Feelings of emptiness: The higher the income, the more prone one is to feelings of emptiness, and methods to prevent it.

emptiness

Emptiness refers to a negative state of mind characterized by boredom, idleness, and loneliness, often described as "lacking energy," and is a manifestation of psychological unfulfillment.

The higher the income, the easier it is to feel empty.

Psychologists believe that many middle-income or higher-income office workers, after solving their basic survival needs, do not experience lasting happiness and quickly fall into deeper confusion. When striving for survival, material possessions are the best motivator; however, once survival is achieved, material things take a backseat, while the needs for security, love, belonging, and respect take precedence. In today's society, the standards for evaluating success are increasingly materialistic. People work tirelessly to satisfy their material needs, but once these needs are met, they find that other needs remain unmet, leading to a sense of emptiness and a loss of self-worth and accomplishment.

Whether your income is high or middle, if you feel empty inside, take some time to write down and answer the following questions to clearly understand your emptiness index. Think back carefully: in the past month, have you frequently experienced any of the following?

1. Are you bored? (Yes) (No)

2. Do you feel lonely? (Yes) (No)

3. Did you find it boring? (Yes) (No)

4. Don't you want to do anything? (Yes) (No)

5. Do you feel listless or lacking energy? (Yes) (No)

6. Don't you want to study? (Yes) (No)

7. Are you taciturn? (Yes) (No)

8. Do you not want to participate in any activities? (Yes) (No)

We suggest you fill out the above 8 questions naturally and honestly. Based on the results, you can assess your emptiness index.

If you answered "yes" to two or more questions, it indicates a feeling of emptiness, which should be taken very seriously. If you feel empty, you should overcome it promptly by learning, improving your self-cultivation, and becoming stronger.

Reasons for feeling empty

Emptiness is an illness, a psychological illness that harms health. It refers to a person's lack of pursuit, sustenance, and spiritual support, resulting in a blank inner world. Emptiness can stem from a lack of accurate self-awareness, an underestimation of one's abilities, leading to constant melancholy and a feeling of emptiness; or from a mismatch between one's abilities and actual circumstances, resulting in a predicament of "ambition exceeding ability" or "a tiger fallen into a pit," often feeling helpless, frustrated, and empty; or from a flawed understanding of social reality and life's values, leading to a biased evaluation of a social phenomenon or thing, an excessive focus on personal gain when social responsibility conflicts with personal interests, and dissatisfaction and despair when personal demands are not met; or from feelings of loss and confusion caused by retirement, layoffs, heartbreak, work setbacks, investment failures, or financial difficulties.

From a personal perspective, feelings of emptiness stem from the following aspects:

1. Self-deprecation and lack of self-confidence

An individual's early life is often unfortunate; they may have lost their parents at a young age or lived in a broken home. Lacking warmth and care from childhood, they feel inferior, give up on themselves, and see no future or light. Many homeless children and idlers in society fall into this category.

2. Misconceptions

Some people have a flawed understanding of social reality and the value of life, generalizing from limited information and viewing society as entirely worthless. They set personal value against social value, prioritizing personal interests over fulfilling social obligations. When social responsibility conflicts with personal interests, they become overly concerned with personal gains and losses, and become utterly despondent if their personal demands are not met. This situation is quite common among teenagers and some adults.

3. Unmet psychological needs

Humans have many needs, broadly categorized into physiological, material, social, and spiritual needs. Generally speaking, physiological and material needs are easier to satisfy, while the latter two are more difficult. In modern consumer society, people strive to create and accumulate wealth, but wealth and the happiness it brings are not directly proportional. Once wealth reaches a certain level, some people lose the initial novelty, joy, and satisfaction they once felt towards money, even becoming numb or weary of it. When life loses its former drive and motivation, life loses its purpose and meaning, leading some to spend their days in boredom or seek newer and stronger stimulation. Some high-stakes gamblers and hedonists fall into this category.

Prevention of feelings of emptiness

In the long journey of life, emptiness is a troubling thing. To dispel sorrow and escape loneliness, some turn to alcohol, some to cigarettes, and some seek thrills-these are all foolish methods that cannot fill the emptiness in one's heart. So how should one truly enrich one's soul?

1. Adjust demand objectives

The emptiness in one's heart often arises from a lack of ambition, pursuit, and ideals, leading to a feeling that life is meaningless. Therefore, adjusting life goals is essential. Developing long-term plans and short-term goals based on individual circumstances, and striving to achieve them, will unleash one's potential and make life feel truly meaningful.

2. Seek social support

When a person is feeling lost and uncertain, they especially need someone to offer strength, sympathy, understanding, and support. Only when they receive support can they feel less isolated and helpless. Making many friends, with the encouragement and help of good friends, is an important aspect of social support. Of course, support from relatives is also indispensable.

3. Find hope in books

Reading is a good way to fill the void in one's life. Books are the crystallization of human experience and the source of knowledge. Reading can help one find the key to solving problems and liberate one from loneliness and emptiness. The more one reads, the richer one's mind becomes, and the more colorful one's life becomes.

4. Find hope in work

Work and labor are excellent ways for people to escape emptiness. When people concentrate their energy on work and labor, they have a selfless power that allows them to forget the troubles brought about by emptiness. They feel an increase in self-worth in the face of the results of their work and labor, which fills their lives with hope and ends the pain of a negative mindset.

5. Find enjoyment by shifting your focus.

Besides work, labor, and reading, one can also use the method of shifting focus, such as painting, calligraphy, music, sculpture, or gardening, to calm a troubled mind. Freeing oneself from a state of emptiness and finding new enjoyment can generate new pursuits, gradually adjusting the content of one's life, thus finding meaning in life and filling the psychological space.