When you look on the Internet for topics on Living Well, what shows up most frequently are topics about wellness and health: things like healthy aging, exercise, diet, longevity, sex, and so forth. These are all a part of living well. Yet living well goes deeper than these topics. Fundamentally, it’s about a mindful return to what it means to live in the first place and how to live with awareness and purpose.
When we are children, it's natural to live life well, but as life with all of its complexity unfolds into the responsibilities of adulthood we can find ourselves uncertain about how to live fully, how to be aware that we're living, how to identify and pursue the purpose of our life. Instead of awareness of life, we find ourselves focused on the daily stresses that are so pressing. Yet, life is a gift that deserves our fullest attention. When we're distracted from it, we too easily miss the joy of the gift.
Think about the things that help you appreciate life. Try to go deeper down than merely saying you're grateful for another day of being above ground! It might be helpful to simply close your eyes and retrace your steps from yesterday. Did you have any 'magic moments' when you felt fully alive? Was there someone's face that warmed your heart, a moment in nature that stopped your breath, a loss that broke your heart, a cup of warm coffee that you actually felt going down, a pet that nuzzled your with love, a splash of pain that made you jump, a humorous moment that made you laugh uncontrollably, an emotion that caused great sadness or even tears? Re-live those moments and give thanks for it all!
To explore further, join me for the new program “Learning to Live Well” beginning in September at reneemiller.org.
When we are children, it's natural to live life well, but as life with all of its complexity unfolds into the responsibilities of adulthood we can find ourselves uncertain about how to live fully, how to be aware that we're living, how to identify and pursue the purpose of our life. Instead of awareness of life, we find ourselves focused on the daily stresses that are so pressing. Yet, life is a gift that deserves our fullest attention. When we're distracted from it, we too easily miss the joy of the gift.
Think about the things that help you appreciate life. Try to go deeper down than merely saying you're grateful for another day of being above ground! It might be helpful to simply close your eyes and retrace your steps from yesterday. Did you have any 'magic moments' when you felt fully alive? Was there someone's face that warmed your heart, a moment in nature that stopped your breath, a loss that broke your heart, a cup of warm coffee that you actually felt going down, a pet that nuzzled your with love, a splash of pain that made you jump, a humorous moment that made you laugh uncontrollably, an emotion that caused great sadness or even tears? Re-live those moments and give thanks for it all!
To explore further, join me for the new program “Learning to Live Well” beginning in September at reneemiller.org.
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