What is the best way to live?

[SNIP]

The world as we see it today is in great turmoil, we are experiencing unprecedented times and it's understandable that people are scared, that people are confused and that people are just angry. Now I can't speak for the entire world, but atleast here on ATS, the division and rhetoric has become so normalized that I think many have lost their way along with themselves amidst all this fire.

So that brings me to the point of this thread. I know many people feel insignificant and hopeless at the moment, but there is one thing you can do, one thing everyone should do, especially in times of great turmoil and thats self-reflect. I believe the root of almost every problem starts within yourself. Relfection can bring great clarity into your life, and when you start with yourself, it translates to every other aspect of your life. I'm not trying to sound all preachy here, but my only hope is that this can help with what little tranquility we have left and maybe grow and expand on it for the sake of "us"?

"wisdom is not knowing all the right answers, but knowing all the right questions" -some wise guy

This is very true and a little wisdom goes a long way. So I want to ask you some thought provoking questions for the sake of reflection and spreading some clarity in your lives. These questions are NOT meant to be answered, the question itself is the answer.

If you died today, will you have lived with any regrets?

What will people say about you at your funeral?

If God asked "Do you deserve to be in Heaven?" How would you answer and why?

If you knew God didn't exist, would you live your life differently?

What are you most proud of in your life?

What stands between you and true happiness?

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do?

What is your greatest strength?

What is your greatest weakness?

Have you ever made somebody else's life better?

Would you rather have more time or more money?

If not now, then when?

And for the last important question, read the thread title again.

Why be happy when you could be interesting? The object is often superseded by the subject, where the opposite is would be more conducive to a better world.

simply and humbly

Best Way to Live : STAY HEALTHY
2nd line.

ganjoa

If you died today, will you have lived with any regrets? Nope. I don't regret anything. Everything is a learning experience: positive or negative

What will people say about you at your funeral? Probably the standard stuff at any funeral I would suspect.

If God asked "Do you deserve to be in Heaven?" How would you answer and why?
"Deserve it? I rather not live eternity alongside a psychopathic narcissist who allows the suffering of trillions of people for eternity while I live up here in "bliss". Do I deserve it? I lived a life without you (god), and I still did my best to be a good person despite having no fear of the existence of you (god). I rather burn.

If you knew God didn't exist, would you live your life differently?I already live that life. It's not that "I don't know god exists" it's that it is illogical to believe one does exist at all.

What are you most proud of in your life?Making my own choice despite people claiming "it's impossible" "that's pointless" and so forth.

What stands between you and true happiness?Being forced to abide by societies norms until I can escape its economic chains and live freely, off the grid

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?I already live this way

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do?Go mountaineering without my equipment

What is your greatest strength?Intellect

What is your greatest weakness?Economic submission

Have you ever made somebody else's life better?Yes

Would you rather have more time or more money?Time. What's the point in having money if you can't use it over time

If not now, then when?I'm not sure what this is referring to? If it's my last answer then the time I want would be infinite and intrinsic to my life

And for the last important question, read the thread title again.
A person can only answer this subjectively. What works for me will not work for all others. For me, the freedom to learn, explore, and expand knowledge is all I need to live

a reply to: LesMisanthrope

Interest is a funny old thing.

For instance, I find history interesting others find it boring. Why be interesting when you can be yourself?

If life was magnetic I'd be at opposite ends to those seeking to be interesting.

Op?

If today was my last day I'd either do one of two things, something I've never done like skydiving or just live a normal good day.

Probably the latter.

You've got a lot of questions, I'll cherry pick one or two.

What stands between you and true happiness? 

Ultimately me, I control my emotions it's as simple as that. If someone pisses me off I can smile or snap. It's easier to smile.

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you? 

Little to nothing, I might crap my pants more often and live with bed hair but other than that? Life would still be the same, I know others might to tempted to go on a killing spree, they still might at the end of the day... It's not a normal thinking pattern after all.

What is your greatest strength? 

What is your greatest weakness?

Me.

a reply to: Ghost147

Well thanks for answering the questions anyway. You're a wise man

Not sure if Jesus was a carpenter or a mechanic now, throws this monkey wrench unto the world.

"Then Jesus said to all of them, “If anyone would come after Me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow Me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will save it. What will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, yet loses or forfeits his very self?"

"For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will save it."

originally posted by: ganjoa
Best Way to Live : STAY HEALTHY

Best Way: Keep breathing

Second : Stay Healthy.

If you died today, will you have lived with any regrets?

Some.

What will people say about you at your funeral?

There will be people at my funeral?

If God asked "Do you deserve to be in Heaven?" How would you answer and why?

I'd ask him, "Who are you and what did you do with God?" (He's supposed to doing the judging, not asking my opinion on it.)

If you knew God didn't exist, would you live your life differently?

Pretty happy now, so no. I might actually have a gun and learn to use though for those who would change how they live.

What are you most proud of in your life?

That I really am not sure what I should answer to this?

What stands between you and true happiness?

This a trick question? I might be a little less stressed if we could get my husband's student loans paid off.

