If you're an Atheist, what comforts you?

[Dragonfly]

I'm someone in transition who's pretty close to being an atheist, so I would not suggest that atheists have nothing to live for or some of the other ignorant ideas people have about atheists. Just wanted to get that out of the way. 

That said, I am having a lot of depression and anxiety that, back when I was a believer, I'd be coping with by praying. Now prayer is out, so I wanted to ask a general question: 

What brings you comfort when life is hard? I'm especially interested in any book recommendations or videos that I can turn to repeatedly when times are tough. They don't have to be by atheists or about atheism. Any secular source will do. 

thanks

...I know there are techniques which can handle the bad times to get me through. I know that the bad times don't last ad infinitum, they can - and usually do - fall away. Knowing that, is comforting, in that just letting time pass, can be all that's needed to get to better times!!!...

So what are the techniques? This is what I don't have. Tools and techniques. I am very ungrounded.

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The laws of physics.

I may be atypical of atheists in that I'm not at all cool with the idea that I am nothing more than a piece of meat that came into this world in 1959 because my parents decided to fuck one night and am destined to be nothing more than worm food. I do not at all subscribe to the platitudes that the finite nature of our lives bestows special meaning there. Indeed, I view that as a very cruel aspect of reality. Being bestowed life and a desire to continue to live while the current situation makes that impossible is the ultimate cruelty.

Maybe I'm not really that rare and many of my fellow atheists share in that viewpoint but will not admit it. But I won't go there other than to raise the possibility.

I think most of my fellow atheists vastly underestimate how amazing this universe we live in really is. Its laws pf physics limit us but that still leaves us amazing possibilities.

I share some of that pain. Indeed I believe that science will eventually give us the chance to live as much as we want (though not forever), and it is a shame we will be dead before that. Nonetheless I believe intelligence will not give us eternal life. I believe there are some universal rules which cannot bet broken.

Regarding the question of OP, I think about the value of my work. I believe it is work what gives life purpose. Through my work, I will give future generations a gift and a legacy. This idea of leaving a legacy also helps me endure almost any hardship. A man worth admiring shound not only leave a scientific or artistic legacy, but also a life worthy of admiration, which inspire the future generations.

I think that one way or another, pain is part of life. And we cannot completely avoid it. Nonetheless there are things that make us better and improve our lives. We should follow those things. I recommend all the volumes of Robert Ingersoll. His way of writing is very inspiring.

What is your work? I do not have a life's work and definitely need a passion like that.