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Existential Funk

Finding Meaning from an Existential Crisis

BY: T. Franklin Murphy | May 2016 (edited 2018)
We get stuck in an existential funk, searching for meaning. Life may not readily appear meaningful; but we can give life meaning.
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Coloring Life with Meaning

We get stuck in an funk, dizzy from experience and lost in an existential funk. Life sometimes doesn't feel meaningful; we must respond by giving life meaning.
We want meaning. We want the sorrows to have a worthy purpose. When life has meaning, the humdrum existence transforms into flowing riches. Without purpose, life is mundane; the depressing routine of industrialization depresses the soul. Human societies always sought meaning—often finding it through religion—a divine purpose that eases hardships. Songs, ceremonies, and faith alleviates the anxiety of survival. When life loses meaning, the whole texture of existence feels flat. We fall into a funk, suffering from an existential crisis. Troubles, hurts, and loss overwhelm emotions, challenging meanings and leaving us in despair.

An Existential Crisis

​Disappointing experience without a grander purpose, dampens hope. We are challenged to shift beliefs when experience fails to fit our expectations of beliefs. We lose the secure footing of purpose; a cloud obscure the brightness. We may wonder, “what’s it all for?”  In these empty moments, we are susceptible. Almost any meaning can swoop down and fill the hungry void. But is this what we want---just fill a void? We shouldn’t blindly accept comforting explanations in these pivotal moments, we need something substantial and constructive, willing to temporarily exist in the unknown. Our very existence holds meaning. Purpose can be discovered in all aspects of our lives.
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My Existential Crisis

It’s been over a decade since my skeptical examination of childhood beliefs. The accumulating experiences as a big city police officer collided with fundamental beliefs. Because these beliefs were foundational to my family, searching beyond these confining borders was strictly forbidden. Any critical examination of even the possibility of error of the family belief system elicited guilt, secrecy and depression. My journey wasn’t simply drifting away but an active and intentional examination, motivated by looming unanswered questions.

During the uncertainty, I devoured dozens of books—in and outside of my church. The internal conflict was intense. Finally, on one dreadful evening, the search came to an end. At the time, I commuted over sixty miles to the big city for work. This commute provided time to contemplate—forced silence, and heavy thoughts.  Alone in my car, radio turned off, a thought quietly settled, it returned a second time but much loader, the third time I whispered the words, “It’s not true.” All the past meaning—everything I explained the world by—it wasn’t true.
Previously everything fit into this neatly packaged design, explaining existence. Now that was gone. Finished with the examination, I came to the best conclusion I could—it wasn’t true. Tears began to fall. Purpose and meaning were always a given in my life; now they were gone. I pictured my past life as a perfectly set dinner table. Dishes, salad plates, glasses and silverware set in perfect order. This new conclusion yanked the beautiful table cloth from the table, sending the dishes, glasses, and utensils crashing chaotically to the ground; scattered without purpose, meaning, or design, “What’s it all for?” permeated my life. I entertained thoughts of experiencing previously forbidden pleasures without guilt. But pleasure still existed with guilt. Depression, not freedom, is what I found.

Personal Searches for Meaning

​I neither suggest nor discourage engaging in a similar journey in search of meaning. If you doubt, then seek. Sometimes our beliefs suit us well. They give the stability we need to function at high levels. We should follow the path that gives richness without infringing on other’s joys. Occasionally, I wish to return to the past; but knowledge can’t be unlearned. The existential funk that followed eventually led to new endeavors. One of these endeavors was the creation of the Flourishing Life Society. This page is a source of personal meaning. I devout much time to the research, thought, and writing, hoping to keep FLS inspiring and provocative. I also discovered meaning in other areas of my life. Meaning is found in everyday moments. My life has become rich and vibrant.

Existential Funk

We—on occasion—spiral into existential funk. I still do from time to time. A predetermined meaning to life makes everything a little neater. A larger than life explanation frees us from the personal work of creating meaning. But purpose created within the boundaries of reality liberates us. We are free to create meaning that transcends the monotony of daily routines. Human consciousness can create meaning for itself.

