Existential Confrontation

A practice of directly facing existential realities—death, isolation, meaninglessness, and freedom—rather than avoiding them. This confrontation need not result in despair; instead, it can help you reenter life in a richer, more compassionate manner, grapple with fundamental human responsibilities, and construct an authentic life of engagement, connectivity, meaning, and self-fulfillment.

Source: Described in 'Staring at the Sun' by Irvin D. Yalom. Yalom explains how confronting existential realities can help people reenter life more fully and authentically.

How to practice

1. 1Allow yourself to consciously confront the existential givens: death, isolation, meaninglessness, and freedom
2. 2Shift from everyday mode (absorbed in surroundings) to ontological mode (aware of being itself)
3. 3Notice the difference between 'how things are' versus 'that things are'
4. 4Grapple with your fundamental responsibility to construct an authentic life
5. 5Focus on engagement, connectivity, meaning, and self-fulfillment
6. 6Allow the confrontation to prompt significant positive life changes
7. 7Practice this as a way to transform anxiety into authentic living

Based on literature