The Monotonous and Meaningless Life

# The Monotonous and Meaningless Life Life can sometimes feel like an endless series of routines and obligations—a kind of perpetual repetition where meaning seems distant or absent. Existential unease, questions about what truly gives life meaning, and the feeling of emptiness—these are experiences most of us will encounter at some point. Such questions have preoccupied philosophers, psychologists, and writers for generations. How do we navigate a reality that appears to lack a fixed overarching meaning? And is it possible to create or find deeper meaning in such an existence? ## Our Subjective Lenses – Experience Filtered by the Psyche Everything we experience and sense in life passes through a filter of our own experiences, unconscious assumptions, fears, and hopes. In psychology, this is recognized as a fundamental human condition; we never see the world “as it is,” but always filtered through our history and psyche. This can be both frightening and liberating. On one hand, it challenges the idea of absolute truths. On the other, it opens up the possibility to shape our own narratives about life, precisely because none of us have access to an objective answer key. We ourselves are responsible for interpreting our existence, finding what gives us value and direction. ## The Absurd – Albert Camus and Meaninglessness as a Condition The French writer and philosopher Albert Camus masterfully described the existential crisis that can arise when we search for meaning in a world that offers no clear answers. In the book *The Myth of Sisyphus*, he uses the Greek myth as a metaphor for everyday life: Sisyphus is sentenced to roll a stone up a mountain, only to see it tumble down again, in an endless and seemingly meaningless cycle. For Camus, this is a fitting symbol of how we struggle, attempt to create coherence and significance, yet inevitably return to the same starting point of meaninglessness. According to Camus, humanity’s response to the absurd is not necessarily resignation, but confrontation. He suggests that we can achieve a kind of heroic freedom and even joy in accepting meaninglessness—and thereby create meaning in spite of, or in opposition to, the indifferent silence of the world. ## The Loss of the Great Narratives In the past, we often had various religious, ideological, or cultural stories that set the framework for our lives. Such narratives provided a kind of collective compass for morals, belonging, and meaning. In our time—through secularization and individualization—many of these stories have lost their power. Modern science has taken the world apart, psychology has revealed how divided and unconsciously motivated our minds often are—and sociology has shown how deeply we are influenced by external structures. We are often left without ready-made answers, but instead with freedom, responsibility, and an apparent emptiness where meaning was once conveniently packaged. The freedom to choose one's own path is a gift for some, but for others a source of anxiety: Which choices are “right”? What should I do with my life? And not least: What if I choose wrongly? When no superior authority gives us answers, the existential responsibility for choice and meaning can be heavy to bear. ## Existential Anxiety and the Feeling of Emptiness Many describe a nagging emptiness, which in psychology is often associated with concepts like “existential anxiety” or “anxiety about meaninglessness.” This is not mental illness in the traditional sense, but rather an attempt to grapple with life’s inevitable questions about death, loss, freedom, loneliness, and meaning. The experience of meaninglessness may be heightened when we ask ourselves: “What’s the point of all this?” Perhaps you’ve achieved everything you thought you should—education, family, material goods—yet life feels colorless and mechanical. Or maybe you’re stuck in routines with no visible progress, feeling the days blend into each other without any clear direction. Such meaninglessness often intensifies when facing life’s ultimate boundary: death. The inherent uncertainty and finality of death can be overwhelming when the great stories no longer offer comfort. For many—including myself—this can stir up death anxiety and a longing for answers. The wish to believe in life after death, or in some overarching plan and purpose, can be strong, precisely because it could bring solace. Yet it’s not always possible to believe, and then we must find other ways to approach such questions. ## Viktor Frankl and the Meaning of Suffering Viktor Frankl, an Austrian psychiatrist and concentration camp survivor, had a profound impact on our understanding of the human capacity to create meaning even under the most extreme conditions. In his book *Man’s Search for Meaning*, he describes how the ability to find some form of meaning—even in suffering—can be crucial to our psychological survival. For Frankl, meaning is not necessarily about happiness, but about how we relate to life’s inevitable suffering and challenges. He believed that it is not always possible to change our circumstances, but we can choose the attitude we take towards them. This insight reveals that meaning must be created from within. Even under the worst conditions, we can choose how we meet life, and that choice holds deep significance in and of itself. ## Psychological Perspective: Tolerating Uncertainty and Facing Fear Within modern psychology, especially existential psychotherapy, we find supportive ideas. One of the main principles here is that difficult emotions—such as emptiness, doubt, or fear of death and loss of meaning—shouldn’t necessarily be avoided or suppressed. On the contrary, there is strength in daring to face these existential questions rather than fleeing from them. I personally know well the impulse to distract myself when these thoughts arise. It can be tempting to become absorbed in work, entertainment, or daily routines, but experience shows that such strategies only provide short-term relief. In the long run, they can actually intensify the sense of emptiness. Psychology therefore underscores the value of being present with your own thoughts and emotions, and meeting even the difficult things with openness and curiosity. Mindfulness and acceptance are concepts often highlighted in this context. ## Creating Meaning in a Meaningless World What can you really do when life feels monotonous and meaningless? Common to Camus, Frankl, and modern psychological practices is the focus on creating meaning yourself, rather than waiting for it to reveal itself to you. For Camus, it is the very act of standing in the absurd, and still choosing to live, that becomes a form of rebellion with heroism. For Frankl, it’s about choosing an attitude that opens up for meaning even when everything else seems lost. In practice, this can mean: - Exploring your own values and finding small, concrete meaningful actions in everyday life, even when the big answers are absent. - Accepting life’s fundamental uncertainty as part of what it means to be human. - Seeking community and close relationships, because meaning often arises in connection with others. - Acknowledging your own limitations and not letting the demand for perfection dictate whether life “deserves” to feel meaningful. - Practicing being present in what is, and safeguarding moments of value. ## A Life With and Against Meaninglessness Encountering monotony and meaninglessness is not a sign of weakness or failure. On the contrary, it is part of being a conscious human—and perhaps an opportunity to take a more active role in your own life. We don’t need to construct grandiose goals to legitimize our existence. Meaningful lives often consist of the small connections: conversations we’ve had, joy in the moment, the chance to matter to someone. Finding or creating meaning does not always require grand ideologies. It is just as much about enduring, exploring, and filling the voids—and living with the awareness that a definitive meaning may never fully reveal itself. Along the way, we carry both questions and losses, but also the freedom to fill our own narratives with whatever significance resonates just for us. --- **Want to delve deeper into this topic?** This is a theme psychologist Sondre Risholm Liverød discusses further in the podcast episode of the same name. You can find the episode as part of the exercise material on [BeBalanced.ai](https://bebalanced.ai).