Life has lost its meaning - what to do, how to live on? Psychologist's advice. What to do if life has lost all meaning
If the reality is good and positively colored, we do not wonder what to do if life has lost all meaning. But happiness cannot be guaranteed and eternal: a person sometimes has to experience tragedies, losses, failures. All this negativity leaves an imprint on his psycho-emotional state, and such thoughts arise.
How to stop "burying" yourself and cope with the feeling of doomed to failure? Professional psychologists ready to give everyone some advice.
First of all, it is advisable not to bring yourself to a depressive state, but to start therapy from gloomy thoughts in time. You need to take care of your mood from the moment when you first thought that the colors of life are no longer the same as before. A few simple psychological exercises help to relax and direct the mood in the right direction.
1. Last minute living. Allow yourself a few minutes of silence and try to imagine that you have only one day of life left. Represented? Now answer three main questions for yourself: what would I like to hear about my personality after death, what missed opportunities do I regret, and what cause for pride do I have in my life? These answers will help you better understand and feel yourself and the depths of your subconscious. Now think about how you would spend the last day in this world? Make a list of things that are important to you, sort out those that you can complete within the next 24 hours, and start implementing them.
3. Take a time out. Just allow yourself to rest, to be in silence alone with your own thoughts. Start Personal diary Make it a habit to write down the good and bad of the day every day. By rereading what has been written, you will be able to understand what really has value in your life, and what is just a farce and tinsel.
4. Lend a helping hand. As he says folk wisdom if it seems to you that the difficulties in life are insurmountable, find a person with bigger problems than yours and help him. It may be a disabled person, a child from an orphanage, old man and so on. By giving him support, you can compare your life with his existence and give him the opportunity to feel a little needed and happy.
5. Experiment with new roles. Dedicate yourself to what you dreamed about for a long time, but for a number of reasons you could not afford. Maybe you will find a calling in growing zucchini in the garden, creativity, sports, dancing, working with children.
Question to a psychologist
effi, good time. To begin with, in your letter it is not at all clear who you are? What gender? How old are you? And this already complicates full-fledged communication ... Perhaps, in life, on the one hand, you want communication, the support of friends, but, on the other hand, you do everything to prevent this from happening ... Apparently, for this you have serious grounds. The question of meaning arises, as a rule, in difficult moments for a person. Meanings are impossible to come up with, they come or they don't come. And even when there is no sense, at first glance, there is also certain meaning)). In order to help you somehow, there is not enough information about you. Who you are? What kind of family do you have, who are your friends? What are your relationships with loved ones? What are your hobbies? What are the features? And just like that, without knowing a person, it is impossible to offer him some of his own meanings. In such cases, it makes sense to seek support from a psychologist in person. Sincerely, Marina Silina.
Silina Marina Valentinovna, Ivanovo psychologist
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According to F. Nietzsche, “one who knows the “why” to live will overcome almost any “how”...
I recommend that you read about the meaning of life - V. Frankl:
http://psiholog-dnepr.com.ua/view-and-read/logotherapy
You may be able to find answers to your questions...
With uv. Kiselevskaya Svetlana, psychologist, master (Dnepropetrovsk).
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Hello Effy.
Obviously, you are going through not the most fun time of your life right now. There is a lot of disappointment, fatigue and at the same time impotence, helplessness in your letter. Sometimes such a state is so painful that various desperate thoughts may arise. It is felt that you do not like this state, and you would like to feel the colors of life again, but apparently you do not know how. In order to start creating a different, colorful life filled with joy and your satisfaction, it is worth thinking and answering yourself the following questions: how often does this happen to you? If not often, then when did such a period begin? I consider it necessary to answer these questions for myself, at least in order to understand this state is connected more with your personal characteristics or something in outer life affects you a lot. In addition, this may be a temporary period, a crisis associated with your development, and it will pass, you just need support.
It may also be that you yourself do something in your life in such a way that leads you to such a state (if this state is repeated often). And then you should figure out what exactly you are doing wrong, what other options you have. This work is quite difficult, it requires time and the help of a psychologist.
It is also possible that the events of external life or significant people for you somehow affect your mood. Then you yourself can, after analyzing all the latest events that happen to you, after analyzing the relationships that are significant for you in life, draw a conclusion for yourself - and who or what influences you so much. But the next important question is what to do about it? Can you let others influence you so much, or will you be in control of your own life.
In any case, you can always seek internal help from a psychologist.
Sincerely
Paryugina Oksana Vladimirovna, psychologist in Ivanovo
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Effi, I repeat once again - such periods happen in the life of each of us. And then it makes sense to ask for help.
