“Don’t Exist.” Live
I look at this quote every morning. Three powerful words. They make me question. They make me ponder. They make me Live. And I mean really LIVE. I look over my life periodically and reflect on where I am at. Am I living the life that I dream? The life that I had always imagined? Or am I living someone elses life?
It’s ignoring convention. Questioning the rules. Breaking the rules. Creating your own rules.
In our society the ‘right thing to do’ is to go to college, get a 9-5 job, date, get married, have kids, buy a house, buy a car, buy all these items that I have to work my a** off to afford. Yet, none of that made sense to me. I could buy a lot less. Work a lot less. And enjoy spending time with my friends and family. Thats what I wanted.
What I wanted more then anything was to experience joy, love and pure happiness. Ecstasy. The joy that brings you to tears. I wanted passion, adventure, excitement.
What are your goals? What drives you? For many it is the college, job, get married, and have kids. But, for those of us that don’t share these dreams, that life will slowly suffocate us. I have seen it happen to many friends and it hurts to watch. Many believe the lie that that life is the life to live. Yet, the only life you have to live is yours. Live life by your own terms, be true to yourself, and LIVE.
So, once I determined what was important to me I really started living. I set out to travel the world, open my eyes, meet new people, challenge myself, break thru my self imposed limits and feel the life rushing thru me. I traveled to 35 countries, climbed mountains, bungee jumped, sandboarded, lived in South Africa, lived in South Korea, learned basic Korean, learned basic Spanish, slept in airports, slept on beaches, spent many days seasick on boats, sailed around the world, slept in the nicest hotels, slept in places that still haunt me, ate meals that I swear are still in my intestines, got attacked my mosquitos (worse night ever, pure torture), experienced getting everything stolen in the middle of a foreign country and the peace that came from knowing I didn’t really need anything, made life long friends, pet a cheetah and worked just enough in all of that. 
I lived. I experienced love, happiness and the joy that brings you to tears.
Are you living the life you always imagined?
My words of wisdom: Believe in love, in possibility, in going after your dreams, in never stopping, in not existing but living - fully, unapologetically and wildly, believe that all is good, and always trust your gut. 
{ 6 comments… read them below or add one }
Love the article, true inspiration. Questions that everyone should be asking themselves everyday.
Nothing like being inspired by my daughter. You live, you love, you make me laugh, you make me cry, you make me ponder, you are a treasure!
This post definitely resonates home from me. I too find the whole “graduate high school, go to college, find a job, get married, and have kids” shtick to be superficial. Perhaps one day I will do them – but I need to find those interests on my own terms and not just give in to the social hypnosis. I am glad to hear you are living the life that has called upon you. Never stop following that free will!
Steven –
I love the term social hypnosis. It captures so well what happens to so many of us. We do not stop to think about what we want, what are dreams are, we do not live life according to our terms, but just walk blindly, living life hypnotized.
Existing is usually what i think of when I see people coping. Existing means drawing another breath, making it through another day…anyone can do that. Living is beyond coping. It’s hard to exist with joy in my life. It’s easy and natural to “live” with joy. I’m a fan of your “my dream” page as well:)
Living in the “Now” is such a pure adventure! It makes you shake out of numbness that we are so have got used. Living life stretching its threshold, and feeling its pulse throbbing every moment is living consciously. Allowing life to happen and following one’s truth is all that matter.