To wonder what the point of life is?

[overthinker1000]

I think I might be just having a mid life crisis really but wondered if other people think like this. I'm 39.

My life is essentially really good. I have a family who I love, and a stable job that I like. Obviously covid has presented challenges but probably less so than for many other people. I'm not depressed.

I'm just finding myself thinking a lot about the meaning of life... what the point of it all is... I see adverts about 1/2 people getting cancer and I think ok so it's only a matter of time until I or someone I loves gets very ill and dies... it's just a waiting game for things to go wrong really. Add in the climate crisis and covid, it all just seems to be rubbish. I've basically got in my life everything I could want but I'm still restless and questioning the point of each day.

What's wrong with me?! Does everyone go through this at my age?

Very interesting question OP. I ask myself this a lot. I suggest you look into existentialism, it’s fascinating. Start with this little video:

I think we all have to find our own meaning. For me it’s people and places - spending time with people who give me positive energy, and seeing places - not necessarily far away, just getting joy from the beauty of nature and architecture for example.

It might seem a bit shallow, but I think we get one life, awful things happen, but we need to make the best of the rest of it if we can.

Good luck in your search for meaning 😊

Yes, I absolutely do think the same as you. It is a 'what is the point, we are going to die anyway' feeling.

I think the point of life is to be happy and have fun. Along the way we deal with shit things and unhappiness but in the end we should seek out whatever makes us happy and joyful.

When my mum died this really hit me. Her life had been awful as she had stuck with an abusive husband. She told me she didn't know what happy was. She had actually chosen misery and that isn't what life is for.
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I had existentialist therapy which I found very helpful. My 'what's the point' feeling is always there in the background.

I'm not at all religious, in fact I would say I'm an atheist, but a lot of early Christian teaching in my opinion is about trying to get people to do the right thing in order that they can be happy in the world. The Beatitudes- from The Sermon On The Mount- sum this up I think. It is about how to live your life well and get a good feeling from life.

There is no “point” as such. Realising and accepting that I think brings contentment. Every day I do something that makes me happy, just simple things. A coffee in the garden, reading a few chapters of a good book, or snuggling up with one of my cats!

I know some bad things may well happen in future but I don’t waste time thinking about it. They’re not happening today and that’s good enough.

Do you have any 'passions' in your life OP (separate from family and work)

It doesn't really matter what it is (could be a sport, gardening, hobby, theatre, literature, wildlife, travel, volunteering, religion, pets, interior design, writing, poetry, art, collecting, photography..... etc etc). I honestly believe that is you have something which gives you joy (ideally something which is not too reliant on the input of others) it makes life more meaningful

For lots of people, the basics of a home, family and job are not enough.

This is the age-old human condition. You know it's finite so have to make the best of it.

Well you could just sit there and wait to die.

Or

You could go out, learn new things, try new things, find things you enjoy and have a happy life.

I don't think there is one. We're here, through no choice of our own, so we may as well try to get some enjoyment out of it. I love what the poster said above about seeing the wisdom in religious philosophies. I agree with that.

I used to think about this a hell of a lot in my 20s. I struggled to find meaning as it's not intrinsic and researching existentialism can be a real rabbit hole.

Looking back, my inability to recognise meaning was definitely was a symptom of being very deeply unhappy.

Now I'm in a better place and honestly, I find meaning in the small things, not the big things like houses, cars, status, or stuff.

Meaning for me is massively found in people. I volunteer a lot and it's been incredible to feel meaningful. It's being able to make a friend laugh, bake a cake for a family member, and enjoying seemingly small things like clean sheets or a hot cup of tea on a cold day.

I know it sounds so cringe!!

For me I feel it’s to be happy and have fun and enjoy learning and travelling ( and to give the dc those things too )

I see so many people caught up in the - must move to a bigger house , make financial plans that will pay off in 10 years etc etc trap , And all the sacrifices that get you there . Wishing the working week away .

I have always been sensible with my money but not to the point I aren’t living now

The point of life is to live it.

There is no point! We're a collection of cell that somehow developed consciousness!

I find purpose in trying to leave the world a better place than I found it, to keep learning and growing and to do things I enjoy. I'm passionate about my work, which helps others. I volunteer and I have absorbing hobbies.

Oh yes, helping others too and trying to make the world a better place.

Existential crisis. I suspect we all have those. Usually they go in phases. Unless you're Sartre.

There is no meaning to life. Its just what you want it to be

For me I've got say 80 years (all being well of course), the point is to enjoy those 80 years as much as possible. I see it as creating my own story to tell myself when I'm old

I guess enrich those years more than enjoy. I want to feel like I've accomplished things, enjoyed things, met people and basically just appreciated life and the world

There is no point to any of it and no justice in any of it. I know that sounds bitter and I really don’t mean it to. It’s just having seen lovely people dying of cancer in their young years and hearing of horrible people having wonderful lives until their 90s etc how can anyone make sense of any of it?

I am 40 and just try and live the best life I can for my children. I have chronic disabilities and genuinely don’t know what the point of anything is anymore. I just try and enjoy each day as best I can. Eat chocolate, enjoy TV, read stuff that interests me.

My abusive and narcissistic Mum died in 2019 - bowel cancer- and looking at her all withered up in her last days on her death bed was very strange. I spent my whole life trying to live up to her expectations, I’d put her on some weird pedestal. Seeing her like that, like an empty shell made me realise how pointless it all is really.

Life is very strange.

I felt the same about my dad. This huge, powerful man just an empty husk once dead. We really are like a bundle of sparks that will one day just be sniffed out and everyone loves on. It’s very weird the futility of it all really.

*snuffed
*moves on

The point is to try and not fuck it up for everyone who follows but we're not doing well with that.

I sometimes think the world would be better without humans

Buddhist monk Adjahn Brahm would say that the meaning of life is to learn and be happy (gain inner peace).
I believe that to be true but I had to search for it in a YouTube video.

Sleep. I think we just amble about getting food and warmth so we can sleep. Then all the dreams and things we have are what its really about but we dont particularly remember because it would be too interesting and we'd forget to amble about and get the food.

To br here fir my family and friends, to enjoy life.
I had a very nasty menopause and some nasty bi polar episodes, I just wanted to be free to enjoy stuff and now I am.
Takepleasure in what you can

The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.
Picasso

There is no ‘meaning’ it’s random. The only certainty Isdeqtj so you just try and make the bit until then as good as you can.