I’ve been sitting with a feeling that’s hard to explain, but I wonder if others have felt it too.
On the surface, everything looks stable. I’ve handled my responsibilities. I’ve worked through my traumas (or at least I thought I did). I’ve got the job, the routine, the support systems. In theory, I should feel okay—maybe even fulfilled.
But something still feels… hollow.
It’s like my past traumas still echo in the background. They’re not front and center anymore, but they creep in during the quiet moments. And even though I’ve “done the work,” life sometimes feels like it’s on autopilot. Like I’m just checking boxes. Like I lost whatever it was that used to make life feel meaningful.
This isn’t a crisis. It’s more of a quiet, persistent emptiness. A sense of wondering: is this all there is?
And worse—if it is, then why am I still trying so hard to stay afloat?
Has anyone else felt this way, especially after doing everything “right”? How do you find or recreate a sense of purpose when it feels like you’ve already solved the problems that were supposed to bring relief?
I’d really appreciate hearing from others who’ve been through this. What helped you rediscover meaning when the usual answers didn’t work anymore?
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Since you shitlords like to delete your posts, here’s an original copy of /u/karan405’s post (if available):
I’ve been sitting with a feeling that’s hard to explain, but I wonder if others have felt it too.
On the surface, everything looks stable. I’ve handled my responsibilities. I’ve worked through my traumas (or at least I thought I did). I’ve got the job, the routine, the support systems. In theory, I should feel okay—maybe even fulfilled.
But something still feels… hollow.
It’s like my past traumas still echo in the background. They’re not front and center anymore, but they creep in during the quiet moments. And even though I’ve “done the work,” life sometimes feels like it’s on autopilot. Like I’m just checking boxes. Like I lost whatever it was that used to make life feel meaningful.
This isn’t a crisis. It’s more of a quiet, persistent emptiness. A sense of wondering: is this all there is?
And worse—if it is, then why am I still trying so hard to stay afloat?
Has anyone else felt this way, especially after doing everything “right”? How do you find or recreate a sense of purpose when it feels like you’ve already solved the problems that were supposed to bring relief?
I’d really appreciate hearing from others who’ve been through this. What helped you rediscover meaning when the usual answers didn’t work anymore?
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You need to find something that gives you joy or that you’re passionate about and pursue it. It’s fine to have something stable and take care of your responsibilities, but I kind of feel like that’s sort of the bare minimum, just going through the motions.
Like for me, as weird as it sounds I get a lot of joy and passion from being a soccer referee. It’s something I really enjoy as a hobby and I’m providing a needed service for the community. Find something you can do to make the world a better place, improve someone else’s life or your community, do something bigger than yourself.
Well have you completed the self-discovery quest of life? That’s a big one that people miss when they think they’re doing everything “right”. Only then would you know what truly makes you happy.
Just my 2 cents but sounds like you are missing the “spices”.
Hobbies. Try then out until you find something that fits. Connections with people that enjoy what you do. Find them.
Also, switch things up. Try new things. Go new places. Doesn’t have to be far. Take different routes. Be willing to try things that you are skeptical of.
All things in moderation and a little of everything. At least to me, life should be so filled with action and work and hobbies and obligations that when you relax you are truly grateful for the small time to yourself. Meeting friends is fun. In small portions. Reading books is fun. Movies. Eating well. Doing hobbies. All in small portions. Just like stress, work, etc. They are ok. In small portions. Like spices.
But add too much of one thing and it becomes boring or even unbearable.
It is the human condition.
I’ll be brutally honest with ya. I don’t know how to solve this issue but I can tell you I’ve been experiencing it for a few years and if you don’t find something to shake it up or relight that spark it can start to get worse and worse, at least for me it has. I’ve been getting to that point at times where I can’t say I’m a danger to myself because I have too much depending on me, but if it were to happen I imagine my final thoughts would be I’m glad this is freakin over finally. So work at it while you can
Some people have a crisis of meaning as they approach middle age. Other people have children.