A new study published in The Journal of Positive Psychology explored how moments of existential dread and transformative life experiences can open the door to what psychologists refer to as “existential authenticity.”

I recently spoke with the author of the paper, Prof. Pninit Russo-Netzer — associate Professor, senior lecturer and researcher in the field of existential psychology, meaning and well-being. We discussed how existential dread can serve as an invitation to authenticity, the conditions that help people turn upheaval into growth and what this means for anyone navigating painful or destabilizing life events. Here’s a summary of our conversation.

For readers who may not be familiar, how would you briefly explain “existential authenticity”?

Existential authenticity is about living with a clear awareness of the fragile, finite, and uncertain nature of human existence, and still taking responsibility for one’s choices. It goes beyond the popular notion of “being true to yourself.” It means being true to existence itself: acknowledging mortality, freedom, meaninglessness, and isolation — the four core existential concerns — and deciding how to live in light of them.

The philosopher Martin Heidegger described this as the shift from “forgetfulness of Being,” when we live on autopilot and conform to routines, to “mindfulness of Being,” when we consciously engage with our possibilities.

In our therapeutic model of Existential Authenticity, authenticity develops as a process: first, noticing the narratives we’ve taken for granted about who we are; second, realizing that anxiety signals the freedom to reinterpret those narratives; and finally, choosing to orient our lives toward meaning and values.

Can you describe what qualifies as a transformative life experience, perhaps with a few examples?

A transformative life experience is like an earthquake in your personal world. It shakes the foundations of how you’ve understood reality and opens up new ground for building something different.

These experiences can range from obviously life-altering events to moments that might seem ordinary to others but feel profound to you. It may be painful, such as illness, bereavement or violence. Or, it can be deeply moving, like migration, moments of awe or major life transitions. What matters is not the type of event but its impact: it challenges our basic assumptions, evokes existential dread and opens space for new ways of living.

In my study with Dr. Jonathan Davidov, participants described moments that radically altered their lives: a sudden death that pushed someone to leave an unfulfilling marriage; a powerful embodied sense of expansion that shifted a career choice; or an HIV diagnosis that broke through denial and forced authentic self-confrontation.

Such events remind us that life is unstable and fragile, raising the question: Given this fragility, how do I want to live? Within the existential authenticity model, TLEs often mark the move from “taken-for-granted narratives” to “situational freedom,” when old assumptions collapse and new possibilities emerge.

You suggest that existential dread, although distressing, can paradoxically spur growth. How does anxiety transform into authenticity?

This is perhaps the most counterintuitive insight from our research. Anxiety isn’t always a problem to be solved; sometimes, it’s a compass pointing toward authenticity. We’ve been taught to see anxiety as pathological, something to medicate or manage away. But existentially, anxiety often signals freedom.

When our familiar structures collapse — whether it’s losing a job, facing illness, or even just questioning long-held beliefs — we feel anxious because we suddenly realize we have choices we didn’t see before.

In the Existential Authenticity model, we frame anxiety as freedom in disguise. When we stop fleeing from it and instead stay with it, anxiety dismantles rigid patterns and opens creative pathways. The turning point is when dread is no longer perceived as a threat that triggers fight-flight-freeze, but as a signal inviting us to live more deliberately. In this way, anxiety becomes a compass pointing toward authenticity and value-driven living.

Were there certain conditions that made it more likely for someone to embrace dread productively rather than fall into “inauthentic” coping?

Our research suggests that several factors make it easier for people to engage with dread rather than avoid it:

1. Mindset matters. An openness to uncertainty and the ability to tolerate discomfort make it easier to face groundlessness instead of fleeing from it.

2. Frameworks of meaning. Support systems such as relationships, communities or spiritual and philosophical perspectives help people see anxiety as a sign of growth rather than merely a threat.

3. Values as anchors. When everything else feels uncertain, having clarity about what matters most provides direction. Without values, freedom can feel paralyzing. With them, it becomes energizing.

