Is this all there is? Turning your existential dread into a clear path forward

Is this all there is? Turning your existential dread into a clear path forward

552. Have you ever felt a sudden wave of dread and wondered, "Is this it?" If you’re wrestling with big questions about your purpose, you aren’t broken—you’re experiencing a universal part of being human.

In this episode, Dr. Judy Ho explains that existential anxiety isn't a malfunction; it's a message from your brain to pay attention to your life. Whether you are navigating a quarter-life crisis, a midlife transition, or a major identity shift, learn how to turn that discomfort into a values-driven path forward.

Key insights include:

  • Meaning over pleasure: Why humans are driven by meaning and how "eudaimonic" flourishing is more protective against distress than temporary pleasure.
  • The paradox of choice: How social media and infinite options can paralyze our ability to choose a meaningful life.
  • Values as a compass: Why you should live by your values—which are inexhaustible directions—rather than your fleeting moods or temporary goals.

Have a mental health question? Email Dr. Judy's team at at psychologist@quickanddirtytips.com

Find Savvy Psychologist on Facebook and subscribe to the newsletter for more psychology tips.


Watch on YouTube: www.youtube.com/@SavvyPsychologist


More from Dr. Ho on her other channels:

Dr. Ho's website, Substack, LinkedIn.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Det här avsnittet är hämtat från ett öppet RSS-flöde och publiceras inte av Podme. Det kan innehålla reklam.

Avsnitt(598)

Have you always been "a lot"? You might be a highly sensitive person

Have you always been "a lot"? You might be a highly sensitive person

572. If you were ever told you were too sensitive, too intense, or that you feel things too much — this episode is for you. The Highly Sensitive Person trait affects 15–30% of the population, shows up...

8 Sep 17min

What the Lindsay Clancy trial gets wrong about postpartum psychosis — and what every parent needs to know

What the Lindsay Clancy trial gets wrong about postpartum psychosis — and what every parent needs to know

571. The trial of Lindsay Clancy — the Massachusetts mother who allegedly strangled her three young children and says she was in the grip of postpartum psychosis — has reopened a conversation the publ...

1 Sep 17min

Billy Eichner on how to be fearless without trauma or shame

Billy Eichner on how to be fearless without trauma or shame

570. People constantly tell Billy Eichner he's fearless, and they always want to know how he does it. In Savvy Psychologist's first-ever interview episode, Dr. Judy Ho sits down with the comedian behi...

25 Aug 33min

Why you stay up way too late even when you’re exhausted: The psychology of revenge bedtime procrastination

Why you stay up way too late even when you’re exhausted: The psychology of revenge bedtime procrastination

569. It's midnight. You're exhausted. You have to be up in six hours. And you are absolutely not going to bed yet. Sound familiar? There's a name for it — and it's not laziness. Revenge bedtime procra...

18 Aug 17min

Why do certain people leave you completely drained?

Why do certain people leave you completely drained?

568. You know that feeling. Five minutes with a certain person and you need a three-hour nap. You leave the conversation and realize you've given everything while receiving nothing. Energy vampires ar...

11 Aug 17min

Why your inner critic is so loud (and three ways to change that)

Why your inner critic is so loud (and three ways to change that)

567. There’s a voice in your head that has opinions about everything you do — and most of them are unkind. It replays your mistakes. It pre-edits your ideas before you even say them. It tells you that...

4 Aug 20min

Imposter Syndrome: why the most competent people doubt themselves most

Imposter Syndrome: why the most competent people doubt themselves most

566. You got the promotion, the degree, the recognition — and still you're waiting for someone to figure out you don't actually belong there. That feeling has a name, a neuroscience, and — surprisingl...

28 Juli 17min

Adult ADHD: Why so many people are diagnosed late and what actually helps

Adult ADHD: Why so many people are diagnosed late and what actually helps

565. You've always been this way. You've just gotten better at hiding it. Adult ADHD is one of the most underdiagnosed and misunderstood conditions in mental health — particularly in women, high-achie...

21 Juli 19min

Populärt inom Utbildning

historiepodden-se
det-skaver
rss-bara-en-till-om-beroende-medberoende
nu-blir-det-historia
harrisons-dramatiska-historia
allt-du-velat-veta
not-fanny-anymore
rss-viktmedicinpodden
johannes-hansen-podcast
i-vantan-pa-katastrofen
rikatillsammans-om-privatekonomi-rikedom-i-livet
sa-in-i-sjalen
roda-vita-rosen
rss-basta-livet
rss-ar-det-rimligt
sektledare
rss-foraldramotet-bring-lagercrantz
rss-max-tant-med-max-villman
rss-autismandan
rss-traningsklubben