10 Ways to Overcome the Feeling of Emptiness and Find Happiness

Suffering and Healing

Understanding Emptiness: A Feeling Many Share

Feeling empty is a common experience among many people, but what does that actually mean? On the surface level, being empty means feeling detached and desolate.

This means that you feel separated from your surroundings and that there isn’t any meaning or purpose to your existence. The experience of emptiness can manifest in various forms such as numbness, loneliness, disconnection, sadness, worthlessness, despair, and even loss of interest in the things that you once loved.

Causes of Emptiness

So why does emptiness happen? There are a lot of causes of emptiness that can be both internal and external.

  • Loss of a Loved One: This kind of emptiness is if you’re feeling disconnected from the world after losing someone who was deeply connected to you.
  • Aftermath of Trauma: It’s very normal to feel that something is off after going through something detrimental.
  • Unhealthy Coping Mechanisms: It’s really tempting to try and fill the void when you’re feeling empty, but some methods just aren’t effective and can become destructive.

Unhealthy Ways to Fill the Void

1. Serial Dating

Dating can be a great way to connect with people and meet new individuals, but when you’re dating someone to fill the emptiness, it can be really harmful. Jumping into relationships without any solid foundation can lead to an unhealthy attachment to your partner, and these relationships often collapse quickly.

2. Materialism

Things can be a temporary fix for the emptiness that someone feels. Splurging on clothes, technology, and other material items can be satisfying temporarily but it wears off quickly.

This short-term happiness is shortly replaced with a longing for something more. Ultimately, these purchases don’t contribute to the bigger picture of our lives.

3. Substances

Recreational substances and drinking are often used to suppress the feeling of emptiness, but it doesn’t work in the long haul. These substances, when used in excess, can also lead to addiction and worsen existing mental health issues.

4. Escapism

Escaping from reality with the help of work, sleep, or watching shows all day can’t cure the emptiness. Keeping yourself occupied to avoid feeling the emptiness is setting yourself up for a big problem.

The root of the emptiness will still be there, and those temporary distractions won’t give you a healthy way to deal with it. So, what’s the solution?

Healing from Emptiness: A Journey of Self-Discovery

Being empty doesn’t have one simple solution, but there are many ways to start the road to recovery. Here are a few tips to help you cope with the feeling of emptiness:

1. Seeking Help

What if the feeling of emptiness is too much to handle on your own?

Simply asking for help from a safe individual, as well as a mental health professional, can make a world of difference. It’s not a sign of weakness.

Getting a counselor’s help may be a good start as you talk about the root of the emptiness.

2. Self-Reflection

Take time to reflect on your life; ask some questions to understand yourself better.

  • What do you need right now?
  • What are the things that are holding you back?
  • What can you do to move forward from this stage of life?

Pay attention to your thoughts and identify any patterns that are keeping you stuck.

3. Mindfulness

Mindfulness has been proven to be a helpful tool in reducing stress and anxiety. Smell the roses around you, listen to great music, and focus on your thoughts.

Meditation, yoga, and deep breathing can be a good start for someone practicing mindfulness. Whenever your thoughts drift, just gently guide yourself back to the present moment.

4. Finding Meaning and Purpose

Find something meaningful to do and a purpose that makes you feel like you are here for a reason. This could be something big like working for a charity or being involved in your community, or something simpler like a hobby you enjoy doing.

When you have meaning in your life, even in the smallest way, it can help fill the emptiness.

5. Embracing Yourself

It’s important to accept yourself exactly how you are.

Avoid focusing on your flaws and negative thoughts and embrace the great qualities that make you unique. Acknowledge the things that you have accomplished and be grateful for them.

Emptiness isn’t an easy thing to deal with on your own, but it’s not something that you have to go through alone. There is help available.

Remember, to start small and take one step at a time. When we take the time to reflect and listen to ourselves, we can emerge with a better understanding of who we are and how we can move forward in a positive light.

Additional Strategies for Coping with Emptiness

Have you ever felt like you’re stuck in a rut and you don’t know how to fill the void you feel inside? It’s not uncommon, and many people feel that way.

Emptiness can make you feel like there’s a deep, gaping hole inside of you, one that you can never fill. But, there are ways to alleviate the sensation of emptiness and make it a little easier for you to cope.

1. Intentional Downtime

Setting aside time for hobbies or trying new activities can be refreshing and adds a sense of purpose. Exploring new interests can be a way to reconnect with oneself and help to rediscover joy and happiness in your life.

When we engage in positive activities and explore new hobbies, it can help us find things that make us happy and bring meaning into our lives.

2. Acknowledging Unhealed Wounds

You cannot outrun the pain and trauma that you’ve kept bottled up and buried deep inside.

Acknowledging unhealed wounds is uncomfortable, but it’s the first step to healing. Healing is a long and often painful process, but talking with somebody you trust like therapists, self-help books, support groups, or loved ones, can be the first step to move forward and gain closure.

Embracing compassion and self-care can be a means to a better relationship with oneself and peace of mind.

3. Mindfulness and Meditation

Mindfulness and meditation practices can help ease the burden of emptiness and foster a sense of calm and clarity.

Getting in touch with ourselves and our surroundings through relaxation techniques can help to reduce stress, anxiety, and improve sleep quality. By focusing on the present moment, we can learn to release negative thoughts, embrace the stillness, and promote inner peace and calmness.

4. Being Proactive

It’s important to keep moving forward no matter how challenging it can be. Engaging in physical activity and setting small goals can be a starting point to create a sense of productivity and accomplishments.

Combating hopelessness and worthlessness is a daily struggle, but being proactive can give us the strength to move past it.

5. Meeting Basic Needs for Survival

Revitalizing our innate needs like physiological needs, safety and security, love and belonging, esteem, and self-actualization are key to our overall well-being.

It’s important that we feel safe and secure in our lives, physically and emotionally, which in turn promotes our mental and emotional well-being. Focusing on the love we have and the love we give can have positive effects on our individual psyche, our sense of self-worth, and helps us to feel better about ourselves.

6. Giving Back

Altruism and giving back can help to promote purpose and a sense of self-worth. Volunteering at a shelter, donating to charity, or engaging in acts of kindness can create positive energy and promote a sense of fulfillment and happiness.

Altruism reinforces our values of compassion and empathy, and helps bring our sense of self-worth to a positive level.

Finding Your Way Back to Joy

In conclusion, it’s crucial to start focusing on yourself and the relationship you have with yourself.

Healing and letting go of negative emotions and stressors are necessary steps towards a healthier, happier lifestyle. And don’t forget that amidst the healing process, there lies an opportunity to fall in love with oneself.

Life is a journey, and embracing each step forward with a renewed sense of purpose can bring joy back into your life, and create a more profound relationship with yourself.

Emptiness is a common experience that many individuals feel at some point in their lives.

It can manifest in numbness, loneliness, sadness, worthlessness, despair, and other negative emotions. While it may be tempting to fill the void with things like serial dating, materialism, substances, or escapism, these only offer temporary relief.

On the other hand, taking proactive measures like seeking professional help, practicing mindfulness, giving back, intentionally taking downtime, meeting basic needs, being proactive, acknowledging unhealed wounds, and falling in love with oneself can provide a more sustainable solution. By healing and letting go of negative emotions, we can develop a deeper relationship with ourselves and create a happier, healthier lifestyle.

Remember that life is a journey, and every step forward is an opportunity to make a positive change in your life.

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