If you are starving but can’t find food you will feel hungry. The feeling of emptiness is like emotional hunger where you become hungry for a something that you can’t get. For example the feeling of emptiness related to loneliness results from needing an intimate relation without being able to find it. Depression is another one of the strongest reasons that can make you feel empty and the combination of both depression and emptiness can be really annoying.

The opposite of the feelings of emptiness is when you feel full. This kind of feelings comes when you find that you achieved most of your goals or that at least you are moving in the right direction towards reaching them.

What causes feelings of emptiness? No one knows for sure, and there may be more than one cause. A common reason you might feel empty is self-alienation—feeling like a stranger to yourself. This sensation develops over time, usually as a result of pushing away unwanted emotions.

Our emotions are an important aspect of our experience of ourselves and our quality of life, yet most of us have some degree of trouble allowing ourselves to have certain feelings. Anger is one emotion that many people try not to experience, for example.

What happens to our feelings when we refuse to acknowledge them? They stick around in the shadows of our minds, gumming up the emotional works and, eventually, cutting us off from ourselves altogether.

The result? We feel empty. We have a pulse, but we’re not really alive.

Feeling empty can be so anti-climactic, so dull, so silent – a place devoid of even the smallest motion.  We are so (understandably) averse to feeling empty that we’ll do almost anything to fill ourselves up, even if we know it’s hurting us.  Avoiding the feeling of emptiness is part of the reason so many people overeat, for example.  “Comfort food” is not food that makes you feel energetic or lighter or cleansed, it’s food that makes you feel full.

We long to feel full, not empty.

What’s not said enough is that feeling empty at times is natural, normal, incredibly common and (dare I say) healthy.  Particularly during times of transitions, feeling a sense of emptiness is par for the course — a signal of opportunity and a clear space for something meaningful to enter into your life.

What is the solution?

Understand if/when you feel “empty” its not really “empty” and that there is something actually there. You must first face it, see it, & admit it. Use your vocabulary to try to describe what this “emptiness” feels like. Once you have a few words that describe it, ask yourself, “Why do I feel this way?” I guarantee that the cause will be from a lack of love in some area of your life. Once you find the area of lack ask yourself, “did I or someone else cause this lack?” It could have been someone else who caused it; it could have been yourself, or both (whether the offense was real or perceived the pain it caused is still real to you so treat it as so).

We have now faced it so the next step is to apply forgiveness. If someone else caused the pain, forgive them. This doesn’t mean you now agree with or are now ok with what they did to you. Forgiving them is releasing the influence they have had in your life through this unforgiveness, bitterness, & resentment.

If you caused it receive forgiveness for yourself. Get rid of guilt, shame & condemnation & recognize your value once again. See that you are better than that & live like it. See your value & potential. Forgiveness brings freedom by releasing & erasing the hold that pain once had on you.

Like kids but don’t have any or yours are grown now?

Volunteering at a school during lunch breaks or going on field trips with schools might be an option. Most will require you to have some police security check but these are easy enough to obtain and you should have one anyway. If you are open to a little more commitment, go check out and see if a nearby daycare needs an art and craft person or an extra pair of hands for little day trips. Kids not your thing?

Do you like books?

When was the last time you visited your local library ? Reading? Learning about current and local events? Sitting in quiet open spaces and taking in new things? Libraries are a great source, still to this day, for workshops, reading, obviously, and meeting new people. Like minded people. Some libraries even have free classes, mostly for seniors, but you should check anyway. Don’t discount your library.

What’s your passion?

Painting? Photography? Music? What makes you come alive? Find it and do more of it. Leave the house if you have to and seek it out. Search your area for people who love the same thing or maybe even join, or start, a meet up group of like minded individuals. Perhaps there are already several in your area lost and looking, just like you. Most of these clubs are free to join as well. If equipment is needed, if you are just starting, most can be bought at ridiculously great prices at second stores. Fun doesn’t have to cost money.

Lastly, cultivate a lifestyle that releases life into yourself & others. For an example, If your “emptiness” is really depression due to failure & rejection begin to release hope, acceptance & victory. Your thoughts & words must become thoughts & words of hope, acceptance & victory. Your words will define your world. Speak encouraging & empowering words over yourself & others. Believe that you are worthy, valuable, full of potential & have much to give to others. Speak hope. Encourage others to believe that they are valuable, full of potential & to expect coming good.

In summary you:

Face it: admit the struggle, pain, and fault.

Erase it: give & receive forgiveness. &

Replace it: changing your thoughts & words to thoughts & words that release life.

Be filled with goodness instead of “emptiness”