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

It's not about how everyone else judges; it's about how I judge me.

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do?

Make sure I did as much as I could to reach out to all those who mean something to me.

What is your greatest strength?

In any given situation, a strength can quickly become a weakness and vice versa.

What is your greatest weakness?

See above.

Have you ever made somebody else's life better?

Probably.

Would you rather have more time or more money?

Uh ....

If not now, then when?

Later

Work 40+ hours a week with being too exhausted to do anything other than working over the course of a week, spend the money entirely for food, bills and gas to get to your workplace, rinse and repeat. Best way to live by a mile I can tell ya.

a reply to: ketsuko

I feel foolish for assuming you were a male this entire time!

Great answers btw lol.

a reply to: BenSisko

Living the American Dream

What is the best way to live?

Livin the dream....

What is the best way to live? who knows...

You got the Buddhist monks in Tibet that think they have it,

You have the survivalist that lives alone or with family in Alaska's wilderness

You have donald trump living lavishly...

I think the best way to live is to always want more for yourself and your children. That said, want more but happy with what you have.
If I died today of course I would have regrets, I think everybody will... maybe different regrets but regrets none the less

What is your greatest strength?

My face... my being smart and being good at what I do is great but I believe thats it

What is your greatest weakness?

see above...

What stands between you and true happiness?

honestly.. alcoholism

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do?

sit on my property and and say goodbye to my kids and grand kids,

Live big baby!!, Big!!

Starting a few years ago, I became unhappy with my choices in life. I did things for all the wrong reasons. I did things to make other people happy and not really for myself. I was truly unhappy and thought I would just end up dying an old, bitter man.

But, I woke up one day and decided to take destiny in my own hands.

It came at a price, and I am still paying for it, but it was the best decision I have ever made. I found my soulmate, my true love.

First thing I had to do was to look deep inside myself to find the real me and like him again. Second thing I did was say screw everyone else.

Today, I am a happily married man with only 6 years till retirement and a lifetime of possibilities ahead of me to enjoy.

a reply to: Groot

Thats amazing. There's a saying; the longest journey is from the your heart to your head. Great job for persevering. Even though I'm a young fellow compared to you, I can totally relate to your story. Thanks for sharing

FREE

originally posted by: knowledgehunter0986
These questions are NOT meant to be answered, the question itself is the answer.

But yet your questions beg to be answered as several others have already shown. I feel drawn to respond as well because certain key aspects of my life have been different from most yet fundamentally I'm no different from anyone. Also, I think better perspectives can be gained on some of these questions when the bulk of one's life has already passed and as I'm 62 and not getting any younger, I think I have a good view of the big picture, at least through my own lens.

If you died today, will you have lived with any regrets?

I can't say regrets per se but there have been a few things I wish I would have done differently or would have had different outcomes. I wish it wouldn't have taken the first 14/15 years of my life for my parents and the rest of the world to fully understand me but that wasn't something really under my control. Many still don't but again, that's not my problem. I wish my marriage would have lasted more than 12 years but I have no regrets because I gave it everything I had. Regrets? Maybe a few but I don't live with guilt or remorse if that's what you're asking?

What will people say about you at your funeral?

They would probably wonder how pissed off I would be because I have left specific instructions that I not have a funeral or services of any kind. Funerals are for the living not for the dead and if anything was needed for the few that would even care, I'd like to suggest some loud music, weed, beer and lots of laughter at some of the things I managed to get away with in life that didn't kill me sooner.

If God asked "Do you deserve to be in Heaven?" How would you answer and why?

I would have to believe in some kind of afterlife to even answer this question.

What are you most proud of in your life?

Surviving and flourishing against some pretty big odds.

What stands between you and true happiness?

I would say nothing. Having faced and overcome some incredible challenges in my youth, my true happiness has always been recognized even in the toughest of times. Many people live a lifetime searching for the simple happiness that is to be found in mundane things and everyday life. I feel sorry for those that don't realize this and feel their "true happiness is just over the next hill.

What would you do differently if you knew nobody would judge you?

I would probably be more open about my childhood and adolescent years of transitioning genders and changing sex. Many folks here already know of my story because I have been able to share it anonymously but in the real world, this isn't something people know about me. I prefer to keep it that way because it does change the way people think about you. I had enough judgment from others as a kid to last a lifetime and this whole thing is something I'm still pretty uptight about because people do still judge. I've seen plenty of evidence of that here alone.

If today was your final day on earth, what would you do?

Wash my hair, put on a pretty face, have a laugh with my loved ones and ride off into the sunset with a smile knowing I gave it my best and tried not to miss a minute of the time I had.

What is your greatest strength?

Intuition and my perspectives on life.

What is your greatest weakness?

Chocolate or maybe procrastination?

Have you ever made somebody else's life better?

Absolutely and I continue to try to do so.

Would you rather have more time or more money?

I have plenty of time and could do more fun things and have different experiences with more money. With more money, I could also do more for others.

If not now, then when?

There's never a better time than the present or in other words, be in the now.

And for the last important question, read the thread title again.

What is the best way to live? Whatever way is best for you.