When you feel empty, what do you do to give your life new meaning?

[Deja Q]

I'm not empty yet, but approaching it and life's going to change dramatically in August... I need to find meaning before it's too late.

What do you do?

Thx!

[rwenos]

1. Have a Family

If that's what you want. For me, having a child was a whole new level of love and joy.

Kinda sappy, but (unlike the whoremongering Republicans I know) I really believe in "family values."

[Deja Q]

3. 33 years and no family to call my own.

Oh, biological yes. But we're disfunctional as it is... I'm alone. And I usually don't mind. If I did, I'd have done myself in ages ago. :D

[spacelady]

19. Smoke an hypnotic herb, then get focused.

Edited to say that I meant to respond to the original poster but apparently am not properly focussed. Scuse me while I kiss this guy.

[NoodleBoy]

2. well, I feel empty

but that's because I just got out of the bathroom.

but seriously though... I don't worry about it. words and phrases have meanings, I don't see why "life" should. I just hang out and enjoy myself.

[Davis_X_Machina]

4. Larn something...

...that will stick, and that takes time and practice.

A language, a sport, an instrument...

[Droopy]

5. I drink beer and post on DU when I feel empty

If you look at my post count and if you could see my trash can right now you might come to the conclusion that I feel empty a lot.

One thing that I do to help treat the emptiness is talk to people who are in the same boat as me. I have 4 pen pals right now and they have many of the same problems that I do. It's good to be able to relate to people on a personal and uncensored level. It makes you feel good to have someone hear your voice and respond. If you were to reply to this post I'd get a kick out of it.

[Deja Q]

9. :-)

Thx. For the kind words.

I used to go shopping or to the bar when feeling empty. Or even driving around. I'm curtailing that until I get a replacement job, of course. :D Meanwhile my parents say I shouldn't make jokes about the situation I'm in... (if they only knew what sorts of situations I was in as a child, not that they would listen...) But there's always a way. (sheesh, 33 and my parents keep treating me like a child... seems none of us has learned...)

Watever time I have left will be in cultivating friends. For I shall shortly lose everything.

[Droopy]

12. I'm sorry to hear that, man

Here's to you finding a good job soon. :toast: :beer:

[RevCheesehead]

6. A good night's sleep usually helps.

But if I'm looking for meaning, then I go out and visit people - the shut-ins, retired people, etc. Spend time with children and small animals, too - they will fill you with joy. (One of the best things I ever did was adopt my cats. Once I did, the loneliness virtually disappeared.)

other things I do: read spiritually uplifting books, listen to or play music, find something to do which stimulates my creativity, find a place where I can worship (instead of being a worship leader), etc.

[IChing]

7. Emptiness is really what? here is my little Zen for the day

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3476510&mesg_id=3476510

[undeterred]

8. Hypno

You're going to find a job and survive this challenge of unemployment, and so am I. And when we do, life will look a lot better.

Don't give up.
:hug:

[Orsino]

10. My wife.

Ahem.

[Corey_Baker08]

11. Alcohol and Afterthoughts

When I feel empty I always look forward and think about the future. Since I'm only 15 I think about what college I want to go to, what I want to do later on in life, and getting the hell away from this place i live in now.

When I feel empty and depressed I usually get drunk but that makes it worse being drunk and alone.

[LastKnight]

13. distraction, distraction, distraction...

this works for the type of emptiness only time can heal that is... im also going through quite a bit of that... and i shit you not, i would have killed myself a long time ago if i didnt have a creative outlet like music to keep my mind off things as much as i can.

ive tended to make the most of my progress as a musician when im in situations where i feel empty. this may explain why i play 3 insturments at proformance quality levels. lol.

dont let yourself get too bothered about this stuff, im in the 'empty' boat too, and i know i just gotta stick it out.

-LK

[havocmom]

14. Personally? Spend time indulging my senses in nature & spend time

doing stuff with some kid pals of mine. Helps me relax enough to think straight, put things into perspective and recharge. Also reminds me what it is I am fighting for.

