Sometimes when someone passes away, people will comment, “That person had a well-lived life.” What I’ve noticed is that comment isn’t always made when someone dies. Because the unfortunate reality is that some people’s lives aren’t “well-lived.” They’re just “lived.”
Admittedly, what constitutes a well-lived life is different for every person. After all, we don’t all have the same aptitudes and interests. But the folks who have had well-lived lives do have certain things in common.
Below are some things that you can do to create a well-lived life. Consider applying these approaches in your own life. If you do so, you’ll end up living a more meaningful life. And on your last day on earth, you’ll be able to say, “Yes, I had a life that was well-lived.”
Live Authentically
Realize that there is no one else on this earth like you. Really let that idea sink in. What that means is that you have a unique contribution to make on this earth that no one else can make.
So, if you want to have a well-lived life, it’s important to live authentically. Your focus should be on being your own unique self. If you try to be like other people, you’ll simply defeat the purpose of your existence.
Now, admittedly, it takes some courage to be unique in a world that prefers conformity. For instance, I’m not “normal” for my generation. I prefer reading over watching television. And though I like all different kinds of music, my favorite is classical music. Furthermore, my favorite way to spend an afternoon is browsing through a bookstore and grabbing a cup of tea at a café. I don’t drink alcohol, and some time ago, I gave up eating meat.
So, I’m not like the crowd. Rather, I’m one of those people who marches to the beat of their own drum. What I can tell you is that being unique doesn’t make you very popular! In fact, I’ve been accused of being “not fun.” But, I’m OK with that. That is because I’m simply not interested in being like everyone else. That isn’t why I’m here on this earth. Rather, I’m here to live authentically and to be my unique self.
So, if you want to have a well-lived life, forget about trying to be like everyone else. Instead, be your authentic self! Because a life well-lived is one in which you bring to the world your own unique perspective and ways of doing things.
Treat Others Gently and with Care
Sadly, there is no law against being mean. The reality is that you can insult, ridicule and verbally abuse other people without consequence. But if you do so, your legacy will be a negative one, and no one will be saddened by your ultimate departure from this earth. And certainly no one will say that your life was well-lived.
A well-lived life is one in which you treat others gently and with care. My daughter is a great example for me in this regard. She works very hard to be gentle and kind toward others. She never speaks unkindly to other people. Rather, she gives a lot of thought to the effect that her words and actions have on others. In fact, she truly tries to have a positive impact upon every person who she meets.
But what I most admire is that even when others around her are unkind, she never responds with an unkind word. Instead, she holds herself to the highest standard of behavior. She truly is someone who is creating a well-lived life.
So, if you are seeking to have a well-lived life, take time to consider how your words and actions affect others. Choose to hold yourself to the highest standard, and treat others gently and with care. Your legacy someday will be that the world was a far better place, simply by your being in it.
Treat the Earth and Its Creatures Gently and with Care
Most people aren’t intentionally hurting the earth and its creatures. Very few of us are setting forest fires or are abusing animals. Instead, most of us hurt the earth and its creatures simply by putting on our blinders. We go through the day deluding ourselves into thinking that our life choices aren’t negatively impacting the world.
For instance, many of us put on our blinders with respect to our impact on the environment. These days, I regularly read that the big push is for everyone to return to work in their offices. What concerns me about this push is that I almost never hear anyone say, “But commuting in a car is bad for the environment! Our cars pollute the air and are a major cause of global warming.” Instead, employers lament that if folks aren’t in the office, they won’t be able to “chat” by the water cooler with their colleagues. Instead of considering the environmental cost of commuting, employers put on their blinders and fret about the loss of in-person chatting.
We also put on our blinders with respect to our treatment of other creatures. For instance, many of us eat meat out of sanitized packages that we buy at the grocery store. And not once do we consider that an animal likely lived its life in cramped conditions and died in fear in order to be cut into pieces and put into that very clean and pretty package. We don’t like to think about how that meat gets to our grocery store. Because that’s upsetting and unpleasant.
I will concede that we all make compromises in life. For example, I contribute to greenhouse gases because I drive to the grocery store rather than walking or riding a bicycle. And on occasion, I eat fish, knowing full well that my dinner suffered in order to be on my plate. But I also give a lot of consideration to my effect on the environment and the earth’s creatures. I don’t have blinders on. I recognize that every choice that I make impacts this earth, and I try to make as many positive choices as possible.
So, if you want to have a life that is well-lived, take your blinders off. Realize that what you do on a daily basis affects this earth and its creatures. And then try to make choices that allow you to have the most positive impact possible.
Help the Next Generation Succeed
One important way to have a well-lived life is to do what you can to encourage and support the next generation. For example, if you choose to have children, you should do everything that you can to ensure their future success as adults.
So, as a parent, your job is to give your children a stable, quiet home life so that they can concentrate on their school work. You also should also be their cheerleader and encourage them as they navigate those difficult teen years. And ultimately, you should be making sure that you have the financial resources to send them to college or technical school. By doing those things for your children, you are doing your part to help the next generation succeed.
Beyond our children, to have a life well-lived, we should be encouraging younger people outside of our immediate family unit. For example, our workplaces typically have people of all generations. So, be sure to encourage those who are younger than you in your workplace.
For example, my husband has young people working for him, and he takes very seriously his role as a mentor. He enjoys guiding younger people to become as successful as possible in their jobs. He has many years of work experience under his belt, and he enjoys imparting his professional wisdom to the younger generation.
Realize that there are so many ways that we can encourage the next generation. Even a kind, encouraging word to a young person who is struggling can go a long way. Words of encouragement from an adult, especially a non-family member, can be incredibly impactful.
If you are seeking to have a well-lived life, follow some of the approaches above. Take care with how you live your life and how you treat others. If you do so, someday, someone will say about you, “She/He had a life that was well-lived!” (To read about the power of living an ethical life, click here.)
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