Existential questions arise from those doubts we ask ourselves in the search for our conscience and essence.
They are questions that often require deep work of self-reflection, and other times they are questions that, as their name indicates, deal with our existence and the whys of life. Be that as it may, they are questions that help us better perceive reality and our own thoughts and desires.
In this article you can find a list of existential questions that you have surely asked yourself at some point and that will make you reflect Let’s see them and put our most genuine curiosity to work.
1. How do we know if we are doing the right thing?
Making decisions is not always easy. On the one hand we have our emotional part, and on the other hand our rational part. As some researchers such as Antonio Damasio indicate, emotions have such a great weight in our decisions that, although sometimes we think that our irrational part is in charge, emotions almost decide for us.
Relationships are difficult. You only have to look at the data from a study carried out by Eurostat (the European statistics office): in Spain there are fewer and fewer marriages, as they have fallen by up to 56% in the last 50 years. According to the General Council of Notaries, For every marriage there are two divorces in this country
Relationships affect us and can make us enter into an existential crisis if we are not okay with our lover. Learning to be happy in a relationship is something that requires learning and deep reflection.
3. What is the meaning of life?
One of the biggest existential questions we can ask ourselves is about the meaning of our path. To come to question this means that one is still searching for one’s identity So he needs to reflect on who he is, what his strengths and weaknesses are and what path he should take in life.
4. How do we measure success in life?
How do we measure our success? In what areas of our life? What matters, the present or the past? We can only live in the present moment, but the past accompanies us throughout our lives. Depending on how we interpret our life, it will help us enjoy greater well-being. The healthiest thing is to focus on the here and now.
5. Why do I feel this way?
Not everyone is emotionally intelligent, and they let themselves be carried away by their emotions, without being able to detach themselves from them When someone asks themselves this question, they need to carry out a process of self-reflection and self-knowledge, because emotional management positively or negatively affects our happiness.
6. Why do I sometimes behave like this?
We may think that we are good people, however, at a certain moment We explode because of stress at work and we pay for it with the first person we have close to us without deserving it Or we come home and use our partner as a scapegoat for our frustration, even though they are the ones who support us the most and show us their love daily.
7. How can I change my life?
Life is not always a bed of roses, and many times we have to reconsider and change course, transform ourselves to go to the place where we want to be. To do this, it is necessary to know yourself, challenge limiting beliefs, get out of your comfort zone, set realistic goals, etc.
8. Why do I find it difficult to value things?
The human mind is made in such a way that we get used to the things we have It is normal that, over time, we no longer value as much what we really own. That is why it is necessary to avoid a consumer mentality, because we will never be satisfied with what we have and we will always want more.
Surely, we have all gone through some moments when we needed to make important decisions or were in a learning process. This is totally normal and the uncertainty of the moment can cause our self-esteem to suffer. However, these moments are necessary to go where we want to go. Leaving your comfort zone is synonymous with personal growth.
10. Is the Big Bang theory true?
Although science seems to have found evidence of the Big Bang, in the human mind it is impossible to imagine the way in which the universe originated. Did we really come out of nowhere? This question can lead us to reflect on something that has a certainly complex and difficult to visualize answer.
11. Is one life enough to live everything I have in mind?
We do not live forever and, therefore, we must make the most of our life Sometimes we want to do everything and that is not possible. You have to set priorities.
12. Is there life after death?
One of the most important existential questions has to do with death. It is difficult for human beings to think that there is nothing. Thinking about one’s own death causes tremendous discomfort, and when it is necessary to face the death of a loved one, it becomes very difficult to accept. Many people need to attend therapy to overcome it
13. Am I weak if I show my emotions towards others?
We live in a society that has educated us in such a way that showing our emotions in front of others is a symptom of weakness: crying is allowed, it is weak, one cannot get angry, etc. You have to be happy every day. This, in addition to being impossible, is not good for people’s well-being.
