Mental life cannot be understood only with the chemical reactions that occur in our brain, because we feel emotions, have feelings and perceive the world based on our experience and our beliefs. In fact, we all search for meaning in our lives…

The meaning of life has captured the interest of different philosophical and psychological currents such as existentialism or humanism, and is centred on existence, consciousness and happiness, affecting many other issues such as ontology, life purpose, ethics and free will, etc.

But what happens when someone doesn’t find meaning in their life? Then we talk about existential void or existential crisis . Today we will go into detail on this subject.

What is the existential void

The existential void is a melancholic journey in which the person is unable to visualize his future , because he does not know where he is or who he is, and he is also unable to look to the future because he lacks vital objectives. This can lead the person to suffer great existential anguish, and in the case of a solution, it can lead him to suffer a depressive state.

Individuals who find themselves in an existential void may even torture themselves psychologically looking for an answer they cannot find. But if they don’t take action, this situation can become a vicious circle.

The only way to escape from this context is in self-knowledge and in discovering one’s desires in order to discover one’s life goals and fight for them. Therefore, in the awakening itself is the solution. The future answer lies in the present, in knowing who I am, what I am doing here, and where I am going.

Crisis over one’s own existence: feeling emotionally empty

Life goals are necessary to keep us motivated, because when we do not find meaning in our life, confusion and sadness can take over. The existential void leads us to feel psychological discomfort because we begin to question the reasons for our own existence.

In reality, the existential void is an identity crisis that takes place when our life is out of control . Then, our mental schemes are not adaptive and our self-esteem suffers since it has no solid base or frame of reference to guide it. What am I doing here? or what is the meaning of my life? This is something we can come to ask ourselves.

Discovering who we are and what we want for our is key to our personal development and to living in a positive frame of mind. In other words, introspection will help us to step with our feet on the ground in the present, in order to walk towards the future we desire.

Being emotionally intelligent, key to overcoming it

In recent times, one concept that has revolutionized the way people relate to themselves is emotional intelligence. A term made famous by the American psychologist Daniel Goleman, and which is currently applied in different fields: education, work, sports and clinical. With respect to this last field, emotional intelligence has been shown to improve self-knowledge, self-motivation, management and regulation of emotions and, in addition, the well-being and happiness of people.

Since Salovey and Mayer (1990) introduced the construct, much research has demonstrated the benefits of emotional intelligence. As we explain in our article “The 10 benefits of emotional intelligence”, it favours decision making and personal development, which have much to do with the existential void.

In fact, experts in personal development, such as coaches, provide emotional intelligence tools to coaches, because an individual cannot be understood without the correct self-knowledge and management of one’s emotions.

Emotional intelligence allows a person to know himself better and to plan realistic objectives , which are key to get out of the existential void and to get hooked on life again. Emotional intelligence helps to put aside the identity crisis, and allows one to live life more clearly, both in the present and in the future.

What to do with your life when you can’t find the right path

Since coming out of the existential void has to do with finding one’s genuine identity, facing this situation is different for each individual.That is to say, the path to be traced is different in each subject, and requires will on the part of each one to avoid being trapped in this negative spiral.

Psychologists deal with lost people every day , who do not enjoy their work, their life or who are with a partner who is not really doing them any good. They are still there for fear of leaving their comfort zone, for fear of uncertainty, for fear of finding their true self… Happiness is found in oneself, in one’s personal development and vital self-realization.

Tips for overcoming the existential void

Here are some tips for overcoming the existential void

1. Know thyself

As we have commented in previous lines, it is necessary to know oneself in order to know the path to follow in life , Don’t be afraid of your desires. If you want to improve your level of emotional intelligence, you can find some useful courses in the article “The 6 best courses in Emotional Intelligence and Personal Development”

2. Set yourself goals

Setting goals is key to not feeling the existential void. Scientific studies state that people who set themselves realistic goals and objectives enjoy greater mental well-being and are more motivated. In fact, this is key to avoiding depression.

3. Accept reality

Many times, frustration and existential emptiness are also the result of unrealistic expectations and not accepting reality. When we accept ourselves as we are, the existential void disappears .

4. Live in the present

Accepting oneself has no meaning if one does not live the present in its totality. It is good to set goals, but it is necessary to always keep in mind where we are starting from.

5. Seek help

In some cases, the confusion is such that it is very difficult to look to the future. Then it is necessary to have professionals in psychology who can help people overcome the existential void and face the right direction towards a full life.