HOW TO LIVE A LIFE WORTH LIVING
By: Ene Anyogo
Tags: Inspirational, Healing, Relationships, Freedom, Life

I culled this title from Archbishop Fulton Sheen. He is one of my favourite televangelists and one of the teachers that I look up to for spiritual direction. His teachings have a way of bringing out the scriptures with deep intimacy and wit. I am writing this to not only feed my hungry soul but also to share how we can all learn contentment in this world that seems to never satisfy.

Get to know yourself.

Human, know thyself.

This sounds easy because many people will come from a place of defining their hobbies-which is a part of it but it’s not the ultimate. Getting to know yourself is a life long, intentional commitment. You must first and foremost be honest with yourself. Honesty is truth. Don’t try to be who you are not. As cliche as it may sound, you have just one life to live so you must live it for yourself and not for people. Even if it makes other people uncomfortable. You must also get to know your body and don’t say my body can’t do this when you have not tried. Be kind to it and treat it like a temple because that’s what it is.

2. Build Meaningful Friendships

when you stop expecting people to be perfect, you can like them for who they are

A wise man once said, “Show me your friends and I’ll tell you who you are”. It does not necessarily apply all the time but everything is a matter of caution and it connects to also getting to know yourself. If you only see the flaws in others, you will most likely see the flaws in yourself but if you love yourself and are positive, you will see the light in others. You must learn to be the most authentic and best version of you and surround yourself with like-minded individuals because iron sharpens iron.

3. Give

No one is too rich to receive and no one is too poor to give

The things that we do for the greater good always has a way of returning to us.- what do we get in return, you ask? Joy. I remember a blind man whom I encountered, desperately needed help to get on the bus but could not find his way. He had a cane and was knocking the street without success to guide his path and when he got closer and almost hit me off the sidewalk, I asked if he needed help and he disclosed he wanted to get on the bus. So I took him by the hand and led him to the bus till he found his seat. He was happy and grateful and that made me feel happy, joyful even. It’s not all the time God brings people your way to help and when it comes, you must grab it with all your heart and not miss a bit. That experience taught me that If you want to lift yourself, lift someone else.

4. Heal from past mistakes

Forgive yourself darling. Let the tears come, let them water your soul

When we go through pain, it can be difficult to get through. Especially if we want to be tough about it and move on. I bet you’ll never get far with the healing process. You must be honest with yourself and state how you feel. You must be willing to accept that pain before you can heal. The healing may not happen immediately but when you live in the present moment, you find that our pain has less control over us. If someone hurt you and you are expecting an apology, you must accept that, that person may never apologise and permit yourself to forgive so that you may have peace. Ever notice how we feel grace leaving us when we hold grudges?

5. Do what you have always wanted to do NOW

Because you have it- TIME- and having it is a blessing. Spend some of it learning how not to be afraid of yourself — Upile Chisala.

Surely, if you read through points 1, 2, 3 and 4, you can’t be thinking of vices as activities to live a full life, talk less of a life worth living. When you understand and practice the points above, you will have the courage to conquer and live fearlessly. Be curious and get inspired by the things and people around you. Live in universal consciousness. This is the best way to discover new things and build knowledge to set the world ablaze. Steve Leasock once said “The key to embracing who you are is experienced now. However, it is never about focusing on the now; instead, it is about being in the now”.

In conclusion, we can live a life worth living when we realize that we must live presently and wholly. So don’t waste an opportunity. Go out and experience new things so that you can look back and say it with all honesty that it was all worth it.

xoxo