It’s a bit heavy to have conversations with your girlfriends about big questions and massive feelings of dread. So, I’ll be your girlfriend and tell you how to overcome an existential crisis in the modern world.
I had a quarter-life crisis. Anyone who looked at my day-to-day life would have seen that I was following all the social norms and looked happy. But, I wasn’t.
The way I would describe it is, “I should have been happy.” Anyone who owns a house with a big backyard that has a trampoline and a play set with a doting husband and two healthy kids has no right to complain, right? It didn’t feel like I was in a position to make any big life changes because everyone thought my life was great.
That’s the first thing I want you to understand about existential questions, you don’t have to be spiraling downward for you to be having deeper questions of life.
Normalize The Experience Of An Existential Crisis
There are different types of existential crises and many different triggers that bring them to light in the first place. Many people experience existential crises. It’s a very human feeling.
Sometimes, you might question life’s purpose or wonder what truly matters. This can be unsettling. But remember, these thoughts are common.
Acknowledging this kind of crisis as part of life can help. It can unlock doors to personal growth. When you see others share similar struggles, it can be comforting.
It’s not always comfortable to share your difficult questions with family or friends. That may be why you decided to find information on the internet. That’s totally fine. Strangers online are as good as anybody to discuss the true meaning of life with.
Reflecting on these feelings could lead to new perspectives. This understanding is key when thinking about how to overcome existential crisis.
Creating art, writing, or engaging in hobbies are great ways to express and understand your feelings. They offer a chance to explore thoughts without feeling pressured.
Key Points:
- An existential crisis is normal.
- Open paths for discussion and growth.
- Use creative outlets for exploration.
You have the power to face these feelings. Realizing you’re not alone can make the journey easier.
What Is An Existential Crisis?
Encountering an existential crisis often brings about feelings of unease or questioning in life. It involves thoughts about existence, purpose, and mortality. These crises can be an opportunity for reflection and personal growth.
Definition
An existential crisis occurs when you find yourself questioning the deeper aspects of life. It’s a period where you might wonder why you exist, what your purpose is, or if your life holds meaning. Human beings often face these thoughts when confronted with life’s unanswerable questions, such as the point of life, or awareness of their own mortality.
The concept is linked with philosophers like Soren Kierkegaard and Albert Camus, who explored these deeper questions. You might experience anxiety and confusion, but understanding its nature can aid in knowing how to overcome an existential crisis.
Existential Crisis vs. Identity Crisis vs. Midlife Crisis
While an existential crisis involves questioning life’s purpose, an identity crisis focuses on who you are. This type of crisis may arise when life roles or personal beliefs are uncertain.
In contrast, a midlife crisis often strikes during middle age when you reassess your achievements and goals. Quarter-life crises can emerge for younger individuals facing similar questions. Each type addresses different aspects of your journey but shares the introspective element common to existential thoughts.
Understanding these different crises helps you pinpoint what you’re experiencing, making it easier to address them effectively.
Why They’re Not A Bad Thing
Though they may feel challenging, existential crises can be positive experiences. They push you to explore life’s bigger questions and to pursue personal growth. By questioning existence, you might discover new passions or redefine your goals.
These crises encourage a deeper level of thinking, prompting moments of clarity and a better appreciation for life. While unsettling at first, they offer a chance to reassess and reinforce your sense of self.
Embrace the opportunity for change and development, viewing it as a stepping stone toward a richer, more fulfilling life.
In different ways you may have pushed against family pressure, cultural norms, or social expectations, but it’s very rare to fully focus on your own desires as the alternative to fighting against the status quo. Almost everyone finds an alternative path and perceives it as the only way out or forward. The concept of an existential crisis allows people to re-frame their entire life disconnected from where they were ‘supposed’ to be.
Signs And Symptoms Of An Existential Crisis
Experiencing an existential crisis can be overwhelming. You might feel an intense questioning of life’s purpose, leading to an emotional rollercoaster that impacts your mental health. This deep existential crisis can affect various aspects of your daily life.
Common Signs
Typical signs of an existential crisis involve deep feelings of unease about your purpose and meaning. You may find yourself questioning your choices and freedom in life. Existential angst, a form of deep worry, can accompany these thoughts. It’s common to feel detached from everyday life, leading to feelings of isolation or wondering why you exist at all. Existential despair might set in when you feel stuck with negative thoughts about your direction in life.
I find that most people begin their existential crisis by asking smaller questions:
>Do I really have to do this?
>Why is this expected of me?
>Who decides what I’m supposed to do?
>Why can’t I do that?
>Who says I should do that?
Once someone begins to realize the social constructs of modern society they often come to the conclusion that they have been following imaginary rules. It may take a long time to realize how to answer questions for yourself instead of based on what others think is a good idea.
Emotional And Physical Symptoms
Emotional symptoms often include anxiety and depression, sometimes leading to existential dread. With a sense of a meaningless life, negative emotions can take over, leaving you unmotivated or uninterested in day-to-day activities. Panic attacks might occur due to the overwhelming nature of these feelings. Physically, you could experience fatigue, loss of appetite, or tension in your body. Each symptom might vary in intensity but often makes functioning in your everyday environment challenging.
Triggers
An existential crisis might be triggered by significant life changes or events. These can include moments like a loss, major achievements, or transitions such as leaving home or changing careers. Such events may provoke existential depression, prompting you to reassess your values and beliefs. Experiences that remind you of life’s fleeting nature, like facing mortality, can also be a source of this crisis. Knowing the triggers can help in learning how to overcome existential crisis and regain a sense of peace.
What Causes An Existential Crisis?
An existential crisis arises from various factors. These can be internal, like personal feelings and thoughts, or external, such as life events or changes.