Resolving the Crisis

​To be fully engaged feels meaningful. An engaging task demands focused attention. The task then produces meaning. Each task is not equal in meaning. The value of a task depends upon the end goal. Mowing the lawn has less value than raising a child. But both can be engaging; they both can demand focused attention—and offer meaning. We create a purposeful life by engagement in these meaningful activities. Feelings of meaninglessness arise when the actions aren’t given attention; the repetitiveness conceals the purpose. We act without thought. The action may accomplish some goal; but the sense of accomplishment is obscured because of lack of engaged. We often walk through life like a robot: Get up; go to work; eat; watch television, and back to bed. 

No engagement, no meaning, no excitement. 

If, for example, I mow the lawn every Saturday morning, the action easily becomes a habit. Instead of mowing the lawn to accomplish a meaningful goal, I now mow because it’s Saturday. The meaning becomes obscure. Mowing the lawn then becomes a meaningless chore. But if I take time to enjoy the look of the well-manicured yard, the scent of the fresh cut grass and the exercise, the task takes on meaning and the meaning generates feelings of accomplishment. The task is performed with a goal; and goal fulfillment creates purpose.

Giving Life Meaning

We can pack our lives with meaningful activities but when we disconnect from the purpose behind those activities by haphazardly performing out of habit, our lives feel empty. Even something as important as raising children feels meaningless when we overlook the purpose.
 
Focusing on meaning gives texture and color to experience. Life only has meaning when living means something. Fill your life with purposeful activities. This must include substantial relationships—human involvement. We don’t fare well alone. We need people. Human interaction is full of purpose and meaning. Some endeavors should focus on the future, creating security. We treasure survival-oriented actions. When behaviors secure future health and survival, we feel accomplishment. Hobbies develop talents and skills that also provide enjoyment and engagement.
 
Each day offers endless choices of meaningful activities. Focusing attention on the purpose, helps infuse the moment with meaning, and having purpose increases joy.
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T. Franklin Murphy
T. Franklin Murphy
Wellness. Writer. Researcher.
​T. Franklin Murphy has a degree in psychology. He is dedicated to the science of wellness. In 2010, he began publishing his findings.

Index:

Flourishing in Life
  • Personal Development
  • Addiction Recovery
  • Wellness 
Psychology of Wellness
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  • Personality
  • Defense Mechanisms
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  • Intimate/Romance
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About Flourishing Life
Flourishing Life Society Link to articles from 2010-to 2015
Flourishing Life Society Link to research articles
Banner link to Flourishing Life Society's meaning and purpose articles
External Links
External Link: A Practice to Reclaim Your Joy with Sebene Selassie
External Link: What Is The Role Of Truthfulness In Your Life? A Mindfulness Reflection
External Link. Spark My Development. Improving Confidence
External Link: How to manage feelings of anger
External Link: What Enlightened People Do
External Link: Is Life Abuurd?
Flourishing Life Society article link. Evolutionary novices, learning to adapt to a fast changing world
Flourishing Life Society article link. Over Analyzing
Learning comes from more than pages in a book. Living knowledge must be experienced, converting words into actions.
Psychology of Wellness Banner link to Flourishing Life Society articles
Shortcuts to happiness may escape pain; but the temporary relief often has a high cost of  long-term trouble.
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FLS link. A Narrative Identity that Heals
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FLS internal Link. Life's Journey: Structure and Chaos. We travel through life, sometimes towards meaningful destinations, other times aimlessly wandering. We need both purpose and pleasure for psychological wellness.
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FLS Link. Experiencing Awe: Experiences of awe promote pro-social behavior and invite psychological development. The wise find awe in the awesomeness of life.
FLS Link. The Fleeting Emotions. When emotionally flooded, it is difficult to cognitively inject thoughts to escape the moment. We need habitual practices that we automatically integrate into these moments that calm the system first, then we can cognitively join adapt, thinking of the future.
​We want joy; But Life is more than joy. Sometimes life hurts.
Intrigued by secrets, we seek the hidden, wasting precious time chasing unknown promises. Success is no secret formula. We achieve through consistent skilled effort, blessed by a little luck.
FLS Link. The Experience Machine: In 1974, Robert Nozick posed a question. Would you plug into an experience machine that provided all the feelings of desired experience without the struggles of reality?
A healthy mind integrates values with action. We embrace high-ideals, and then act like an idiot, soothing the dissonance with justifications.
We get stuck in an existential funk, searching for meaning. Life may not readily appear meaningful; but we can give life meaning.


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