Are you Living or just Existing?

Sometimes, when things don’t go the way we have purposed, it is good to ask ourselves why things are going that direction. That means there is the need to do a value clarification about our present situation.

If we are to be successful in life, there are certain questions we need to ask ourselves. If we fail to ask ourselves these questions, nothing will change. “Nothing turns up, unless someone turns them up.”

As we come face to face with the realities of life coupled with the economic challenges while trying to keep our heads above water, we need to ask ourselves, “Am I living our just existing?” This is when life throws its punches at you.

What I mean is that,  “Are you just trying to keep up with the Joneses or living the life that you wanted to live? There is difference between ‘living’ and ‘existing.’ I think we need to get that clear. Of course, some of you are already familiar with that as you can see that in your present realities. But, when you are ‘living’, it means you are living your dreams; you are seeing you dreams come true and you life is not as fate or circumstances dictates. You enjoy life; life is good and you can see things in your everyday living. You are in control; you are in charge. Someone once said, “The winds and the wave are always on the side of the ablest navigator.”

When you are ‘existing’ on the other hand, it means you take what ‘life’ throws at you – you have no choice.  In this time of recession and this time of economic crush, it not uncommon to hear people say “we are just there,’ “we are just existing” whenever people greet themselves over the phone ask about their welfare or just exchange pleasantries. But the question is, “Is this the quality of life you had wanted to live?” Are you living the dream you had some ten, twenty or thirty years ago? If not, you are just ‘living’ not ‘existing.’ 

Oh, you say, “it is not my fault; it is the economy, or what life threw at me.” I refused to accept that. A life of mediocrity is not a good life and there are some people who are contented with this lifestyle. They say, “That is how God wants it. I don’t have choice. As human, what can we do? Nothing.“  This is how some people accept mediocrity as a lifestyle and they unfulfilled. May it never happen to you!

One of the greatest thing that God has given to us is the power of choice. If you the life you are living now is not pleasant to you, or you are not living your dream, you have power to change that – not your circumstances or your present situation or predicament as the case will be.

 We all had fantastic dreams and ambition when were in primary school or college.  “At the age of 30, I would have bought my first car and built my own house. At forty, I would have started my own company. At fifty, I have toured the world.” To some others, their dreams could be, “At 25, I would have settled down, and have my own house in Lekki or Ajah. By 40, I would have retired and made all the money I want to make.”  These are just some of the dreams we all had. Now, let me ask you many years after you left college or university, have you been able to achieve you dream?  Can we say that we are comfortable and happy as we should be now? If not, you might just be existing and not living.

The reason why some of us are not living the quality of life that we desired is because we have not taken charge. If you want to live the life you want, you need to take charge and not allow circumstances or situation to dictate to you. Another reason, why we find ourselves at the rung of the ladder is because we don’t know the power we have in us. You have this awesome power in you to do the impossible and put everything under your control. If you don’t realize it, situation and circumstances will be tossing you here and there. You can choose to start ‘living’ today instead of just ‘existing’. The choice is all yours.