Living a Finite Life in an Infinite Universe: Why Emotions Make It Worthwhile

The Privilege of Feeling

Doomscrolling through Instagram, I stumbled on a post from an account I follow, @astrophilesz. Their content always stop scrolling—thought-provoking, sometimes uncomfortable, but always necessary. This one had a series of images that made me pause.

Humans are the most sentient beings known. As far as we know, humans sit at the peak of consciousness on this planet—our ability to feel is our greatest power and our greatest vulnerability.

We all want to FEEL. To feel exhilaration, awe, mystery, adventure, love, affection, belonging. To get goosebumps when our favorite rock star plays that one song. To cry in the dark during a film that cracks open something inside us. To experience connection simply by empathizing with someone else’s story. Isn’t that what we live for in this finite life?

Unfortunately, with the rush of positive emotions comes the undercurrent of negative ones: pain, sorrow, melancholy, despair, isolation.

So do we choose to stop feeling altogether? Of course not. Because the good and bad feelings are two sides of the same coin. Life is that coin toss—you can’t predict which side it will land on. If life is fleeting, then maybe its true meaning lies in what we feel along the way.

The Rule of Randomness

The seeming randomness of life makes uncertainty and change the only constants we can count on. We don’t get to control the toss, but we do get to decide how we respond when it lands. And that’s where the real work lies—how to feel without being overwhelmed.

How to Feel Without Being Overwhelmed

I keep playing the broken record of being present, but really—if you can just master that, it is the most effective way to deal with the rollercoaster of emotions daily life throws at you.

Eckhart Tolle once said: “If you are conscious through your daily life when things are going well, the easier it will be to handle conflict.” In other words, presence during calm waters makes you steadier when the storms hit.

But presence doesn’t always need to look like meditation or journaling. Here are three practical ways to regulate emotions, especially if mindfulness isn’t your thing:

1. Channel it into motion.
   Emotions are energy—so burn them. Go for a walk, punch a bag, blast music and dance around your living room. Physical motion clears emotional congestion faster than overthinking ever could.
2. Micro-distractions.
   When feelings threaten to spiral, give your brain a reset. Watch a funny reel, solve a quick puzzle, or reorganize a drawer. It doesn’t solve the problem, but it interrupts the overwhelm long enough for clarity to return.
3. Borrow perspective.
   Call a friend who can make you laugh, or ask someone you trust: “Am I blowing this out of proportion?” Sometimes, another person’s lens makes the weight instantly lighter.

In the end, the infinite universe won’t remember our timelines, but we will remember the goosebumps. So take this as a reminder to feel your emotions and recognize your calling, instead of following someone else’s plan on autopilot mode.

Think about it

What gives you goosebumps? How long has it been since you did that thing?