How do I find meaning when I no longer believe what I was taught?

When the belief system that once provided life meaning and life purpose no longer feels true or relevant, it can leave you feeling adrift and purposeless. This is particularly challenging if your entire worldview, community, and sense of finding identity were built around those beliefs. You might feel like you're starting from scratch in terms of understanding what matters and why you're here. The process of building new meaning often involves exploring what values and principles feel authentic to you personally, rather than what you were told should matter. This might mean paying attention to what brings you joy, what makes you feel connected to others, what problems in the world make you angry or sad, or what activities make you lose track of time. Meaning doesn't have to be cosmic or eternal to be valid—it can be found in Interpersonal relationship, creativity, service to others, personal growth, or simply in the experience of being alive. Many people find that meaning constructed from their own experience and values feels more solid and authentic than meaning inherited from external sources. This process takes time and experimentation, and it's okay to try on different philosophies, practices, or ways of being to see what resonates. Remember that meaning is something you create rather than something you find, and that this creation is an ongoing process rather than a one-time decision.