Internal Factors
Internal factors play a significant role in causing an existential crisis. Existential anxiety is common, where you may find yourself questioning the meaning and purpose of life. This might arise from reflecting on past choices or feeling fear about the future. You might feel that life lacks direction or value.
Self-reflection during significant moments can also trigger these thoughts, especially when considering identity or personal goals. Consistent stress or mental health issues, like depression, may amplify feelings of emptiness. These intense internal reflections often lead to feelings of loneliness and despair.
External Triggers
External events often serve as triggers for existential crises. A major life event, such as losing a loved one or a job change, can shake your sense of stability. Such events cause you to reconsider your place in the world. Significant changes, like moving to a new city, can stir feelings of uncertainty or helplessness.
Social pressures and norms might also contribute, making you question whether your life aligns with societal expectations. Changes in relationships or substance abuse might worsen these thoughts. Understanding how to overcome existential crisis involves recognizing how these external triggers affect your inner world and exploring constructive ways to navigate them.
How To Overcome Existential Crisis: Practical Steps
Feeling stuck in an existential crisis can be overwhelming, but there are ways to navigate through it. Connecting with others can provide relief. Reach out to friends or family and share your thoughts. This can help you feel less isolated.
Consider seeking professional help. Therapists trained in cognitive behavioral therapy or existential therapy can guide you through this challenging time. They can help you explore your feelings and find meaning.
Embrace the present moment. Practice mindfulness to gain greater awareness of your thoughts and feelings. Regular mindfulness practice can bring peace and reduce anxiety.
Engage in activities that shift your focus from yourself to others. Volunteering or helping someone in need can provide perspective and purpose.
Start a gratitude journal. Each day, write down a few things you are thankful for. This can help you shift your mindset to focus on positive aspects of life.
Learn new skills. Engaging in activities that challenge you can provide a sense of accomplishment and keep your mind occupied with constructive tasks.
By taking these steps, you can work towards how to overcome existential crisis and find a path forward.
The way I overcame my mid-life existential crisis was by allowing myself free time to focus on what I wanted. I had to untangle all the ideas about what other people expected of me or wanted me to do. Instead, for the first time I focused on only what I would want if nobody else had a say in my life.
When To Seek Immediate Help
Feeling low and uncertain is common during an existential crisis. However, recognizing when to seek immediate help is crucial. If you experience suicidal thoughts, it’s important to act quickly. Contact a crisis lifeline or reach out to a trusted friend.
Reach out to mental health professionals if you feel overwhelmed and struggle to cope. They have the expertise to help you navigate difficult feelings and provide support.
Look for signs that you might need assistance. If feelings of despair, loneliness, or helplessness persist and interfere with daily life, professional help can be a vital resource.
Remember, seeking help is a positive step. It shows strength and commitment to your well-being. Knowing how to overcome existential crisis involves recognizing when you can’t do it alone.
Finding Meaning After An Existential Crisis
An existential crisis can feel overwhelming, but it can also be a turning point in your life. By navigating through this challenging time, you might discover a deeper meaning and a new sense of purpose.
Start by reflecting on personal experiences and identify what truly matters to you. This personal growth can lead you to a more meaningful life and help clarify your career path. Even the small things can guide you toward your life purpose.
Your best life has been hidden by all the fake rules imposed on you by society, family, culture, and your own mental blocks preventing you from rocking the boat. The worst thing you can do is just keep on pushing in a life you hate because you must. The must is not real.
If you are having a hard time untangling what you would actually want outside of the life you are supposed to live, I suggest you let yourself linger on thoughts you tell yourself are impossible. When you find yourself saying, people like me don’t have a life like that, you may have stumbled on the life you’re meant to live.
Change Your Behavior
Most people have dreams that they never achieve. I always explain to my clients that knowing which dreams you haven’t taken action on is a great way to set you on the right course. Big dreams that have been left to die in the back of your head are misaligned with your actual purpose.
The crazy ideas that you’ve told yourself are impossible are the very goals that will cause you to change your behaviors. When you change your behavior you change your quality of life. Once I admitted to myself what my actual goals were, that’s when the little things began to fall into place. Instead of talking about the life I wished I had, I began building it.
You will know you are not focusing on the right goal when you only talk about it, but don’t do anything to get it. Action proves purpose.
Your Purpose is Not
It may pain you to hear this, but your purpose is not to serve your children, please your husband, or provide emotional support to that narcissistic family member. Additionally, your purpose is not to impress your boss, making a living, or create some sort of financial benefit for those around you.
Social media has warped reality in a very negative way over the past two decades. You believe there are people who love the life you have and therefore you think you should to. Trad wife influencers make you feel bad for not finishing your to-do list and twenty something CEO’s make you feel like you’re behind in life.
None of the things you are thinking of right now are your purpose. The causes of an existential crisis are entirely to do with the fact that you’ve followed the path you thought you were supposed to. Instead, you can realized that the most positive impact you can have on the world is to be truly happy. More happy people will have a positive effect on family, close friends, entire communities, and ultimately the world as a whole.
Overcoming Your Existential Crisis
Overcoming an existential crisis can feel overwhelming, but small steps can make it easier. Focus on what is within your control and explore what gives your life meaning. Remember, it’s okay to seek help.
Developing new hobbies or passions might help you find joy. These activities can give you a sense of purpose and fulfillment.
Connect with others who understand your feelings. Sharing your thoughts and listening to others can provide valuable insights. You may feel less alone.
Practice mindfulness to stay grounded. Simple breathing exercises can help you stay present.
Reevaluate priorities to align with your values. This can provide clarity when exploring how to overcome an existential crisis.
Celebrate small victories and progress. Each step forward is meaningful and can lead you closer to understanding yourself better.
Being patient with yourself is important. Change and growth take time, and you’re on a journey toward greater self-awareness.