When longing overwhelms, sometimes you really want to end it all so as not to suffer. However, there is another way out. Judging by the end of your letter, you are ready to fight. And with regard to meanings: it was found that meanings are not given to us ready-made, we discover them during life. Sometimes they disappear, but they can be opened and found again. Effy, choose a psychologist, someone you can trust and with whom you will be ready to talk. Anything is possible, you just have to start. Sincerely, Svetlana Gorbashova.
Gorbashova Svetlana Vasilievna, psychologist in Ivanovo
Good answer 0 bad answer 1Hello, Effy. This usually happens when you, as a person, have lived your whole life according to parental instructions, rules, attitudes, preferences, but not your own. In this case, you did not live your own life, but pleased all your life to be good. And now you have discovered that you do not need anything for yourself. Since it has never been quoted. And now it is important to re-build the forbidden skill of being yourself. To think about who you are, what you want, and for the first time follow your interests and inclinations, explore life with from the point of view of your interests and your place in it. This is a difficult task if there is no childhood experience for this. Therefore, it is important to start taking an interest in yourself by forcing yourself to do something for yourself. The pleasure of the result will stimulate new interest. And only in this way, gradually it will become a habit. The format of psychotherapy is welcome.
Karataev Vladimir Ivanovich, psychologist Volgograd
Good answer 3 bad answer 1Hearing that the meaning of life is lost, you can involuntarily shudder. What does this phrase mean? Perhaps this is part of a note written by a person who committed suicide? Or are these the words of one who is in for a long torment? There is a lot of pain and suffering in this statement. If there is no meaning in life, then why is it needed at all? A depressive state sets in, which is accompanied by sadness and longing, because the person does not understand what to do.
There are moments when a person wakes up in the morning and thinks about how he has come to such a life. After all, life was not at all what he imagined in childhood. She is filled with emptiness and disappointment. A person wants to become happy, make his own existence bright, feel the joy of being. But he does not know how to achieve this, that . This leads to the thought of the meaninglessness of one's own existence.
Look around, look at the people. You can easily see that the meaning of our own existence is lost in many people around us. You can see it in their eyes. Sad elderly people, for whom the most important thing in life was children, who suddenly left their parental nest and rushed off to their own, independent lives. Frowning middle-aged people who are deprived of a chance to realize themselves in this life sit at home and wait for their existence to end and it will be possible to start living with clean slate. Young people who hide behind headphones and are very passionate about rock or dubstep, these teenagers prefer to live with one desire - “leave me alone!” If you look into the faces of such people, then you can easily read the unwillingness to live, deep depression, melancholy.
You can also see completely different people. One enthusiastically chats on a cell phone with a friend, the second plays with children, the third has fun at the celebration. Such people do not think about the meaning of life at all. They have something to do. Here one of two options is possible. Either they simply prefer not to think about it, or they already have it.
What to do?
It seemed like a simple question. You just need to realize the meaning of life and find the lost. However, here a person usually becomes a victim of social stereotypes, other people's aspirations, generally accepted attitudes. Strives for one, begins to do another, complexes because of the third. As a result, a person simply walks in circles in his own torment. All you have to do is find the meaning of life.
Everyone lacks something of their own. Someone is deprived of the meaning of life, having lost a job, the opportunity to make a career. Or just because of the small wages. Another person falls into depression during a divorce, when family happiness and love are destroyed, the opportunity to communicate with children disappears. Someone feels bad at heart from the lack of the opportunity to establish an emotional connection with someone.
Worst of all are those people who consider the search for this very meaning, the knowledge of oneself, one's own character, desires, to be the meaning of life. It is very difficult to find all this today. Various religious, philosophical and esoteric teachings do not give a clear answer to the question "what is the meaning of life?" Man tries to find answers in the natural sciences, lyrics, musical creativity. Oftentimes, he is only disappointed. It seems that everything is there: a family, a child, work, a decent salary, the possibility of self-development. But why is this, if everything is decaying, the person thinks. Gradually, his interest in everything disappears, insomnia appears, his head starts to hurt. Living like this is very difficult, because a person tries to distract himself somehow, for example, he starts playing computer games a lot, taking drugs, or, much worse, commits suicide.
Return of the Lost
Any person who believes that his life has a separate meaning is deeply mistaken. It is also erroneous to think that the meaning of life can be lost. If you close yourself in yourself or in a narrow family circle, you can after a while feel that the meaning of existence is lost, because the child has grown up and moved out from you, you have lost your job, started to get sick, ceased to mean anything (this is how a person who is closed on himself thinks). However, by accepting oneself as a part of society, understanding one's own role as a whole, and not in particular, one can realize that one cannot lose the meaning of life. All people living on the planet have the meaning of life. He cannot be lost. You just need to understand yourself, find your own niche, realize your abilities for the benefit of society.