14. Who am I?
“Who I am?” It is one of those existential questions, in which one wants to know if he has found himself or if you have defined your path. However, if one does not know how to answer this question, it is because they are still in the search process.
15. Why don’t we value the people who love us the most?
The habituation I talked about previously can also occur with the people around us who love us the most. We may take for granted that the people closest to us will always be there for us. This means that sometimes we do not take them into account and we tend to underestimate them
16. What do we need in this life?
We often think that material things are what we need, however, we need less than we think Too high expectations can make you extremely unhappy.
17. Is life unfair?
If we take a look around us we will realize that life is not fair Every day atrocities occur in many places in the world, and misfortunes can happen to anyone, as they are part of life. To enjoy greater emotional well-being, you must focus on the present, love yourself, and practice acceptance. What to do when you feel desperate?
It may happen that at some point in our lives, someone who has not done harm promises us that they will change. But, Can people change? Obviously, yes. Now, it depends on them.
19. Why are some people so cruel?
Sometimes we cannot understand how there are people so cruel and capable of doing barbaric acts. The reality is that the need and the situation have great importance in how we behave with others A study that explains this perfectly is that of Stanford Prison.
20. What is the secret to being happy?
A question we have all asked ourselves at some point is… What is the secret to being happy? In reality, being happy all the time is impossible, but there are some keys to being happy that you can check in this article: “The 10 keys to being happy, according to science.”
21. Will there be life on other planets?
One of those questions that every human being has ever asked is whether there will be life on other planets We still do not have an answer to this question, but surely human beings will continue searching for some form of life somewhere in the infinite universe.
22. What should I study?
Many people, when they have to start university, ask themselves an existential question about their future Choosing a career and profession is, without a doubt, a decision that will shape our future and our well-being. If we opt for a profession that does not motivate us or we do not really like, we may regret it for the rest of our lives.
23. Should I chase my dreams?
Another existential question is… Should I fight for my dreams despite the difficulty or seek stability? You have the answer to this question yourself, but there is nothing more enriching than pursuing a dream.
24. Is there life beyond love?
Another of the great unknowns: do we need love to survive?
25. How far could I go if I wanted to?
The power of willpower can change everything. Don’t let anyone limit you and, if you have a goal in mind, go for it.
26. Where could I find emotional refuge?
A question to reflect on what really calms us.
27. If it disappeared today, how would the world change?
Have we made reality different?
28. Do I think for myself, or do prefabricated speeches speak through my mouth?
To what extent are our ideas really our own?
29. When is violence justified?
Contexts can affect our ethical scales in aspects as important as physical integrity of people?
30. When I’m gone, what will people remember about me?
What mark do we leave on others? Will anyone remember us once we are gone?
31. Am I emotion, or am I reason?
This duality serves to explain our personality above all.
32. Can I be happy without the people around me?
An existential question to know to what extent we are independent.
33. Why do wars happen?
Violence is undesirable, but we are in a context in which war conflicts do not stop arising. Why is this happening? What interests are behind violent conflicts between nations?
34. Does the current educational system make sense?
Does it make sense for a five-year-old child to spend several hours a day sitting, listening to his teacher’s explanations? What would be a way of educating that is more in line with the values of today’s society?
35. Why do we consider dreams to be imaginary fictions? Could they, in some sense, be more real than reality itself?
It may seem like a somewhat risky consideration, but if we stop to think… perhaps reality can be reinterpreted.
36. Am I my conscience?
What is the nature of consciousness? Is it what defines us as individuals?
37. How does my belief system limit me?
personal beliefs They can become limits to our personal development.
38. Do good and evil exist as something objective?
Is there a right way to behave beyond our opinions?
39. Does my life plan exist beyond improvisation?
That is, do we really live according to personal projects, or are these just a useful fiction?
40. Can someone be blamed for their actions if freedom does not exist?
One of the most discussed existential questions is the relationship between determinism and responsibility.
