Why Am I Questioning Everything? Understanding Existential Anxiety
There are moments in life when questions bubble up and refuse to quiet down: “What’s the point of all this? Am I on the right path? Who am I, really?” If you’ve ever found yourself lying awake at night with these thoughts spinning through your mind, you may be experiencing what’s often called existential anxiety or an existential crisis.
And with the current state of our world—uncertainty in the news, rapid changes in technology, shifting communities, and global challenges—it’s no surprise that so many people are questioning everything right now.
It can feel overwhelming, even scary, to question everything you thought you knew about yourself and your life. Especially during times of major change or life transitions. But what if these questions aren’t a sign that something’s wrong with you—but instead an invitation to grow?
What Is Existential Anxiety?
Existential anxiety is the discomfort that arises when we confront big questions about meaning, purpose, identity, and mortality. It’s not a clinical diagnosis, but a very real human experience that therapists see often.
Some common triggers include:
Major life transitions (moving, divorce, career changes, becoming a parent, retirement)
Loss or grief that shakes your worldview
Hitting a milestone age (turning 30, 40, 50, etc.)
Times of uncertainty in relationships, work, or health
These moments can spark deep reflection. While some questioning is normal, it becomes overwhelming when it leads to confusion, anxiety, or a sense of emptiness.
Why You Might Be Questioning Everything
When the familiar parts of life shift, it’s natural to wonder who you are without them. For example:
A career change can make you ask: If I’m not this job title, then who am I?
A breakup or divorce can spark: Will I ever find love again? What do I deserve?
Loss of a loved one can bring: What does life mean without them here?
Moving to a new city can feel like: Do I belong anywhere?
Existential questioning is often your mind’s way of trying to make sense of change. It doesn’t mean you’re broken. It means you’re searching for alignment and meaning.
How Does Existential Anxiety Show Up?
I frequently meet with people experiencing existential anxiety through my therapy practice in Miami. They often describe:
A heavy sense of emptiness or restlessness
Feeling disconnected from daily routines or relationships
Intense questioning about meaning and purpose
Worsening anxiety, depression, or hopelessness when answers don’t come quickly
A longing for “something more” without knowing what that is
If this sounds familiar, know that you’re not alone. Many people experience this during life transitions, and it can be a turning point toward greater clarity and fulfillment.
How Does Life Transitions Therapy Help With Existential Crisis?
Therapy creates a safe, non-judgmental space to explore these overwhelming questions. While no therapist will hand you life’s ultimate answers, what therapy does offer is guidance to make meaning and find grounding.
Through life transitions therapy, you can:
Normalize your experience. Understanding that existential questioning is part of being human.
Explore values and identity. Clarify what truly matters to you.
Learn grounding tools. Manage the anxiety that comes with big-picture thinking.
Reframe uncertainty. See not-knowing as possibility, rather than failure.
Cultivate meaning. Build a sense of purpose from within, rather than waiting for outside validation.
Therapy doesn’t erase existential questions, but it can help you live alongside them with more peace and confidence.
Moving From Anxiety to Meaning
The heart of existential therapy is empowerment: learning that while life may not have one fixed meaning, you can create meaning through your choices, relationships, and values.
That might look like:
Discovering passion in creative or professional work
Building deeper, more authentic connections
Choosing to live with more presence and intentionality
Finding strength in spirituality or philosophy
Redefining success in a way that feels true to you
Over time, the fear of “What if nothing matters?” shifts into the empowering realization: I get to decide what matters to me.
Practical Steps to Cope With Existential Anxiety
While therapy is a powerful support, there are small steps you can take today:
Journaling. Write out your questions, and notice any themes.
Mindfulness practices. Meditation, yoga, or simply deep breathing can bring you back to the present.
Talk it out. Share your feelings with trusted friends, family, or a therapist.
Ground in small joys. Remind yourself that meaning is often found in simple daily moments.
Explore resources. Books, podcasts, or philosophy can help normalize your questions.
Closing Thoughts From a Life Transitions Therapist in Miami, FL
Existential anxiety can feel like a storm of questions with no clear answers. But what if, instead of something to fear, it’s actually an opening? A chance to grow, realign, and discover new purpose?
If you’re questioning everything right now, know that you don’t have to figure it out alone. As an online life transitions therapist in Miami, I can help you navigate the uncertainty, calm the anxiety, and move toward a life that feels meaningful to you. Remember, these questions are not signs of weakness, but signals of growth.
Each step you take toward understanding yourself deepens your resilience and capacity for meaning, reminding you that questioning can be the very beginning of true clarity. When you’re ready, I encourage you to reach out to me through email at carly@carlystantontherapy.com or call (215) 469-1782 to get in touch.
Find Clarity and Calm With Online Life Transitions Therapy in Miami, FL
Periods of questioning everything—from your purpose to your relationships to the meaning of life—can feel deeply unsettling. Existential anxiety often shows up when life changes push us to reevaluate who we are and what matters most. Life transitions therapy can help you explore these big questions without judgment, build a stronger sense of self, and find peace even in uncertainty.
You deserve support that honors both the discomfort of these questions and the growth they can spark. Through my virtual therapy practice in Florida, you can come to feel more grounded, clear, and empowered in this season of change. Here’s how we can begin this journey together:
Share what you’ve been feeling and learn how therapy can help you move toward clarity and relief. Schedule a free consultation to take the first step.
Work with a Miami therapist online who understands the weight of existential anxiety during life transitions and can offer both compassion and practical tools.
Gain insight and strategies to quiet overwhelming thoughts, strengthen your sense of direction, and move forward with more confidence and self-trust.
Online Therapy in Florida: Other Services I Provide
Feeling like you’re questioning everything can be unsettling and exhausting. Online life transitions therapy provides a compassionate space to process these emotions, explore what feels unclear, and begin to rebuild a sense of meaning and direction. With support, you can move through uncertainty and start to feel more grounded in who you are.
Because each person’s journey through existential anxiety is different, I offer therapy services that are personalized to your needs and lifestyle. If you’ve been wondering whether counseling could help you feel more anchored, I invite you to schedule a free 15-minute consultation. We’ll talk about what’s been weighing on you, the kind of support you’re looking for, and how my approach may fit your goals. From there, we can create a therapy plan that works with your schedule and priorities so support feels both practical and impactful.
For clients seeking focused insight, I also offer one-time psychiatric evaluations through my Miami therapy practice. These evaluations can help to clarify emotions, explore values, and set intentional next steps. And if you’d like ongoing resources, my mental health blog offers reflections and guidance to help you navigate life’s big transitions. However your path unfolds, I’m here to walk alongside you with empathy and care, helping you move from overwhelm and uncertainty toward clarity and self-trust.
About the Author
Carly Stanton, LPC, MT-BC, is a licensed professional counselor and board-certified music therapist who specializes in helping individuals navigate periods of deep questioning and change. She works with clients facing existential anxiety, identity shifts, and the uncertainty that often comes with major life transitions. Carly provides a safe, compassionate space where people can explore life’s big questions, process their fears, and begin to create meaning that feels authentic and grounding.
Her clinical experience includes supporting clients with anxiety, depression, adult ADHD, OCD, social isolation, career transitions, relationship concerns, trauma, and women’s issues. Carly tailors her therapeutic approach to each individual, integrating Music Therapy when it can help deepen reflection and emotional processing. Above all, she is committed to helping people move from overwhelm and self-doubt toward clarity, purpose, and a renewed sense of inner stability.
