When you can't go on like this
Everything feels pointless
My friend, the days have turned the color of ash and you no longer know what you wake up for. The things that used to bring you joy are still there, but they no longer reach you. Listen to me: this feeling is not a truth about life. It is a state, and states have good weather and bad, even when it seems this one will last forever. You do not have to find the meaning of your whole life tonight. A small purpose is enough: a person to call, a plant to water, a window to open. And if this has lasted for weeks, tell someone. You deserve help.
If you feel you don't want to live, please don't stay with that thought alone. Find a helpline at findahelpline.com or call 112.
Questions for you
What is the smallest thing that touched me, even a little, this week?
A possible answerA song, light on a wall, a message, the taste of coffee. Don't dismiss it for being small. The small threads are the first to tie back together.
Who cares about me, even if I can't feel it right now?
A possible answerThis state hides people from view. Still, write three names. You don't have to feel their love for it to be real.
What did I love as a child?
A possible answerSometimes meaning comes back along old roads: drawing, water, animals, a certain kind of music. It doesn't have to be deep. It only has to be yours.
Has this lasted days, or weeks?
A possible answerIf it has lasted more than two weeks and takes away your strength for ordinary things, it may be depression. Depression is treatable, and help truly works. A family doctor or a psychologist is a good start.
Tonight's practice
Step outside for ten minutes, into daylight, without your phone. Look at one living thing: a tree, a bird, a dog. You don't have to feel anything in particular. Just be there.
A thought to keep
“Don't ask for all the meaning at once. A small purpose is enough to reach tomorrow.”
Open this moment in the interactive guide