There are certain methods that a person who has lost the lust for life must apply.
respite
Give yourself a break. Life is not the easiest thing. You can get very tired at work, have family problems. This leads to restless thoughts and a gloomy state of mind. From time to time it is necessary to sit in silence, hear your own reflections, decide in which direction the thread of your life will develop, what needs to be done.
Take a day in a private place to write down all the good elements of your life, as well as the bad ones. It is necessary to do this when you are definitely not disturbed, not distracted. The procedure will give you the opportunity to re-evaluate what you really want out of life. You will probably realize that the meaning of your life lies in family happiness, traveling around the world, career growth, helping other people. Only the person himself can know what is of any value to him, what needs to be done. Remember what you have good job. Or maybe the bank account has large sum. Or you have a loving person.
After the good, remember the bad. Don't dwell on the present state of affairs. Try to find solutions to problems. For example, you have long wanted to visit loved ones who live very far away. Ask yourself how to deal with this. Come up with a plan to get what you want.
Planning for the future
Set yourself three goals that you must achieve in a year. Goals can be small, for example, save up for what you have long wanted to buy, get a new pet, do exercises in the morning. You can also simply focus all your own forces on large positive changes in life.
Don't be afraid to ask friends and family for help if they can help you with what you're about to do. Think big more often. Life is given only once. It is necessary to live and fully use all its possibilities, not being afraid to seem ridiculous. If you wish to start new love relationship If you want to find a new partner, first decide what character he should have. Think about where you might meet the right person. You will probably need to increase the number of your friends or get acquainted in an original way.
You can also immerse yourself in any hobby, pay attention own child, go to another city, explore foreign language. Do what you have long wished for.
Finding goals requires stepping out of your comfort zone. You need to constantly work to achieve your goals, but your life is in your hands, so be bold.
Evaluation of one's own career
Many people believe that the meaning of life lies in labor activity which they are doing. Consider whether it is good for you to live in the present state of affairs, decide what needs to be done to change in better side. Understand who you've always wanted to be.
You have probably always wanted to work in a field that involves traveling the planet or contacting people. Maybe you like helping our little brothers. If you are on the wrong path, it may be time to rethink your own views on the world of work and ask yourself what you need to do to fully realize your talents.
Ambition should be the greater, the further your real purpose is from receiving money. If you want more responsibility at work, talk to your own boss and decide if there are opportunities for your career development. You may need to take additional training courses. All this must be done with enthusiasm.
Thinking about your own relationships
The most valuable part of life is relationships with other people. Previously, you probably had little time to connect with old friends or your loved ones, especially if you were immersed in work.
Make time for your own friend. Chat with him over a cup of tea. You don't need a reason, just talk about whatever you want. Call your brother, sister. Ask what they are doing.
Visit your parents often. If this is not possible, you can at least talk to them on the phone. After a stressful labor day an ordinary telephone conversation with a loved one works real miracles, makes it possible to get rid of stress and feel great.
So what's the point?
Summarizing all that has been said, we can draw a simple conclusion: the meaning of life lies in loyalty to oneself. Need to be creative own destiny to strive for pure happiness. Try to see beauty in the ordinary. Find meaning in every little circumstance that comes your way. life path. First of all, love yourself, and then your life will be filled with great joy and happiness.
The question "What to do if life has lost all meaning" has a clear and specific answer. Moreover, reflections on this issue give pleasure by penetrating into the very essence of life.
Paul Gauguin “Where do we come from? Who are we? Where we are going?"
Paul Gauguin completed the painting “Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?", took a box of poison and went to the mountains to die
However, the artist overdid it - he took too much poison, which provoked non-stop vomiting. Thanks to her, Gauguin escaped. The failed suicide suffered all night, but survived. The next morning, he staggered to his hut and fell asleep, and when he woke up, he felt a forgotten thirst for life. Psychologists know cases when an unsuccessful suicide attempt relieved depression.
The great man is lucky. And here's another story...
She is 21. Tomorrow is her graduation. She is studying at a cool overseas college majoring in English philology. Yesterday her boyfriend dumped her. Didn't even quit, but sent. Accused her of her beautiful body(and she is very beautiful), distracts from her absolutely empty inner world.
It would seem that there is such a thing? But for her, it's a disaster. Why? First, she always considered herself difficult, interesting person and not simple beautiful girl. Secondly, she fell in love with him. And thirdly, no one should leave her. Only she has to decide!
How did it happen... At first, a year ago, she just slept with him, because he is handsome. She was entertained by philosophical disputes with him and amused by his sweet shyness. And in bed, he was so caring, so attentive to her desires and so responsive that she, in the end, broke her own rule - not to fall in love. And fell in love. And I opened it to him yesterday. And he, in response, threw some smart book at her, which he was reading at that moment and kicked her out. And finally, he said that while she did not talk about love, it was good with her. But when she said that vulgar, banal phrase “I love you”, she turned from a goddess into a bourgeois. And he saw that there was nothing behind her petty-bourgeois beauty. With these words, he slammed the door. And she was left alone. She and the door in front of her.