In short, the difference often lies in whether anxiety is met with avoidance and numbing, or with curiosity, support and meaning-making. Inauthentic coping often emerges when people default to avoidance: immersing in routines, numbing, or over-identifying with roles (what Sartre called “bad faith”). Authentic growth is more likely when people can reinterpret anxiety as part of being human, not as a pathology to be eliminated.

For someone going through a painful or destabilizing life event, how might your research help them make sense of it?

One of the main messages is that feeling shaken or anxious in the face of upheaval is not a sign of weakness. It is a deeply human response. Our culture often treats emotional upheaval as something to “get over” quickly, but transformation takes time and can’t be rushed. Rather than seeing anxiety only as a problem to eliminate, it can be reframed as an invitation to pause, reflect and reconsider.

The question becomes: What does this experience reveal about what really matters to me? How might it invite me to realign my life with my values, priorities or relationships? Recognizing that dread can be both destabilizing and potentially transformative can help people find meaning in even the hardest experiences, and view them not only as losses but as openings for a more authentic way of living.

Our model offers a roadmap:

1. Recognizing “taken-for-granted” assumptions. Acknowledging the unconscious stories that have shaped your life until now. Maybe it’s “I have to stay in this career because I’ve invested so much,” or “I should have figured this out by now.”

2. Embracing “situational freedom.” Acknowledging that when these narratives collapse, frightening as it may be, new possibilities open up. This is often the most disorienting phase, but it’s also where transformation begins.

3. Choosing “intentionality and meaning.” Deliberately deciding how to use this freedom by clarifying your values and translating them into daily commitments. This is also where the practice of prioritizing meaning comes in: intentionally organizing daily life around activities and choices that connect to one’s deeper values. Research shows that when people prioritize meaning in this way — structuring their routines, decisions and even small everyday actions with meaning in mind — it not only strengthens the presence of meaning but also contributes to well-being, including greater life satisfaction, positive emotions, coherence and gratitude

This reframing helps people see upheaval as both destabilizing and potentially liberating — a chance to live in closer alignment with what matters most.

Is there a way people can deliberately engage with their anxiety or dread, instead of avoiding it, to cultivate authenticity?

The essence is shifting from avoidance to approach. Instead of battling anxiety, make contact with it, meet it with awareness. This can be done gradually:

• Start with embodied awareness. Notice where anxiety lives in your body. Is it tightness in your chest? A knot in your stomach? A racing heart? Simply naming these sensations, without trying to change them, begins to transform your relationship with the feeling.

• Get curious about the message. Instead of asking, “How do I make this stop?” try asking, “What is this anxiety trying to tell me?” Often, our fears point toward our deepest values. Fear of failure might reveal how much achievement matters to you. Fear of being alone might highlight your need for connection. Fear of disappointing others might indicate how much you value integrity.

• Take small, values-based actions. This is where our research on “behavioral stretches” becomes relevant. A stretch is a behavior that feels slightly uncomfortable but still safe — pushing the edges of the comfort zone without overwhelming us. These small experiments serve as practical doorways to authenticity. Over time, such stretches help integrate values into daily life and strengthen the muscle of existential courage. By gently stepping beyond the familiar, individuals practice tolerating discomfort in manageable doses. These micro-stretches build the capacity to face existential dread without collapsing into avoidance. Choose tiny actions that feel slightly uncomfortable but align with what you’ve discovered matters to you. If connection is important, maybe that uncomfortable conversation you’ve been avoiding. If creativity matters, perhaps that project you’ve been putting off.

Prof. Pninit Russo-Netzer, Ph.d. is an Associate Professor, senior lecturer, researcher and author who has published scholarly journal articles and books in the fields of positive and existential psychology, well-being, wholeness, and meaning in life. Prof. Russo-Netzer heads the Community, Meaning, and Healing (C.M.H.) Research and Development Institute as well as the Resilience and Optimal Development Lab at Achva Academic College, Israel. She serves as an academic advisor and consultant to institutions and organizations worldwide, and is the founder and director of the Compass Institute for the Study and Application of Meaning in Life.

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