Life ≠ Living

Life and living are related, of course.

But the distinctions between the two are worth considering.

Life begins with birth and ends with death.

Living is the quality of your experience in between.

Life requires adequate oxygen, water, nutrition, and a reasonable temperature (98.6°ish).

That’s it.

Living requires growth, meaning, and purpose (AKA “self-actualization” or “flow”).

And between life and living is a gap everyone must navigate.

This transition from life to living requires securing safety, belonging, and self-esteem.

The biggest obstacle I witness (and experience) in moving from “I’m alive” to “I am living” is self-esteem (AKA self-compassion or worthiness).

What’s your relationship with your worthiness?

For many of us, the honest answer is, “It’s complicated.”

Here are some steps I’ve found helpful to close the worthiness gap more efficiently.

1. Surrender - Not giving up or giving in. Surrender is letting go of what’s not yours in the first place.
2. Faith - Trust that things happen “as they should” when you take intentional action.
3. Grace - Extending forgiveness and mercy to yourself and others.
4. Compassion - Empathy in action from the inside out.
5. Acceptance - Being present with what’s happening without attaching your well-being to it. 

Cultivating these human skills is where the art of living begins.

There’s no roadmap to living the good life, but these skills provide an effective compass that facilitates an end to suffering as you lean into the real work of limitless living.

Ready to step into your potential and explore the possibility of finding greater fulfillment, forging more meaning, and making a bigger difference?

Simply begin.

Scott Perry, Encore Life Coach at Creative on Purpose

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