With my birthday around the corner, I have been thinking of how time whizzes by. Often times because we’re moving so fast, it’s easy to skim past everything, losing depth. But in order to live a life of substance and feel complete, it is essential to be conscious and take charge. Here is a re-post of a great DailyOM article, “Staying Conscious”. These great points are absolutely true to become a more fulfilled human being as we grow older:
1. Live simply and live deliberately. By choosing not to get caught up in the details of this fast-paced world, you are doing your part to slow down the . You will also discover that you have more time to enjoy being alive.
2. Stay in touch with yourself. Soul searching, meditation, and journaling are just a few of the many activities you can take part in to stay aware and learn as much as you can about your emotions, reactions, likes, dislikes, dreams, and fears. Having a solid sense of self gives you a firm foundation for living in this world.
3. Support or teach others as often as you can. This can help you form connections with people while also giving you an opportunity to make the world a better place.
4. Consciously choose what you will allow into your being. The media bombards us with visions of hate, war, and pain. Be judicious about what you read, watch, and listen to.
5. Acknowledge the beauty that resides around you. Whether you live in a sprawling metropolis or a stereotypical suburb, there are natural and man-made wonders just waiting to be discovered by you.
6. Nurture your ties to your tribe. If you don’t have one, create a community that you can belong to. Modern life can be isolating. When you have a tribe, you have a circle that you are a part of. Its members – loved ones, friends, or neighbors – can be a source of support, caring, guidance, and companionship.
7. See the larger picture. Remember that the way that you choose to live is not the only way to live. Widen your perspective by exploring other modes of being through research, travel, and discussion.
8. Embrace the challenges that life presents to you, and challenge yourself often. After a time, even the most exciting jobs or lifestyles can seem routine. Never stop assimilating new knowledge about whatever you are doing, and your life will never seem dull.
9. Move your body. In this busy world, it can be easy to live a sedentary life. Movement reacquaints us with our bodies and connects us to the earth in a visceral way. It also restores our vitality.
10. Make time for stillness, silence, and solitude. The world can be noisy, and we are subject to all kinds of noises nearly every waking hour. We are also often “on the go” and unable to relax. Being alone in a peaceful place and making time for quiet can help you stay in touch with yourself.
What do you think?
The secret to contentment is enjoying what you have – an old Chinese proverb
sooooooooooo gooooooooooood I like #9 and #10 most
yes! let’s thank DAILYOM for those great tips!
Hi Vanae,
I watched a video of yours on youtube, and the quality of it spontaneously lead me to watch a few more. what you do, how you arrive at, overcome, your sincerity, purpose, talents, and knowledge, its inspiring. So, actually, you gave me the idea I should make my own vintage too! covering topics of my passion of course
. Thank you for tackling a difficult, fascinating subject for many and living your life lovely. This is from buffalo, new york! Hope to meet you some day in person.
az
hey andy!
i’m glad i inspired you to blog! be sure to share it with me and the V’star community!
and warm wishes to buffalo, NY!
Vanae
i’ve always been the biggest advocate for
DANCE-A-THONS!!
Like usual, your posts and ideas are helpful and thought-provoking. You are living your own best advice… contributing to the world, teaching, helping others, embracing challenges.
Speaking for myself, I think I struggle most with number 4…
It isn’t only the negative images we need to be wary of, but also the seemingly positive ones. We can all have a path, if we so choose it. The distractions presented to us are so pervasive… so omnipresent… at the risk of detaching, we need to be careful of what stimuli we allow ourselves to be immersed in. It used to be easy… just turn off the TV… now, most of our peers are “internet generation”… so it becomes a bigger challenge, because the computer is labelled a “tool” but can it quickly become “just a distraction”?
The instant availability of infinite sources of interaction and entertainment definitely provide our attention span with a huuge challenge.
Thanks again, as always, for your hard-work!!
i completely agree. thanks for shining more light on this area, nate.
appreciate your thoughts and support!
love,
vanae
This really can be words to live by. I’m glad that I was introduced to this article