Lately I've felt myself in a nihilistic quandary, a Nietzchean void of chaos and uncertainty, if you will. I feel like this insecurity is due to the fact that my life seems almost complete devoid of meaning. I wake up most mornings around 7 AM. I take a shower. I have a cup of yogurt or a bow of Cracklin' Oat Bran for breakfast. I go to class at 8 AM. I have calculus most mornings, except Thursday, which is a comp sci lab. I diligently take notes in calculus. I come back to my room by 9 AM. I dally around on the computer for a while. Then I go to more class. Then I come back and waste more time on the computer, or napping. I go to my final class. Then I go to work, where I hammer out a few dozen lines of code, fix some bugs, whatever. Go back to my room, mess around on the computer, not really producing anything worthwhile. Maybe I play a video game. Maybe I nap. Probably I nap. Maybe I study later in the evening. I might even eat somewhere in there. Then I scramble to finish up some homework, and head to bed for another day of the same.

And little of what I do during the day seems to have any meaning whatsoever. Everything I do seems to be an attempt to expend the least amount of effort possible, as though I am so completely sapped of energy that the slightest effort is impossible.

I feel like I used to spend much more time giving my life meaning. I used to write extensively, which forced me to really think about the world around me, and my experiences. I used to interact with people more regularly. I used to at least read and synthesize information.

This is disappointing, because I strongly feel in making each day worthwhile. I am a strong atheist. My atheism has led me to realize that it is important to make everyday count, because we only get one shot at life. Yet, I feel that I rarely make everyday count. I make very few days count, in fact.

But this post is not about me. The above anecdote was just a lead-in to the real question: Do you make each day count? Do you live so as to give your life meaning? If so, how? How do you feel that your life, or any person's life, can be given meaning? In short, what do you do to make living worthwhile, to use your mental and physical faculties in the most productive way? I'm not asking what the general meaning of life is; I don't intend for the usual answers. I'm interesting in seeing what you as an individual does to give your life meaning each day.

I was busting my ass to get into a PhD program at Pepperdine when I was diagnosed with cancer. Suddenly, I realized how much I loathed the life I was living and began dusting off many unrealized dreams. I literally gave away everything I owned that would not fit in my car and moved from LA to Arizona and spent the next three years living with the Havasupai and traveling throughout the southwest and Mexico checking off the "to do" list I made as a child.

Today, I present my journey of discovery to teachers through photography and lessons that stimulate creative thought and writing. As each day presents itself, I remember the second chance I've been given to live my life through the creation and realization of my dreams.

I am unhappy with life because I dwell in the past a lot. I am unhappy with life because my focus in life is not me. I focus on the one I love, yet what I get in return is lonliness. But I still do it, because I feel like I cannot control my life. I cannot control my emotions, when it is released, and I cannot control his happiness. Like I used to (wallowing in the past again).

I don't think I can enjoy life because of that. He seems to be enjoying life, he is focusing on himself and his friends more than me. And he doesn't seem much happier of a person than I am. He is just thankful for life.

And I cannot be thankful or grateful for life as much I know I should, because I can't be happy. I always think of all these complicated reasons to my sadness and the reasons why I have to hurt myself so much to love the one I love. But it's just simple. Focusing on myself is like focusing on him. If he is sad, I am sad. If he smiles, I cannot suppress my smile.

I can't control it.

Sometimes I think, maybe having so much effort to be with him and see him is what hurts me. But that is my meaning of life. My meaning of life is to make him happy, in order for me to be happy. In order for me to make my friends happy because I am well again.

I'm beginning to think that the meaning of life, or part of it, is to use one's faculties in a focused manner. I think that's why I've felt a loss of meaning from my life lately--I haven't been using my faculties and talents in a focused way. I don't feel I need to do this every day, of course, but I haven't been using them much at all.

I think that's an important part of life--utilizing one's talents in a productive manner.

This ia a very deep topic.

Anyways. I don't really do anything to make my life seem meaningful to me. I was thinking about this the other day. I mean, I am a very lazy person. There is so much that I want to do with my time, but I can never seem to motivate myself to do it. I want to enjoy my life to the fullest, and for a while I was. But now, I feel like everything I do is pointless. I'm not suicidal or anything but I just don't see the purpose or meaning of life. I don't really know what I believe as far as my faith is concerned, but i don't really know what is after life. I think that we just die and thats it. I am just really confused about a lot of things. I'm not really sure what I believe in or why I am even here. I want so much to enjoy what I have while I have it, but I can not seem to motivate myself. I wish I had more motivation and drive, because then i would probably feel more like my life has meaning. I just dont know how to do that.

