial panic. It's such crap. Life is made miserable and devoid of purpose because society has put everyone in a position of being dependent on the system.
I just wanna go play. But i can't. And that, that, that upsets me more than any meaning of life.

 

[StarStrider]

Interesting post Emmy and one that has made me wonder if trying to be happy hasn't sneakily been usurped in society by trying to be adequate?

There's a strange irony going on in my life and it comes from this; because I haven't been anywhere near as commercially successful as I would have wished, (as society demands) it's left me feeling so ashamed of myself that I find it very difficult to associate with friends and family. This in turn has made it extra hard to build the confidence that I need to try and be successful.

I'm not blaming society for all of my setbacks because much of my current status I owe to piss poor judgement but it is depressing sometimes to think the best of most people is left in the workplace.

 

[cheaptrickfan]

...but it is depressing sometimes to think the best of most people is left in the workplace.

That is a depressing thought, especially when you consider how many people are locked into a job just for the paycheck rather than deeply invested in a job which they find rewarding and actually like.