are you really living?
“It is not death that a man should fear, but never beginning to live.”
-Marcus Aurelius
Only you know whether you are really living.
My definition of living is hardly the standard everyone should use, but if you’re reading this Note, I think you’ll agree and know where I’m heading.
Living a life that is not true to you–not authentic to you–is not living, at least not fully living.
Yes, waking up each morning, existing, getting through the day, and maybe finding a little time to do something that lights you up is technically living, but it’s not creating a life that excites you, taps into your unique gifts and talents, and allows you to make an impact on the world.
Life is about living (the second description), not just getting through it (the first description).
You get to determine what living looks like. Only you know what your Authentic Life is supposed to look like, and there is no blueprint, other than the one you design for your Self.
It’s never too late to start living.
And if I go back to Aurelius’s quote above, I’ve noticed that the more you live your Authentic Life, the less you fear death. Don’t get me wrong, you don’t necessarily welcome or seek it, but when you’re living the life you were meant to live, being present with the people who matter the most in your life, and reducing regrets by actually living, death becomes a little less scary.
Aside from missing our loved ones, I think the real fear of death is regret—the regret of not becoming who we wanted to become and doing what we knew we were supposed to do.
See you tomorrow and keep pursuing,
JC
🦅 Some ways I might be able to help you live your authentic life:
🤝 One-on-Ones Let's hop on Zoom to do a guided meditation, a creative brainstorming session, or an overcoming an obstacle session.
💸 AlignedLife+ A unique relationship offered at Santiago that combines life planning, financial planning and advice, and ongoing coaching to help you discover your authentic life, design a plan to bring that life to your reality, and support to help you evolve with the evolution of your authentic life. Learn more here.
📪 If you were forwarded this note and want to get the Daily Note, you can click here to subscribe
