BellaOnline Forums Beauty and Self Life Coaching What is Your Life Philosophy?

Yesterday I picked up How to Live: A Search for Wisdom from Old People: While they are still on this earth by Henry Alford, then this morning I received a letter from a reader asking me about how to analyze your life's philosophy. In other words, how do you know how to live well? Hmmm was it Freud that said there are no coincidences.

This is a tough question and I think we all have our own unique answer to this question. I think for me if you want to condense it all(this includes when I have moments of �laziness,� �silliness,� �selfishness� and when I�m engaged in work that has nothing to do with my overarching life philosophy). When you look at my life one thing emerges in terms of how I live. And it�s always been there as far back as I can remember. I seek answers to questions. That�s how I live. And mostly my world view is shaped by the wisdom literature I read and the lessons I try to glean from life.

How do you live, what shapes your world view?

For me, I use to worry a lot. I was a "fixer." Fixer of relatoinships, fixer of woes, fixer of discomforts, society, arggg!

I now look at life in terms of positives and negatives. The moment I feel negative or observe negativity, I try to take that and turn it around, somehow into a positive. I try never to allow a day to have any more negativity than I can muster a positive for by nightfall. Even if it's just setting a nice plate of imported cheese and a glass of wine by the tub or listening to an audio book by candle light, sitting outside for a sunset, bundled up and all. Something...

I'm still working on my family. They are absolutely in their own world. It use to hurt me greatly. The positive became in allowing myself NOT to keep pursuing them. I had no idea how that much effort consumed my day, my nights and how I felt about myself. The amount of oxygen that became available to me, lol, could fuel a small NASA project in letting go. I have a beautiful family now that through thick and thin would never be anywhere, not ever, but right by my side in person knowing tomorrow is another day, and we'll all be there for eachother in all the days to come

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Elleise
Clairvoyance Editor

That is great Elleise that you were able to take that step! We definitely cannot fix others, no matter how much we can try. We can only work to be healthy ourselves - and to offer to help others. It is up to them to take you up on that offer, if they want to.

That's a very hard lesson for me I want to help everyone, and sometimes people just don't want to be helped! People have to make their own decisions on their own time.

Yes Elleise, I agree with Lisa. It takes a strong person to know how to let go and the benefits are wonderful. As you get to spend more time doing what you want to do--like listening to an audiobook by candle light. What a wonderful idea!

I love this thread! It is coming at a perfect time in my life, because I am finally sitting down and figuring out who I am and where I want to go with my life.

I have this posted on my FaceBook page, I'd say it is my life philosophy.

"I have learned above all to be thankful for the good and the bad. It is hard to be thankful for the bad - but that is the part that truly defines who we are."

That and the other thing I have come to treasure above all is HOPE. This is such a strong word - it encompasses so much in 4 tiny letters. Hope can get you through the rest of your life.

Mmm. Good question. I believe my life philosophy has undergone major transformations as I've grown.

As a child, I wanted to make people happy. I wanted to paint the whole world the color of happy!

Then, after a rather vivid dream, I felt as though my life path was to save someone. Or at least, be a messenger to give people hope along this often trying life journey. I believed that we were here to make this world a better place by helping others.

But then I learned that life is like a huge school. We're all here to learn the life lessons we choose. Pain and suffering are lessons, too. There are no wasted life experiences.

Now, my understanding is that while we all are in the process of learning and growing, I am here to embrace the joy and wonder of it all! Each day, my heart fills with immense gratitude, love and joy--and oh so much curiosity--for this amazing thing called life.

Something each and every day positively takes my breath away, and it can be something as unremarkable as a drop of water fattening slowly then dripping from a rusty old garden faucet or the juicy pop of a plump grape. But what really moves me is the goodness in people. I love that most of all.

My life philosophy? If you miss the joy, you've missed it all.

BTW, Michelle, "hope" is very special to me. It's my email addy and on signs around my house. I always tell people, "There's always hope."

Love God, Love people and don't let fear draw a line in the sand for you.

Leah - Yes I adore the idea of listening to an audiobook by candlelight. It brings to mind how our ancestors must have spent the evening, all sitting around together, listening to someone read to them! What a cool way to live!

Michelle - that is a fantastic Facebook quote! You are so right, it is very hard to be thankful for the bad, but in many ways the challenges we face are the ones that really help us be strong!

Lori - that is a beautiful sentiment. And you are so right. Beauty is all around us if we pay attention. Many people focus on the bad and only care about the bad, and it sours them. What a way to go through life! We should treasure what we have!

Jordan - you are exactly right. Fear is powerful, but we can always overcome fear. It is our ability to face fear that makes us strong and helps us survive!

Life is a short ride, so enjoy every minute. Do what you love. Eat chocolate desserts. Take a bubble bath. Have a second glass of wine. Call your best friend and have a two-hour chat over tea, even if she lives in another country. Be grateful for a warm house on a cold winter day. Sip your coffee and enjoy how comfortable your favourite chair is on a quiet weekend morning. Pat your dog and wear fuzzy socks.

Lofty goals are all well and good, but live every day.
Karen M

Those are my guiding principles.