Of course she didn't press the call button. Naturally, she left. And that same evening, wanting to knock out a wedge with a wedge, she got drunk, seduced her fellow student and gave him a blowjob. But at the very last moment, she became so disgusted with herself that she threw up right on him. And she felt what, as she realized, she wanted to feel when she seduced him - she felt how insignificant and pathetic she was. And she ran away, getting dressed as she went.
She had a terrible hangover in the morning. She literally turned inside out, mostly from the feeling that she had fallen to the very bottom that night. From the fact that she was not just abandoned, but accused of complete and absolute emptiness.
She was even worse from the fact that below, at the entrance, her joyful parents were standing, who had come to celebrate her graduation. She felt so bad that she did not find anything better than to run to the window, open it and step down.
The floor was high and when she fell, her head split open. Her mother died immediately of a broken heart. When her daughter's brains were splashed right on her face. father like true man, held on for another year, and then got into the car, closed the door, turned on his wife's favorite tune, lay down in the seat and fell asleep. They were all buried side by side.
The story is heavy and, most of all, incomprehensible. Why all of a sudden young, beautiful, budding, rush out the window? Slept with grief? Did the guy quit? Tired of yourself? Yes, all this was, but why did her life lose all meaning for herself? But is it the absence of meaning that makes death the only way out? Where did he go - what's the point?
Life has lost all meaning? The problem is not life. But in a lost sense.
The phrase “The meaning of life” and the question “What if life has lost all meaning?” - meaningless, without a precise understanding of what SENSE is.
No meaning in life
There's no point in doing it
I don't see the point in talking to you about it.
There's no point in even starting
There's no point in continuing
There is no point in going there...
What are the similarities between these phrases?
Their similarity is that in some case there is no point. What does it mean? In your life, it was so that you said or thought something similar. It was exactly. But why did you say that?
What is life? And how can it lose its meaning?
Life cannot lose its meaning :-). Life has no pockets where the meaning can fall imperceptibly. She has no holes in her hands through which meaning can leak. Life is not a person. She cannot lose anything :-) Life is a generalized name for ... What do we mean when we say - life? My life. His life. Our life. What do we mean?
What does it mean to "live"? It means waking up in the morning and falling asleep in the evening. To go to work. Be in love. Give birth to children. Travel. Sleep. Get sick. Recover. Fight. Die. be born. etc. and so on. Right?
All these words are verbs. And verbs denote action. Life is action. And every action has a result. And for any action, strength is needed. And than harder problem, which the action decides, the more forces are needed. And if the result is not worth the strength that is required, this result does not make sense. After all, it's pointless to strain for the sake of not getting anything, right?
What am I going to work for? To earn money. What do I need money for? For life. For a family. For a hobby. And if I work a lot and earn little, does it make sense for me to work like that? I go in for sports for what? To feel cheerful, cheerful, fit. And if I go in for sports, and as a result I have a lot of occupational diseases. Does it make sense for me to continue? Everything that you don’t touch in our lives, we do for the sake of something. And that's ALL - and the deeds and what we get from them, we call the capacious word LIFE.
Life is everything we do.
Life loses its meaning if the ratio of the invested forces and the result obtained is meaninglessly insignificant.
Life is a source of suffering.
Life, that is, what we do (our actions), can cause us a lot of suffering. And one of the main things in our life is to overcome these sufferings.
I worked for myself for 10 years, then clap - a crisis. And the topic is dead. It's just like losing loved one- You can't live without it. behind long years compatibility. A sharp break in these ties makes you suffer. It really hurts physically. Even “yesterday” every month your account grew, and now it is falling. You have plans, calculations - cars, a house, etc. And here…
Don't believe when they tell you that you don't have to suffer. You can pretend that you are not suffering. Suffering can be driven deep into the soul. But there is no life without suffering.
Overcoming suffering is the same thing as any other. Someone does it better, someone worse. Therefore, one suffers for a month, and then pulls himself together and looks for new theme. And the other suffers for a year and then for a couple of years returns to his former self.
Overcoming suffering requires strength. But in order to invest strength in the matter, we must see for what we will strain and invest strength.
The girl has a terrible hangover. She has a sense of her own worthlessness. And below are joyful parents wishing a holiday. She, elementarily, does not have the strength to somehow pull herself together (and perhaps there is no such habit). And most importantly, she is so immersed in herself and her experiences that she literally does not see the light at the end of the tunnel. IN literally, she does not see the point in somehow trying to cope with experiences. They are very strong.
