At some point in time, life begins to lose its colour. Things that we once found enjoyable now appear dull, and the reflection we see in the mirror does not feel like us. This confused sensation is not sadness or boredom — it is almost like a consideration of emptiness in one’s individuality. This topic isn’t discussed a lot, but at some point in everyone’s lives, we carry a sense of emptiness like an invisible burden.
What does it feel like to be empty?
Emptiness is hard to define because it’s different for every individual. For some, it’s almost like being in a fog present but not quite there. For others, it’s like a bottomless hunger that can never be filled, no matter how much they accomplish, purchase, or ingest. Still, some describe it as feeling numb, where emotions feel far away and out of reach, and others describe it as a restless yearning for something you don’t know.
More frequently, emptiness lurks silently in the background of the activities we perform on a daily basis. A student can get excellent grades but can experience no true pride in his/her achievements. An employee can complete all his tasks on his list and still leave his office with no sense of fulfilment, as if all his work meant nothing. A friend may laugh, crack jokes and appear full of life at a party, only to come home and fall into silence. It is the type of emotion that makes you seem okay on the outside, smiling, operating, proceeding, but inside you feel that something is broken, unfinished, silently missing meaning.
The modern mask of fulfilment
One of the most torturous aspects of emptiness is how successful its concealment is behind society’s masks. We live in a world that constantly tells us to ‘stay busy’, ‘look happy’ and ‘achieve more’. Needless to say, they generally try to fill any void in themselves and end up only procrastinating or wasting time by doing things such as scrolling through social media, shopping endlessly, or going for recognition. It calms one down for a little while only but never heals fully the emptiness within. It’s almost like pouring water into a bucket filled with thousands of holes. It never fills up, and at the end of it all, everything just leaks away. It’s not that people aren’t trying hard enough; it’s just that the remedies they find tend to be symptom-based and not cause-based. Fulfilment cannot be purchased, downloaded, or performed. It must emerge from within, which is to be developed.
Why emptiness is harmful
Persistent void may seem insignificant, but it can weigh heavily on mental health. Leaving such minor voids unnoticed may lead to depression, burnout, or destructive coping methods. The feeling of feeling something bears people towards wrong works like dangerous behaviour, toxic relationships, and indulgence in addiction-related problems. In silence, emptiness eats away at one’s self-worth and how we look at ourselves. It convinces us that we are broken or faulty, making one jealous of others. That’s why it’s important to understand it; secrecy is the breeding ground of emptiness, but awareness can bring it down.
Turning towards the void
So what is one to do with this feeling? The first step is not to run away from it but to gently understand it. Many people struggle for years to overcome or dull the pain of emptiness, and paradoxically, healing begins when we stop viewing it as an enemy. Instead, we can treat it as a messenger — an uneasy signal that something needs to be rediscovered.
These are some ways to deal with emptiness:
- Self-reflection without judgement: Activities such as journaling, meditating, or contemplating on the sidewalk can also help understand more ‘What is it that I need at the moment?’
- Real relationships: It helps to combat loneliness fed by isolation. Creating those deep, authentic relationships reminds us that we really do belong and are valued for who we are rather than only because of what we achieve and look like on the outside.
- Purpose: Integrating daily activities with personal values, searching for your passions, or helping someone can infuse life into everyday routines. No need to do something extravagant or grand; even small things that have a meaning are counted.
- Seeking professional help: Emptiness can be associated with trauma or mental health issues that need therapy. Such emptiness shall be reduced by seeking professional guidance. Doing these activities can provide resources and insights that can’t be gained through self-reflection alone.
- Creating, not consuming: Whether it’s writing, painting, cooking or gardening, making something new can fill our inner emptiness with expression and meaning.
Conclusion
A sense of emptiness in personality is important. It’s like a dark night that later opens into dawn. It doesn’t signify weakness but an invitation to listen more carefully to the self, connect, and get on with intention. If you carry this in silence, remember: emptiness is not lack of who you are — it’s the invitation to discover who you could be.