In our fast-paced, data-driven world, we often find ourselves chasing objectivity like a distant mirage in the desert. We’re told that facts and figures hold the key to understanding our lives, but what if I told you that the most profound truths lie within your own subjectivity? As an existential therapist, I invite you to explore the realness of your subjectivity and the surprising unreality of objectivity. By the time you finish reading this, you might just be curious enough to begin or continue your journey with existential therapy.
![In our fast-paced, data-driven world, we often find ourselves chasing objectivity like a distant mirage in the desert. We're told that facts and figures hold the key to understanding our lives, but what if I told you that the most profound truths lie within your own subjectivity?](https://existentialize.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/memory-loss-dementia-alzheimer-concept-created-with-generative-ai-technology-edited.jpg)
Subjectivity: Your Uniquely Real World
Imagine viewing the world through a pair of glasses that only you possess. These glasses are tinted with your experiences, beliefs, and emotions – they shape everything you see. This is your subjectivity, your unique lens through which you experience the world.
Objectivity, as we commonly understand it, suggests an impartial, universally true view of reality. But here’s the secret: such objectivity is a myth. Every piece of information, every experience, is filtered through our subjectivity. It’s not a flaw; it’s what makes us human.
Existential Therapy’s Reality Check
Existential therapy doesn’t just acknowledge subjectivity; it celebrates it. It recognizes that your experiences, no matter how different they may be from others’, are valid and meaningful. Instead of attempting to escape subjectivity, existential therapy encourages you to dive deep into it, exploring your thoughts, feelings, and beliefs without judgment.
The Quest for Meaning
At the heart of existential therapy lies the quest for meaning. It’s about grappling with the big questions: Who am I? What is my purpose? What truly matters to me? In the realm of subjectivity, these questions aren’t met with one-size-fits-all answers. Your meaning is as unique as your fingerprint.
Freedom and Responsibility
Existential therapy champions our freedom to choose and the responsibility that accompanies it. You have the power to shape your own life, but with that power comes the weight of making authentic choices. It can be both liberating and challenging to embrace this existential truth.