She does not see this meaning, because at this particular moment it seems to her that her future is hopeless darkness and hell. What is the point of her overcoming suffering? For this future hell?! What is the point of her life? None. And she puts an end to her life. Paul Gauguin drinks poison. Someone throws themselves under the train. Because they don't see the light.
Why is life meaningless?
The man is 40. No children. There is no family. He works as a senior mechanic - half a year on a flight, half a year at home. There are friends, of course. There is an apartment. There is a car. But there is no meaning in life.
The question is - where does this meaninglessness in his life come from?
Why did his life lose all meaning? To answer this question, you need to understand what kind of suffering he overcomes? Or what does he do that does not bring adequate results?
After all, in the phrase “The meaning of life” - the main thing is MEANING. And in place of “life” you can and should put something more specific. Why? Because life is a generalization. We call life the multitude of deeds and deeds that we do and that we perform in life. Understanding the meaning of life is useless. It's about everything and nothing. You need to dig for specific life things.
He works as a senior mechanic. Earns well. Does his work bring enough to make him feel that the hardships he must endure are worth it?
No, it doesn't. Yes, he earns well, but he spends this money on himself. And by age, it's time for him to have children. And invest in them. Then his work and 6 months in an iron box will make sense - work for money to provide for his children. It makes sense. And working for 6 months at sea for the sake of money, so that they can buy a car and fuck heifers - this is ... somehow stupid. You can work on the shore and fuck heifers every day. Not six months of the year. Hence he has a sense of the meaninglessness of life - he hunchbacks for six months to spend money on whores. Nonsense!
He does not catch up with the fact that the sense of the meaninglessness of life arises from the meaningless six-month voluntary imprisonment. And he endures these confinement in order to have six months to rest, as it were. But in fact, this rest is overshadowed by the premonition of the approaching six-month hard labor every day.
What to do if life has lost all meaning?
We already know that this is a meaningless question. We need a question that already contains an answer. Which?
“What, of what I do, what I do, is meaningless, because it is not worth the hardships, hardships and suffering that I endure for this?”
The answer to this question removes the question “What to do if life has lost all meaning”, because you clearly realize where exactly this meaning has been lost.
I have a pointless job. Why? Because for the sake of money, I do not want to rot for six months in prison. It isn't worth it.
I have a meaningless relationship - his pessimism and despondency does not overlap the fact that he has great sex.
I'm wasting my time at the institute. Why? Because I'm not going to work in this specialty, and they don't pay money for having a diploma either.
Agree, such formulations are much more productive than some general “I don’t see the point in life…”.
Well, the next step is to think and decide what to do with it. What to give up. But this is already much easier.
PS And a little about the life of Paul Gauguin. His whole life is a manic flight from civilization.
Paul Gauguin was born in Paris, but until the age of seven he was brought up in a Peruvian estate with his uncle and forever fell in love with exotic nature, a measured life and the simplicity of human relationships. France, where he returned with his mother in 1855, never became his home. Therefore, the artist liked to travel to distant countries. And when he turned forty-seven (in 1895), he decided to permanently move to Polynesia, to Tahiti, where he had already been.
However, this time life on the island did not work out. Gauguin quarreled with the new colonial administration and therefore could not get a job. The accumulated money quickly ran out. It remained only to paint pictures and send them to France in the hope of selling. But patrons were not particularly interested in Gauguin's work, and the artist was mired in debt. In addition, he began to have serious health problems: his legs became inflamed, his heart ached, he was tormented by eczema, and attacks of hemoptysis did not let go. Conjunctivitis and dizziness were not allowed to work.
“I don’t even have a piece of bread,” Paul wrote to his friend Daniel Monfred in the autumn of 1897, “to restore strength. I support myself with water, sometimes with guava and mango fruits, which are now ripe, and even with freshwater shrimp. Gauguin was choked by depression, and he decided to commit suicide. But before he died he wanted to write last picture, which would become a spiritual testament.
“I think,” the artist addressed Monfred, “that this canvas ... will surpass all previous ones ... I put into it ... all my energy, all my passion.” By the end of December 1897, the work “Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" was ready. And in early January 1898, Gauguin took a box of arsenic and went to the mountains. There he decided to die ....
In 1898, fate took pity on Gauguin: the paintings slowly began to sell, he managed to get a job as a clerk in the Public Works Administration, the conjunctivitis passed - the artist spent all his free time at the easel. Has begun new stage creativity: Gauguin created a cycle of paintings, thematically close to “Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?”, but in a different, sunny palette.
This example perfectly shows that if hardships look endless, then there is no point in overcoming them. But Gauguin was lucky - he did not die and saw the light at the end of the tunnel. Which?
Death is worse than life, so there is no point in death :-)
PPS Painting “Where did we come from? Who are we? Where are we going?" has one feature: it is “read” not from left to right, but from right to left, like Kabbalistic texts that Gauguin was interested in.
