Some interesting thoughts from David Swan here about the difference between living and existing. I could especially relate to the idea of it being better to try and fail, than not try at all, it’s not something that works for everyone, but for me, it’s what I need to do.
I’ve been musing on these two terms existing and living and with my recent forays into the world of the low paid, I get to understand more about existing. To exist is to just get by. It means holding down a job that you don’t really care that much for and then entertaining yourself with monotonous distractions at the weekend. If you are just existing then no doubt you will want to lose yourself in endless television, junk food, and pointless conversation with friends in similar circumstances.
The importance of these two terms is important to understand so that you can recognise that you are just existing and want to push yourself into the realm of the living. The living take long walks anywhere, and great gulps of air. They relax so much more into the now and take their time with living. They pursue their dreams and don’t let…
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inkbiotic 
Looking back, this difference is what has always driven me I think, but I have less conflict about it now, more settled into it and certainly not going back to just existing which was never enough for me. Cheers, nice post sharing!
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It sounds like you’ve found a balance between being driven towards a goal and having peace of mind, which is the ideal really.
And thank you, David Swan’s posts are always worth a gander. 🙂
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That’s exactly why I quit my last job. I still haven’t found a new one yet, and I owe my parents a lot of money now, but I will never regret deciding to live instead.
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An ocean of luck to you 🙂 quitting a job (or a town or a lifestyle) can be scary, but like you, I don’t think I’ve ever regretted it. Even looking back decades I don’t regret the drastic decisions I made.
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I left a reply a few minutes ago, and I wanted to add this to it, but now I don’t see my reply. I hope it is merely awaiting moderation and hasn’t been lost.
Here is what I wanted to add: a link for a sign I made of a quote from this blog entry.
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Thank you Steeny, sorry for the slow response, I was at work. And thank you for putting up a quote from Dave’s blog, he’s worth quoting! 🙂
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