One trick I recommend: Make a list of 5 things you enjoy AND DO THEM at least once a week, do at least one thing on your list. Go for the whole list if at all possible. After a couple of months, expand the list. Hopefully by then you will be feeling a bit better and it won't be so hard to remember what you enjoy doing.

Most importantly, HypnoToad, try your damnedest to keep in mind that how you feel now is not what forever will feel like. That was a tough lesson for me to learn a few years back. Glad I did, learning it saved my life and I am actually fairly happy now... well, except for the political problems of the coup in America... but personally, pretty happy and peaceful.

Let us know how you are doing for awhile. There are lots of evilDUers who care about you. Look up merh's post about ripple effect. It will help.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=132&topic_id=1768573

[Heidi]

21. That's sound and beautiful advice, havocmom.

You "one trick" succinctly embraces the concept of being good to onself, a practice I recommended (though not nearly as eloquently as you) to a friend a few days ago.

I always try to keep in mind that life is cyclical, rather than linear, and that I'd have little or no personal growth if life were "perfect." Leonard Cohen wrote: "Forget your perfect offerings . . . there is a crack in everything. That's how the light gets in . . ."

---------------> for havocmom :hug:

[Pale Blue Dot]

15. Take a chance.

Find whatever it is that scares the hell out of you, and give it a try.

Anything good that's happened in my life happened because I took a chance.

[barb162]

16. I was feeling badly for myself

depressed, sick, etc. So I was in the doctor's office waiting my turn and in comes a woman with a teenager in a wheel chair. The teenager had no legs. And I said to the person next to me, tell me to quit feeling sorry for myself.

I was talking to my longtime friend and complaining and when she started filling me in on her stuff lately I realized what I am criping about. Both she and her boyfriend need operations and can't afford them. He can't work anymore (workplace accident) and she makes so little right now she can't afford the deductibles and coinsurance for the operations. These are people who ten years ago had a combined income of over 200,000.

I have found my cats (thank God for them) give me tremendous joy. They give a huge amount of love. And a piece of string and playing with them is about all they ask besides being fed and a clean litter tray.

For a long time my identity was tied to my job/career. If your job is taken away, you lose your sense of self/ identity. Once I made the transition to not looking at myself that way (I grew up)I think I felt a lot better about myself.

[radwriter0555]

17. Volunteer to help the elderly, in a children's hospital, in an animal

shelter or in a program that employs the disabled.

The world sure looks real different.

[Lorien]

20. I second that

I volunteer for our local Dem party, and I foster kittens and do adoptions at a local pet supply store. I just placed two kittens and one cat today. Feels good. :-)

[SlavesandBulldozers]

18. music, call a friend, do pushups, make coffee, watch/listen to comedy

yoga, breathe.

it will never be too late. you have to convince yourself that you are on the path of learning, you aren't behind or ahead - you just are. And that's all you need to be.

[swag]

22. I cop a blowjob from one of the bored downtown secretaries.

[Redstone]

23. I've read the other replies, and they're all correct.

Get out. Pack the essentials in your car, and just go.

There's still a lot of America out there; go and see it. And wherever you go, stop to talk to people. Help the people you talk to who need help.

Find a purpose, indeed a life, that is outside yourself.

You won't "find meaning" by looking inward. Look at the world outside yourself, and you will.

I guarantee this.

Redstone

[gulfcoastliberal]

24. Do something fun, call a friend I haven't talked to in a while, or

Just take a chill pill and zone out on the tube or watch any episode of "star wars" for the billionth time (yeah, I'm a nerd). Anything to distract me temporarily.

On Edit: Books work, too.

[Maestro]

25. I work in a school.

I get reminded of my meaning in life on a daily basis. Well, that and my kids give me a recharching as well. I'm lucky I guess; not rich financially, but rich otherwise.