1 SLEEPING CHILD symbolizes the human soul before its earthly incarnation. According to the art critic Marina Prokofieva, "Gauguin was a mystic, passionate about Theosophy, and believed that human souls, before descending into the material world, are in infantile bliss in heaven."
2 DOG - a symbol of the troubles that await a person on earth.
3 THREE WOMEN symbolize the first stage of stay human soul in a corporeal shell until the discovery in it of the desire for self-knowledge. “These women do not get stuck in soul-searching, they are not tormented by doubts, but thoughtlessly surrender to the happiness of material existence,” says Marina Prokofieva.
4 A MAN PICKING THE FRUIT FROM THE TREE OF GOOD AND EVIL is a symbol of the awakening in a person of the desire to comprehend the secrets of the universe.
As a theosophist, Gauguin believed that the desire to discover the secrets of the world order was inherent in man from the very beginning. But in someone it awakens, but in someone it does not.
5 A FIGURE WITH A HAND ON THE HEAD personifies the second stage of the development of the human soul, when it despairs of the inability to find answers to the "damned questions" of being.
6 TWO FIGURES IN RED. “In the painting by Gauguin,” says Marina Prokofieva, “they represent the third stage of spiritual development, when a person acquires the ability to analyze. These are two wise men confiding their thoughts to each other.
7 BIRD - a symbol of the spiritual path, taken by Gauguin from ancient Egyptian art.
8 The WOMAN IN BLACK symbolizes the soul at the highest stage of development, when it comprehends the meaning of its earthly incarnation. It lies in the fact that the soul needs to be tempered in suffering. “A woman in black is mournful, but calm,” notes Prokofieva, “because it is clear to her that behind the suffering to which people are doomed in this world who have chosen spiritual path, the afterlife reward follows - joyful peace.
9 SOURCE - a symbol of eternity.
10 THE STATUE OF THE DEITY personifies the hope for the resurrection in heaven of the liberated soul.
11 THE FIGURE OF A TEENAGER symbolizes the rudimentary level of development of the soul in those in whom the desire for self-realization has not been revealed and who is familiar only with the life of the body.
12 GOAT, KITTEN AND PUPPY are, according to Gauguin, symbols of a carefree existence, in which the realm of material nature resides, which does not know the torments of spiritual search.
13 NUDE - a symbol of sensual pleasure, which is pursued by those who live according to the laws of the material world.
14 THE OLD WOMAN symbolizes the doom of the body to death. “Her undeveloped soul,” says Marina Prokofieva, “will be doomed to an amorphous existence that does not know pain, but does not know joy either.”
15 A BIRD WITH A LIZARD IN CLAWS is, according to Gauguin, a symbol of the inevitability of the hour of death.
16 NAME OF THE PAINTING IN FRENCH - D’ou venons nous? Que sommes nous? Ou allons nous? Today the painting is in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts (Boston, USA).
About the painting by Paul Gauguin “Who are we? Where are we from? Where are we going?"
Each person has his own meaning of life. His search is traditionally defined as spiritual and philosophical problem, the essence of which tends to determine the purpose of the existence of each of us. If you think more globally, then to the destiny of all mankind. It is important. And if life has lost its meaning, then something worse is unlikely to happen.
About the problem
This usually happens during depression. Although most often it is the loss of the meaning of life that causes this condition. During which nothing is wanted. The person is depressed, he does not feel joy, does not show interest in anything, constantly feels tired. His speeches are pessimistic, he does not want and cannot concentrate, sometimes he thinks about death or suicide, he constantly sleeps or does not do it at all. And most importantly - this feeling of worthlessness, accompanied by a feeling of fear, anxiety and even guilt.
Life has lost its meaning ... How much pain in this phrase. And what is this problem about? With the lack of what a person needs most. For some, this is a job and an opportunity to make a dizzying career. For others - a loved one, spending time together, tender feelings and passion. For the rest - a family with a bunch of children. For some, the meaning of life is immeasurable wealth. For others, it is an opportunity to travel and develop. There can be countless examples. But it all comes down to one simple truth. Fortunately. Yes, this is the meaning of life - to be happy. Or, as they say, to be in a state of complete satisfaction with the conditions of their existence and being. That's the meaning of life. This phenomenon, by the way, is actively studied by occultism, theology, psychology and philosophy.
Eternal search
It's a paradox, but many people understand that life has lost its meaning during ... attempts to find it. Such cases are not uncommon. Indeed, people who constantly think about what the meaning of life is are the most unhappy. They actively try to know their desires, own character and himself. And many are not satisfied with the notorious answer to eternal question, which assures that the meaning lies in happiness.
