The collective this week is going through this deep guttural feeling of “what’s the point of being here?” aka Nihilism. It’s been a theme in client sessions, emails, dm’s, and even the videos being put out by people on the internet. I get it, I get there too sometimes and it’s thick for me this morning. Wake up, go to work/school/your day, eat, bath, sleep. Rinse and repeat. It can be a drag when it feels like you aren’t going anywhere or nothing will ever change. Or maybe you’re just exhausted to your bones. This comes annually as the days get shorter here in the Northern hemisphere and we’re staring down winter around the corner. It’s a natural reaction to change, especially unwanted change. It can be the signal that depression is around the corner for some folks. It’s all very normal. Sometimes it means you’re going through a dark night of the soul. The challenge is not getting stuck in these feelings.
So what is the meaning of life? I’m happy to give you an answer if you need one – to experience life. That’s not going to be the answer for everyone, but for those with that question, it’s the place to start. Feeling an existential crisis can be part of experiencing life, but it should not be the entirety of life. Don’t get stuck here. You can always ask your guides on the dowsing rods for purpose too.
Ok, you’ve gone through the logic and are ready to move past these feelings. How? I suggest going back and doing something you used to love. What did you do as a kid? Play basketball? Jump into a swimming pool over and over again? Horseback riding? Painting? Read books? Baking? Going to the park and swinging? Making beaded lizard keychains? When was the last time you did ANY of the things you liked doing as a kid? Pick one and go do it. It doesn’t matter how much you do or don’t want to, just start. Tell yourself you will do the activity for 10 minutes and if you still don’t want to participate after that, you can stop. That leads me to my next message.
Action begets action. Especially with nihilism and sometimes depression, we are waiting for something before we start. Why are you waiting? Why do you need something outside of yourself to tell you to start? I’d argue that meaning is something you find along the way, not something that is handed to you and then you start. It’s easier to flow with life and adjust as you go then it is to start from stillness. Starting is the hardest part. That’s why you go back to doing something you used to love. It starts to help you move and flow with life and that can be enough to pull you into the action. Any action will usually snowball into something more.
You’ve tried all that and are still stuck. Now what? Of course, please go see a trained medical professional for assistance. Sometimes the answer is medicinal help – whether that be something from the pharmacy or from Mother Earth (please don’t do anything illegal where you live). Sometimes just sharing your heart with someone is enough to move that energy and get you going again.
Ok, ok. You’ve gone through ALL of those steps and still don’t see the point? This is where it’s worth changing your perspective. Sometimes lacking a point to life is a huge relief and is freeing. If there is no point, then it doesn’t matter what you’re “supposed” to do. You get to decide and it won’t make a difference.
Regardless of where you are able to exit the nihilism train, the point is to exit. Feel and understand what you need to. Balance out your energy, but don’t keep existing in this space until the end of your days. Ask for help getting out if you need it.
Do you have any other tips for moving past nihilism? What was your favorite activity as a kid?
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