Living vs. Existing: The Choice is Yours

Existence is confusing, but at its core, it’s actually pretty simple. We’re all here because of circumstances beyond our control. We don’t have to do anything to exist. But once we’re here, everything we do from that point forward is for our own benefit. Of course, with luck and guidance from others, we learn to consider the benefit of others as well, but that’s not a given. So, given that we don’t know why we’re here, how we got here, or anything else about life, why aren’t we all out there exploring and living it?

What’s the Matter? Are Ya Chicken?

It might sound unbelievable, but a lot of people are simply floating through life, barely existing. We tend to dismiss these people as drug addicts or worse, but the fact is they’re human beings, and they’re all around us. Many of these people have been made to feel small in their lives. They’ve been told not to believe in themselves so often that they’ve started to believe it. They’ve slid through life until settling in a dead-end job as a cubicle monkey, with neither status nor esteem attached to their name.

If you truly want to experience life to its fullest, all you have to do is watch a movie. Pay attention to how things don’t always go the way the main character wants them to. See how they might be scared or upset in some way, but they still decide to stand up to their fears and accomplish something. Now ask yourself: Why are you backing down from your boss if you truly believe you’re somebody special in life? Do you think Neo discovered The Matrix because he was too scared to take the right pill? The reality is this: we’re all going to die someday, and the choice is yours whether you face that reality standing up, sitting down, or just flat-out running away from it all.

Do More Than You Say

Repetition can be annoying unless it’s something we truly enjoy. We could spend all day every day relaxing by the pool, enjoying each other’s physical and spiritual presence without feeling like it’s getting old. However, when it comes to everyday situations in life, repeating ourselves can be tiring. It’s frustrating when people don’t understand what we’re saying, so we have to keep rewording it over and over again until they finally get the idea.

This goes for every situation in life, including social media. How often do we start to dislike someone when all they do is complain about their lives or talk about the same things over and over again? If that’s the impression someone is giving us, then surely we’re giving that same impression to others. If we act as though the world revolves around us, we’ll have fewer Facebook friends or social media followers than we think. Instead, we need to slow down and think about what we’re saying and doing. If the internet is made of people, and social media is made of society, then maybe nobody cares what we ate for dinner or what species of parasite is living in our loved one’s uterus.

So take the hint: stop talking about what you’re going to do or what you’ve done in the past. Don’t fret about what might happen in the future unless it’s with someone you care about. Focus on what’s right in front of you, here and now. You don’t need to take a picture of your meal for it to taste good, and it’s not going to taste any better based on how many likes it gets online. Enjoy your dinner for yourself, and in doing so, you’ll learn to live and not just exist.

Conclusion

Living vs. existing is a choice we all have to make. We’re all here for a reason, whether we know that reason or not. Once we accept that fact, we can choose to live our life to its fullest potential. We can embrace every experience, good or bad, and grow from it. Or we can choose to merely exist, floating through life without truly experiencing any of it. The choice is yours, so choose wisely.