The Way To Live

Once we realize that the most important thing we have in this world is life, we begin to wonder what we are doing with it.

This awareness of the preciousness of life and its brevity brings a sense of unease. Then, we have questions to answer. Most of us want the easy path, so we start accepting the answers from those around us. The quality of questions we ask and the answers that we accept, significantly determines the course of our lives.

Probably, we share a common ground on one thing: To Live Well.

So, what is living well? And what is the way to live that holds importance for all of us?

Living totally

Living totally means enjoying your life. If you’re doing something, you’re doing it totally, with your complete being. Doing anything half-heartedly is a waste of the precious time we have.

Living in the present moment

Realize deeply that all you have is this present moment. Nothing else is ever guaranteed.

The past is already gone; if you keep ruminating on that, you miss the life that happens only in the now.

If you take care of your present, the future will take care of itself. The most essential thing is what you do today, not what you have imagined to do at some future date. You cannot postpone life or jump into the future and live there. Live this day totally, here and now.

Watching, observing, living in awareness

Just watch, observe and you will know everything you need to know.

Just by simply watching yourself, you know yourself. You know what you want, what you’re doing and why you are doing it. Now, you do not depend on approval and validation from outside. It’s your integrity, and you don’t want to compromise on it.

Without awareness, life is missed. Your actions are like throwing stones in the darkness, knowing nothing about what you want to accomplish.

Watching is not so easy because of old habits of our conditioned minds, preconceived notions, prejudices, beliefs, assumptions of already knowing it all. Just have patience. It always begins with a moment and grows gradually. Observing the brain changes the brain–its very conditioning.

Living freely

Ask yourself: Is it possible to live a truly good life without freedom?

Freedom and autonomy are quintessential for living a good life.

Why do freedom and autonomy feel impossible to us? Because we care more about people’s opinions and image of us than we care about our lives.

We’re imprisoned by our own conditioned inner psychological structures. Freedom is freedom from conditioning–a programmed operating system that is running our lives.

The biggest favor you can do to yourself is this: do not try to fit into a sick system or a sick society. Otherwise, you will waste your life.

Freedom does not come easily. You have to watch, observe, question everything; do the hard work that it demands. Let freedom be a parameter for everything you do, every decision you make, the money you spend. Ask, “Is it going to increase my freedom or lead me toward bondage?”

Now, if you talk about freedom, you cannot imagine it without responsibility,

Accepting complete responsibility for your life

Respect your life. Whatever happens to you, you have contributed to it–consciously or unconsciously. Even if you don’t realize this now, there is no point in staying stuck with anything. Even if it might not be your fault, it is your responsibility to do what is required. Blaming others or circumstances takes away your agency, and your integrity and liberty.

Accept yourself. This is beautiful. You can’t discard yourself in subtle ways and expect to live a great life; It’s simply not possible.

One who is going to bear consequence or reap the rewards needs to make decisions and take action firmly.

Living authentically

Living authentically is the beginning of everything beautiful in life.

Do not lie to yourself. Do not betray yourself. For how long will you fool yourself ? The nature of life is such that one has to face reality sooner or later. It is better to realize now. You’re not getting any younger, if you remain honest with yourself you’re choosing to be stronger as you grow.

Living passionately

Approaching life or anything you do, without passion makes everything dull and dry. Build a life you truly want to live and live it passionately.

Choosing joy, always

Find joy in just being. Joy in the journey. Joy in the movement of life: living, learning, exploring, experiencing and doing.

Choose something that you would like to do. Relax if you want to relax. Relaxing is just as important as doing.

The mind has an old habit of creating problems and misery for itself; it is negatively biased. You need to consciously choose joy until you realize it is your true nature.

Living dangerously

Living dangerously is living on your own terms. Realizing your highest potential, doing what you want to do, learning what you want to learn. Challenging the conditioning, prejudices and trivial values that are imposed upon you.

If you want to realize your highest potential, you cannot do that by living in your comfort zone, living in a “box” that society has given to you. Seeking a sense of security is a trap, such security does not exist.

A great life demands courage and resolve. Live dangerously. Take risks. Break the box. See what’s possible. You have only one life.

Thinking things through for yourself

The whole world is constantly telling you to do this and to do that. Society, politicians, priests, business owners- everyone has vested interests or conditioning.

Stay true to your own being. This is your life. Think things for yourself. Question everything. Do the work. Find out what is true and what is worth doing.

Exploring, experimenting, learning

We are all haunted by the illusion that we know very much. In reality, we never know very much. Life is always in flux. Presenting us with immense beauty and challenges as well. We feel overwhelmed by all of it at times.

The way to navigate and enjoy life is to keep exploring, experimenting and learning.

Never be in a hurry to conclude anything. Once you do that, you stop growing.

Learn to entertain an idea without immediately accepting or rejecting it. Entertain a series of working hypotheses: once you find something real, reliable, just use it; otherwise, leave it. Life has to be learned through trial and error.

If you don’t know what is right, do what is relatively right or less wrong

While you take action, take the whole world into consideration. We all live our lives in one environment. Ask, “Am I contributing to peace and beauty, or to chaos in the world?” Do what needs to be done on your part.

Living creatively

The art of living is the greatest art of all. Do anything with such love, such care that it becomes a piece of art. Creativity keeps up your zest for life. So, live creatively and do things in your own style.

Living intensely

This life is so precious and short, and you are dying everyday. You cannot waste your time in mediocrity. If you’re doing something, do it with intensity, with vigor, not with a kind of sloppiness. Live intensely. Live really hot. There is no point in living lukewarm.

Living gratefully

Without gratitude we betray the true blessings in life. We take everything for granted: our lives, this beautiful earth, the people who care about us and the people who nurtured us since birth.

Realize that existence owes us nothing; This life is a gift. Realize deeply that it can all end very quickly. Love it all with your heart. Stay Grateful.

Life is not always the same;

it is sometimes pleasure, sometimes pain.

It is all part of life.

If you want to go beyond the parts

and rejoice in the whole,

Keep Gratitude in your heart.

Gratitude always, always gratitude.