And then a person tries to find it in esoteric, philosophical and religious teachings, which, of course, do not give a clear answer to this question. Therefore, a person begins to look for it in music, literature, lyrics and even the natural sciences.
And in the vast majority of cases, disappointment comes to him. He, it seems, has everything that is needed for a fulfilling life - a job, close people, friends, a soulmate, a good salary. But it doesn't make sense anymore. Because the person was convinced: everything is decay. And slowly but surely he loses interest in everything. Begins to experience headaches, struggles with insomnia, experiences chronic fatigue. And it's very hard to live like that. There are attempts to relax. IN best cases a person is addicted computer games. At worst, he drowns in alcohol and drugs. The worst consequence is suicide. In general, the real depression.
What to do?
If life has lost its meaning, then doing it For the first time, a turning point, so to speak, is permissible. But then you need to act. Either by yourself, or at the suggestion of someone close and indifferent. Many turn to psychologists. Certainly there is actionable advice. But there is no universal recommendation that equally helps everyone.
So what to do if you have lost the meaning of life? Start looking for answers. To begin with, it is important to determine what is happening. After all, the essence lies not just in a bad mood, parting with a loved one or accumulated fatigue. The loss of the meaning of life cannot be compared with any sadness.
And we also need to remember that we are all driven by desires. And they need to be satisfied. What could be worse than not having what you want? If you do not satisfy your own spiritual needs, you cannot avoid misfortune. And voids that need to be filled. To begin to gradually get rid of hatred for yourself and your body, others and the world as a whole, you need to remember what a person has always wanted. Let's say, as an example, this is a trip to the sunny Dominican Republic, to the gentle sea. Through force, you need to ignite this desire again. Start planning a trip, collect things, pick up a hotel. There is a saying: "Appetite comes with eating." And here in this case- Same. The person will be inspired in the process. And the result will be the satisfaction of his main desire, which entails a sense of realization, self-sufficiency and pleasure.
Analysis
Everyone knows that this is a research method in which the object under study is divided into separate parts for better understanding. Analysis is not only related to mathematics, programming and medicine. But also to the topic under discussion. What to do if you have lost the meaning of life? Analyze the current situation.
You need to evaluate your actions and identify errors. Nothing just happens. And the reason why a person was on the verge also has roots. But most importantly, in no case should you blame yourself. Everything has already happened. What was, is gone. And now you need to find out why everything happened so, in order not to repeat your mistakes in the future.
It is very important not to feel sorry. This is a bad feeling, once again oppressing a person. He must accept the moment as it is. And even in the most terrible, wild situation, try to find the pros. Even though life goes on. And in the future there is a chance to succeed.
And even if a person has an incredibly hard life, the story of which can bring tears to the most callous person in the universe, there is no need to feel sorry for yourself for a long time. Yes, everything fell apart. Already the bottom, there is nowhere to fall further. Therefore, you need to rise. With difficulty, through pain and torment. It can help to realize that the perception of everything around is just a matter of tuning. Yes, it’s easier to talk than to worry about everything, but the person himself will come to this conclusion when he gets out of a deplorable state.
Release of emotions
If a person is overcome by the question “Why am I living?”, Then it's time to get a beautiful clean notebook with a pen and turn it into a diary. This is a very powerful move. And you can't underestimate him.
“And what should I write in it?” - sluggishly, but with a share of skepticism, a depressed person will ask. And the answer is simple - everything. Absolutely anything. Thoughts can begin with any phrases and expressions - there is no need to structure and organize them, because this is not an essay. A diary is a way to express your emotions. As a rule, a person who constantly asks the question “Why do I live?” Does not want to make contact with anyone. And emotions accumulate. So it is better to reflect them on paper. Over time, this will become a habit. And then a person will notice that in the head, as well as on paper, there is no longer such a confusion that was observed at the very beginning.
And then in the diary you can begin to mark the results of your work on yourself. Does anyone interfere with sketching a small plan for the future?
By the way, when you feel better, you need to find something to your liking. No wonder they say that a person is alive as long as he is interested in living. You need to find a hobby that would not only bring pleasure, but also inspire at least minimal optimism and joy. Maybe start breeding parrots? This will be a great idea, because everyone knows that our smaller brothers give boundless positive, joy and help to pass life's trials. After all, they love their master infinitely. And love gives us strength.
For whom do you need to live?
People, having fallen into impotence and tired of looking for the reasons why they were on the verge, begin to ask this question. Look for the cause from the outside, so to speak. Some, through force, begin to live for a loved one, parents, beloved pet or children. Maybe it helps. But the key phrase here is "through force." Because the problem that touched a person directly and in the most direct way remains unresolved.
You need to live for yourself. Selfish? Not at all. And even if it is, there is nothing wrong with healthy, productive selfishness. You need to stop thinking about what you can do for others. And finally, put yourself first.
