The art of "well": How to live our lives well

We can't control what life brings us, but we can control the attitude we take.

I like the sound "eu". Because it means in ancient Greek, "good" and "beautiful", concepts that concern not only our external reality, but also our inner world. And I like the words that begin with "eu": happiness, well-being, eudaimonia, well-being, robustness, prosperity. They all encompass the concept of good, beautiful, complete and the deepest search of man for a life full of meaning, harmony and fulfillment.

When everything is going well, it's easy to live life well. But what happens when life brings difficulties and upheavals? How can we continue to live life well with the challenges that arise and the uncertainty?

The Stoic philosopher Epictetus said that “there are things that depend on us and others that do not. The judgments we form, our impulses, our desires, our aversions depend on us: in short, everything that is our inalienable possession. On the other hand, our body, our property, our fame, our positions do not depend on us: in short, everything that we do not determine.” If we accept this distinction, we can focus on what we can actually control – our attitude, our thoughts, our actions. We can cultivate inner flexibility, so that we can be more calm in the face of what is beyond our control.

The essence is not just to live, but to live well and meaningfully . With fullness, with awareness and with consciousness. To accept the joys and the ups and downs. To be able to see difficulties as valuable experiences of personal growth, discovering the strength that lies within us.

The “how” is personal for everyone. It is their own way that they must find. However, good habits - physical, psychological, spiritual - that concern ourselves holistically, from taking care of our appearance to being open to new experiences, shape our daily lives and ultimately play an important role in good health and determine the quality of our lives. It is an active process and personal choices.

Life will always surprise us. It will bring moments of absolute joy, but also great sorrow. The question is not whether we will have challenges, because we certainly will, but how we choose to face them and how we want to live. And that is a conscious choice.

(the article was first published https://www.newsbeast.gr/health/kalyteri-zoi/arthro/12142413/i-techni-tou-ev-pos-na-zoume-ti-zoi-mas-kala )