How To Stop Feeling Empty in Life
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Imagine staring out from the abyss and seeing nothing but darkness. That’s what it can be like when you’re feeling empty in life.
Darkness above, darkness below, darkness everywhere around you.
Virtually all of us have experienced a period of deep emptiness at one point, and it can seem like one of the darkest chapters of our life. It’s becoming more and more common to experience depression in your 20s.
This feeling of being empty can arise from a variety of sources, from the pain of losing a loved one to feeling lost in life.
But for all the pain, suffering, and depression it might cause, feeling empty isn’t the hopeless situation we make it out to be.
There IS light in this abyss…it just happens to be INSIDE us.
So many people seek fulfillment in life from things that are outside the scope of their being.
This can be in the form of possessions (such as a house or car), an activity to pass time, or a group of friends to forget the feeling of loneliness.
But all these external things only temporarily address our emptiness. They don’t actually solve it.
In order to truly fill the void we have, we must start exploring the feelings, emotions, and thoughts INSIDE us—not get distracted by the things outside us.
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This self-discovery and self-improvement can last an entire lifetime, but you need not spend more than an hour reflecting on everything going on inside you to start reaping the benefits.
We feel empty because we‘ve lived our whole lives trying to navigate the external world, without any attention or thought into navigating our internal world.
If the light we’re seeking is inside us, then why are we spending all our time crawling in the abyss searching for the light?
The answer is that we are afraid of trying something new. We are afraid of breaking free from our comfort zone and exploring a part of us that is completely foreign and unknown.
But guess what?
Because when you put aside your daily life for a moment—the responsibilities of work or school, family duties, the constant need to be loved and seen by others, the endless chase for success and happiness—you will realize that everything you’ve ever wanted has been inside you all this time.
How’s that possible?
Well, think about the exciting feeling you had when you got a new car. You were probably elated and feeling on top of the world.
But what happened a week later? A month later? Even a year later?
Your car is still the same car. But your feelings and attitude toward it likely have changed.
Instead of excitement, it’s now boredom or lack of interest. You might even be wondering: “Why did I buy this car in the first place?”
As the excitement and happiness fade, we’re off to the next thing. And the next thing, and so forth.
But we’re never really gaining any real and lasting fulfillment in life. We’re just putting aside the feeling of being empty for a brief moment.
Rather than searching for the next thing, however, wouldn’t it be easier if we changed the way we looked at life and what we already have?
Instead of being fulfilled with a new car, what if we became fulfilled by reminding ourselves how liberating it is to travel anywhere we want with our current car? How convenient it is to get groceries, hang out with our friends, go to the beach or the park, etc.? How motivating it is to be in the driver’s seat of not only our car, but more importantly, our life?
When we change our perspective from seeking fulfillment externally to seeking fulfillment internally, emptiness no longer exists.
In fact, contrary to what we might think, we have a wide degree of control over our thoughts, feelings, and emotions. We can feel fulfilled in what we have now, while also using it as a foundation to pursue what we want down the road.
In other words, once you find the light inside, there’s no need to keep staying inside the abyss. You are free to leave and have the power to do so.
Ultimately, we are never meant to be in the abyss for too long. But it’s up to us to decide when we want to leave and when we want to start living our best life.
Life truly passes in the blink of an eye, but for those who have found their light, it can last for eternity.
That’s because there’s nothing more rewarding than to learn that the emptiness we’ve been experiencing is not our true reality, but rather a temporary state of being.
Who we REALLY are is full of love, peace, and light.
As in our new car example, you may be focusing on the wrong things in many areas of your life. Learn to appreciate the opportunities you have and own your control over your life.
And if there really aren’t any positives to a situation, it may be time to trade it in the way you would an old car. If any situation in your life—a job, a relationship, a living situation—doesn’t have any upsides, it may be time to make other plans so you can move on.
Life Purpose Coach
My name is Najim and I am a life purpose coach, writer, and speaker helping young professionals live a more fulfilling life by discovering and pursuing their purpose. After nearly a decade in the corporate world, serving in various management and leadership roles, I experienced firsthand the emotional pain of feeling burnt out, unfulfilled, and out of alignment with my true self and potential.
Today, I coach young professionals from all career paths and walks of life to become more self-aware, trust their intuition, and get out of their comfort zone so that they can transition out of their unfulfilled state and into the life or career they always wanted! If this sounds like you and you want to find real and lasting fulfillment in your life, please feel free to reach out and let’s have a chat!
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This article was originally posted on Najim Mostamand’s personal website
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