By the way, this is often the reason. That man has never lived for himself. He did what was customary. Did what needed to be done. I tried to meet the expectations of my parents or boss. I tried to comply with generally accepted standards, so that "everything is like with people." Although deep down I wanted something completely different. And the realization of this usually comes at the moment when he is standing on the edge. But there is no need to despair. We must remember - there is enough time for everything that you really want to do. This is true. Because desires always subjugate time. And there is no need to wait - you need to start implementing them immediately. And then questions about why life has lost its meaning will fade into the background.
Forget about everything
Therein lies another effective method. He is able to help. Anyone - be it a man drowning in depression, or a woman who has lost her meaning in life. The advice of a psychologist is as follows: you need to sweep away the past from yourself. Forget him. Throw out of memory forever. The past often pulls a person down, like a stone to the bottom of a river, tied to the foot of a drowned man.
All bridges must be burned. Break contact with unpleasant people with whom the person was forced to communicate. Quit a job you hate. Boss oppressed? So you can finally express to his eyes everything that has accumulated in the soul. Divorce a legitimate “soulmate”, with whom there is no longer any chance of establishing a life. Move from a boring and hated city to another place. In general, we are talking about the beginning of a truly new life. The one that everyone loves to talk about today.
And here is the most important thing: with the performance of each action, a person must pass through himself the realization that he is becoming new personality. Not who he was. You can even fix it with visualization - change your appearance (haircut, hair color and contact lenses, image, tan, etc.). All this may be taken lightly by some. But, again, it seems so only from the outside. After doing all of the above, a person will look around, look at himself in the mirror, and understand that he is already different. And he has no right to return to his old life.
Break
When thoughts like “What am I doing?” begin to appear in a person’s head? and "What am I doing with my life?", it's time to pause. Preferably a long one. In order not to completely wallow in despondency and not fall into a real depression, you need to urgently take a vacation, rent a house by the lake or in the forest and go there. A sharp change of scenery and unity with nature saved a considerable number of people.
What after? Then you will need to give yourself answers to the notorious questions “What do I do?” and “What am I doing with my life?”. Recognize what is causing the discomfort. Why is there discontent and when these questions, in fact, appeared. And then - to find a solution to the problems. Maybe find new meaning life. As a rule, people who take a break in time and deal with the oppression that has begun to accumulate do not reach the edge and do not fall into a deep depression.
By the way, a break is not complete without planning for the near future and setting goals. They, like the meaning of life, should be in every normal person who wants to be an accomplished person. Goals do not have to be global (buy a villa in Spain, change from Lada to Mercedes, go into investment business, etc.). They must be viable. And those for which I would like to wake up in the morning. It is desirable that the goals are long-term. Three is enough. It is better to write them down in the notorious diary. It might look like this: “Goal #1: Save up for a year to spend in Greece. #2: Do a 5-minute exercise every morning. No. 3: pull up English language before conversational level". Goals should motivate and set you up for positive life changes. This - main principle their performances.
Help your neighbor
It is not easy for a person who is on the edge. But the depressive state that he experiences also affects people close to him, who begin to think: who has lost the meaning of life?
That's a very difficult question. There is no universal answer. It all depends on individual psychological features. What helps one may not help another.
One thing can be said with certainty. The one who knows him well has a chance to help a person. A person well acquainted with specific features of his loved one, he can roughly guess what actions should be taken to make it easier for him. The main thing is to avoid standards that usually show nothing but indifference, even if the person really wanted to help. These are phrases such as “Everything will be fine”, “Don’t worry, life will get better”, “Just forget it!” etc. They must be forgotten. A person faces a problem: the meaning of life is lost, No “Just forget it!” there can be no talk.
So, you can quietly turn on his favorite music or series, bring food and drinks he adores, start talking about the most interesting topic for him. Little things? Perhaps, but at least a little, they will help restore a person's taste for life.
Methodology of the last day of life
This is the last thing I would like to talk about. When a person is depressed and no longer sees the point in his existence, it does not hurt him to think: what if this day of life was the last? The thought of the imminent disappearance of all reality will invigorate everyone. Of course, when a person is alive and well, he has enough time for depression, sadness and discouragement. Sounds exaggerated, but it's true. But as soon as he thinks about the fact that he has only 24 hours left, everything takes on a different meaning, not to mention the fact that there is a rethinking of values.
And when there is no desire to exist, it is worth using this technique. Live this day like it's your last. Perhaps after this, the desire to exist will flare up again.
Losing the meaning of life is the worst thing that can happen. And it would be better if no one went through this. But in any case, the most important thing is to hope for the best in the depths of your soul. And act. After all, as the great said American writer Jack London: "Man is given one life. So why not live it properly?"