Yes, that's pretty much exactly what I mean! I'm certainly not depressed, either—sometimes I just feel that I could be doing so much more with my life if I actually applied myself.

this is a GREAT meaning to view to look at life each day . you made me happy . flowrs to you

well as for me ....i`ve been having enough trouble as well .

as of right now , im looking at my life as a complete in mess in most things to be juggled in different directions to be exact .... ( btw im not trying to connect your life with mine im just trying to explain to you how to stimulate it while trying to get these words off my chest ).

i`ve always looked at life in an out aspect in an outer in context ...looking at peoples lives and cherishing there moments through me so that i can feel well . i`ve always thought of life as of complete optismism . considering that i am naturally talented and was born to sing really well . having to be little and having to have many older people say many positive comments about my voice .... i cherished it ... and i dreamed about being one that some day i will be a star .

now as years passed , life started to look a little more stressful and harmful each year ....and having to dwell on these cases because of my sensitivity life has been more hurtful and senseless through my teens . i`ve started to question on how do these guys get girls or how do these people do well and learn things . i guess i assumed they were lucky they had good lives and they had a loving and enriching family .As for me, having to have a family that lives in realism , i havent really reealized what they were trying to tell me , during my younger years which fueled with GREAT optimism too much optimism to be exact ..and blamed my closest to have a cynical and pessimisting approach on me and of well hurting me and not enriching my life as a full potential so i can be a great singer .

life started be a downfall . i was depressed . by my self-consciousness and optimism which in hand was selfishness .

maybe after an odd 1 1/2 years life started to turn a lot differently and more normal because of opening up of my true feelings and meeting alot of real friends . i`ve started to understand bit by bit what my parents and my closest have been trying to explain to me each of those days . these were just basic meanings that i shoudlve learned during my younger years . and not being to sensitive and too affective about there harsh rude ...not so anymore comments =) . my life was pretty dramatic


by looking at life much more dramatically i feel as though i consumed at looking at life too pessimistically and too realistically it too much and dwelled at it and kinda got depressed as well.

since last summer through last dec . life starts to even get more realistic through my ears and eyes . and in ways pessimism starts to come in play . how would i know my career pick would be good for me? how would i know that i would be able to cope up with my career living a life in music ? and being so, and having alot of people have continuous doubts and pessmistic life about my career and my major in music i took things negatively and i didnt do well taking enough info during my first sem .

as you can tell, im a perfectionist by heart and i take everything into consideration yet procrastination about learning things about looking in things and truly understanding a specific note key structure or chord makes me ponder , am i thinking correctly is this the way i look at things at well . do i need a drive to be successful ? how do all these sly young singers musicians turn to be succesful ? how do you live a postitive life ? how do you live in the right atitude ? . how can you act how can you act and how can you learn to be really good in singing musically as well ? damn alicia keys ....damn jammie foxx ....damn barry manilow , damn barbra streisand .


as of now i took my 2nd sem off . being so stressed about things and having to not cope up with specific situations and not understanding it in a clear view , i have time to relax and think . "take it slow. " i got too caught up in my questioning about living life . and life itself .

i try to live life now without fear , anxiety , despair and procrastination . im thinking that you gain information by living it . and in realistically you understand it . you truly live your life living your creed your parents taught you yet you live life postively by looking at those realistic facts postively for the better . by looking at life so clear and precise . you would have a better advantage at looking at life soo willingly and postively and anticipating on what the treasures come because you are sure about it . you gain your Lifes DRIVE .

to answer your question

life is the meaning . you make it meaningful and treasureable so that when you look back you have no regrets . "Hakuna Matata" have no worries . if at times you felt like you missed somethings and you wanted to understand something more and be more productive about it . then do it . just know and take your time and be yourself . i guess if you really want to have productiveness in life it helps being organized . so that your more focused during different set periods you dont have to dwell on the next thing over and over and over . if something happens something happens . and enjoy those mistakes and harsh moments .

honestly also helps alot too ....try to be totally honest that way you would have no doubts of wether your application went through well for a job or what someone might think of you . that way you know you feel good . be honest in life and to everyone . don`t be too honest now you could cheat a little .

i know that wasnt your answer either lol .

i also guess people believe they have a purpose in life depending on there faith and beliefs how to live it. starts to understand there drive in life . As for me God granted me the power to have a voice and to use it at full advantage .

i guess trying to answer your question

yes you do the everyday thing . i guess try to stimulate the things you wanted to do and try to connect your daily objectives to the things you`ve been wanting to do . i guess thats how you enrich your love of it . and your passion . and why you love it . set it in a different time then your daily routine . i guess thats how some successful people out there are multi talented . they dont learn everything at once . by consuming everything within a day they intensely focus on it in a specific period of the day and then swtich back to what you`ve always done . and hopefully if you want everything clearly and meaningfull. then try as much as possible to understand everything clear and possible .

it should seem as though you feel like a kid again when you played in those monkey bars swings and slides and made blocks to make a block building .yet with an adult like outlook . "hmm what happens if i swing on those bars upside down will i hit my head ? " hmm what happens if i took those wodden blocks and stack and KNOCK THEM WITH MY HANDS ? "

your life is the meaning.

try to be more creative on your extras ....try to go out of bounds if you like during that set periods . there you would be questioning yourself if you wanted to do more .

mipadi and yes i guess it was a good thing to read this thread because it truly shows how people live there lives and why it turns up so meaningful for them . it also kinda helped me alittle too . ooo WOW .......such a long reply wow .. this could be part of one of my philosophy essays .....sigh ..... i don`t regret it . sigh ... i hope this helped other people too ..

hmm does someone want to gramatically help me and correct this .... i know its sloppy lol.

