Thoughts from a Beach
I know this might hit too close to home for some of you reading but bear with me, I know how it feels to lose someone to these circumstances and I understand how you may feel.
I did some research and one of the theories of why this happens is simple: People die because they feel they stopped having a meaning in life. We slowly - or rapidly - start to decay when we feel that our purpose on this world is over. As humans we need a permanent focus point driving us forward and when we lose it/them, we feel lost.
You know how some people tell you don´t base your life around this person or don´t let your life circle around your job? Well, I don´t know if they tell you this because they know the psychological burden of depending on one entity to have a will to live, or if they simply know by experience that it is not healthy nor wise to put all our eggs in one basket but one thing I´m sure about:
We need purpose in life. We crave meaning. Short, middle and long term goals are necessary for us in order to feel complete.
A few days ago I was on a beach in the Mayan Riviera thinking about life and my purpose in this world.
I met again people I met for the first time 2 years ago and it made me happy, I felt at home again. The problem was, I was not the same person anymore.
All the short and middle term goals I set myself, I reached them. Every single one of them, I conquered and might even say I obliterated them. But to be honest, two years ago I didn´t set long term goals for myself because I never thought I would fulfill all these short/middle term desires.
Yep, that´s how I never expected to fulfill my goals in two years, I thought it would take me more time and that in the meanting I would find out what my long term plans are, which to this day, I have no idea what they are despite I´ve been thinking about them for at least a decade now.
So there I was, in the middle of paradise drinking a beer, having a great conversation with the ocean on my feet and my only thought was.
Right now I have only one short term quarrels in my mind: Getting @steemonboarding to work perfectly alongside @coruscate and everyone else on the team. Apart from that, a few days ago I crossed the last item on my middle term to-do list.
I feel satisfied, I thought it would take me 5 years to get everything done and it took me a bit longer than two years. Fairly good.
But I need more goals, I need a new purpose, I need to keep growing.
It´ll come. It´s actually already coming to mind after the past week thinking most of the day about it. Not that you care - or you might do -, but I´ll keep you posted.
Do you know what is my favorite phrase and I´ve been saying it for years now?
Well I guess it's a nice time to be reflecting on having achieved all yer goals, just before Xmas and New Year, you may as well enjoy the time off.
It's a bit of a common problem in the early retirement community - There's a guy called Mr Money Moustache who retired before 40, and I've heard that he just rides around on his push bike in Boulder, Colorado looking a bit lost a lot of the time.
How about seeking enlightenment? 10-12 years in a Zen Temple, and then another 10-12 stretch back in society to let the lessons 'bed in' is all it takes apparently.
Added bonus is when you get there, you're pretty content, so I've heard.
Failing that I recommend focusing on learning new skills and refining what you've got. Refining is where I'm at the moment.... it's quite a nice feeling, working on what I've been working on for the past two decades but now just doing it all better, and innovating along the way.
Oh, and slowing down, that's my main goal for 2019. SLOW! That and the abs back.
Have a loverly vacation.
I wanted to make my achievements and failures post but last week I was moving around too much and didn´t find the time :(
I gotta look for that guy, sounds like you can learn a thing or two from his experience and his self.
Oh, India and South east Asia are in my short term agenda, but I still need to know the when, where and why (and come with the $ lol).
Oh man, gotta get those abs back! Body+ mind! :D
Thanks for dropping by mate!
This is so true: we all crave a meaningful existence, and if we continue to create and seek that purpose, the best is indeed yet to come. I hope to walk a beach with you one day and indulge in philosophical conversations like this. 💞
It´s kind of a psychological encouragement, to tell yourself that you still haven´t reached your life peak, that you still have one last adventure to experience, one last mountain to climb, one more beach to walk. Now that´s an idea I would definitely be up to, but let´s make it a warm beach, you know how I react to cold walks :)
The journey is part of the inspiration to continue. Although you don’t mention it, I think you would like to do the same for others. I have witness this dedication from you and thatbin itself is a calling that not too many get! The next challenge is always around the corner my friend and with so many deserving people, we can always help.
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You are very right, I try (as much as I am able to) to try and inspire/help/support everyone around me, not just on steem but in general. I believe that if you got a nice hand dealt, you should try and help the others who might have not gotten a good one. The main reason my steem behaviour is like this, is because I got so much much help when I was starting, so I´m just trying to pay it forward. Thanks so much for droppin by, by the way nice #16 week entries, I´m gonna curate some tonight :D
Thanks! It was a tough week looking for new members! So much looking forward to @steemonboarding and what it could do for the ecosystem!
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Life is an adventure, or should be. I think living well and doing it into a ripe old age is a mindset. When you stop learning, when you stop taking joy in all the marvels that surround you every day, when you stop finding a reason to jump out of bed in the morning - that's when you start to die. Even if you don't physically get to the point of being six feet under for a few years. I firmly believe old age is a state of mind. While I don't make plans or even set goals (although I really would like to take a trip to Mars for my 90th birthday) I still have many reasons to jump out bed every morning and look forward to that day's adventures.
I love that last bit :) The best is yet to come and I'm sure a new adventure will come for you when you least expect it. It's good you've achieved all your goals, it means you're ready to move on to new ones :)
i like that. Change is always a good thing :)
I love that phrase! I think I use it all the time but it has different meanings. Sometimes it means to not despair, that good things are coming; other times I use it as a threat to the world, to await for that adventure; some others its a phrase that gives someone hope about how life always has something in store for us.
A few days I heard a phrase that goes like this: There is always something amazing waiting at the corner, when we feel down, the key is to just keep going for the next corner. I´m not feeling down or anything, but that phrase could be interpreted in soo many ways!
Ha, I love that you use it as a threat :))) The world best beware :D
That's very well put, I think, there's always another corner. Funnily enough, in Romanian we say 'to turn the corner' which means to die. But then, there are so many corners to pass until hitting that last one, no? So many things to see and adventures to have :)
It will come when you will be ready to embark for it. Sometimes you just need a break, even from meaning and just let life invite you with opportunities.
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Wow, very awesome that you have been able to meet your goals. I understand what you are saying in the beginning there. I have seen that happen myself and it is very sad. I think it is important to have something else you do that helps define your life outside of work and home. Even volunteering will give you something to fall back on should the unexpected or unfortunate happen.
I wish you much luck with your future en devours. @steemonboarding is going to be really awesome and it should help to bring a lot more active people to the platform which is what we really need right now!
Such a busy guy - Maybe it's time to just embrace the moment and not worry so much about the next. We all need a little down time after big goals have been achieved. Go easy on yourself and the right thing will pop up in your life.
Not busy at all! All the way around, I´m finding myself with too much time in my hands at the moment :P
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