Thanks for the kind words!

School made us lifeless, i think. We dont have the peace of mind to explore, discover, and relax anymore, usually. My living isnt so great, i made the choice to reduce my chances of making worthy efforts. Horrible things are consider worth it, going beyond limit, and beyond imagination.

42...


sorry couldnt help it...

Indeed. We're being told what to think, not how to think. They tell us that such-and-such event happened, remember it for the next test. Even though that particular event won't have any sort of use in our lives, we're told to remember it and not why it's relevant to our lives.

I need to start living my life in a more productive way.

Would everyone say that we all have the same purpose in life? or..

We all have different purposes?

I'm sure I'm not the first person to think of Office Space after reading that. XD

Anyway, when I think about that, I just can't decide which way to go. I am a strong agnostic, and I pretty much accept anything, because in my opinion anyone could be right and anything could be wrong...

Anyway, no. I don't make every day count. Or do I? I dream, and in my dreams I have the most amazing experiences. That's how I get by happily. But I've been changing. It's seems like the girl inside me who loves and appreciates life with all her heart and soul is starting to overtake me, and I find myself dancing in the woods and jumping into streams far more often. That is me, and I couldn't be happier.

edit: Actually, I could, but that's another story.

Im sorry but if I wake up one day and thats my schedule I would prob. be really depressed and want to die. But thats just me.

I think the computer sucks. I hate it. Its boring. How can anyone spends hours on the computer at a time. But then again I have to go out everynight. Im a "Paris Hilton" party type of person. I think the meaning of life is to enjoy yourself and be happy. Not to worry what other people think. The meaning of life is to reproduce and be happy, and since I am DEF. NOT doing one of those I might as well have as much fun as I can.

I trying to find a purpose in life, but I don't think I should. The more I try to find it, the more I overthink. I think (haha) so many people overthink, like this whole thread.

Trying to find ways to make a good use of life...trying to do something new everyday. It's trying too hard. Do what you like, and if you don't do it anymore, then I don't think you like it too much. Unless you liked it until you were forced to do so.

My approach to life now...is to try to make things simple. And to solve things in a simple manner. That's a lot harder than one thinks.

ohh schnucks ! i forgot to edit this , hah lol.

Well, that's a little harsh. I wouldn't say such a boring life is worth dying over. But I get your point—it is kind of pathetic, eh? I really can't blame you for having such an opinion.

I dont understand tho that you are in school trying to make yourself a life... so I guess its not soo bad.

Oh, it wouldn't be so bad if I was actually applying myself and learning something new…

I influence, discuss, explore, think. On the weekends, I observe people on the Metro and eat those pretzels filled with cream cheese and collect quotes to post on my wall and browse Wikipedia. And then I go to Barnes and Noble with my friends, and we look through those huge books with pictures of different countries. We have coffee and talk about school, people, the world, the future.

Then, during the week, I have a full IB curriculum and major extracurricular projects. A lot of people keep telling me to take a break and relax a little because I'm stressing myself out over all this stuff that is causing adversity in my life. They tell me just what you said (paraphrased): "You only live once so take a breather and enjoy your life."

But I enjoy that adversity. It has personal significance. It has opened doors to more opportunity for exploration than I could've ever imagined. It makes my life dynamic. It seems as if life loses its meaning when adversity is gone. Naturally, people want to aspire after something, and when they are granted that something, they just keep on searching.

You know, I bet that I'm one of the few IB juniors at my school who can honestly say that I love my life, despite all the endless work. I'm learning, growing, changing. I can feel it.

edit: sorry, accidentally double-posted.

which proves my point .......people who are always productive doesn`t mean they can`t have fun in there lives .....of course they can ....they explore learn , and freaking PARTY the Hell out of there Lives ......i know people like that ..i live in NY soo .....its far more then just relaxing and taking a break . ...kudos too you too

Uhh well, by adversity, I didn't exactly mean "partying the hell out of my life." Just to clarify. :]

ooo yea i didnt imply that to your statement ........i meant that on fa.ggot`s statement . ...but yea ...sorry for the mass confusion.

May i stick my 2 cents in here?

We are all blessed with life. No matter what beliefs or what religion, we know theres something that gives us...well, life. I, myself, am a christian, but thats slightly diverting the subject. Anyway, as a christian, the meaning of life is to make sure others seeking christ find him, and those not seeking him, do. But, I do suppose I should put a less christian responce, just so that i don't bother others beliefs.

Perhaps the meaning of life is to live it to the fullest. I find myself desiring to slap me in the face because I don't even follw my own advice. I am normally sad and don't care about the rest of the world. I am self-centered most of the time and couldn't care less about who thinks what. Maybe life, as complex and confusing as it is with all its twists and turns, means much more than just screwing in around. Life means adventure. Life means risks. Life means heartbreak. Maybe the very meaning of life is...well, unknown. Maybe the meaning of life is you find your meaning of life.