Happiness, Meaning, and Personal Ethics
Personal Philosophy Written Piece
Death Wish Artist Statement:
There comes a time in all of our lives where we will breathe our last breath, think our last thought and then we’re gone. For those of us that are aware of the sudden increasing speed of time left of life before death, we will use that time to look back at when life seemed to be moving along at more of a steady pace. It is something about death that finally makes us appreciate we are living. For the first time in our life we can look into the future and know for certain what is to come next. When we see ourselves in the eyes of death we reflect on life and what it is we could have done differently.
Bronnie Ware, a nurse in a terminal palliative care unit, surveyed her patients on their last days to see what their deathbed wish is, what they wish they had done differently with their life. In her experiment she found ten answers that seemed to summarize all answers given. Some of these included: I never pursued my dreams and aspirations, I worked too much and never made time for my family, I should have made more time for my friends, I should have spoken my mind instead of holding back and resenting things. These answers all shared the common theme of living to others expectations and putting themselves and relationships last. I am willing to bet this would hold true for most of us as we seemed to be a society blinded by money and status.
So what I am going to ask you to do is take this moment NOW to reflect on your life. Find out what it is YOU feel YOUR life is missing before it's too late to accomplish it. But don't stop there, put your words into action. Although this should be something we all are already doing, it can be the scariest decision you make, to live a life with meaning rather than “fulfilling” your life with settlements. Quit your job and pursue your dreams, knock down the wall that is blocking your happiness and build the life you want. To us, this idea has become dream or a fantasy. Why quit your job when it brings in money? Why leave your comfort zone when you're meeting society's expectations? I say we need to challenge this reality we created. My question is why live a life just because it convenant? It can be intimidating leaving what you know, but as Alexander Graham says “When one door closes another one opens”. So as you walk into this room, I ask you to take a moment from this demanding clock we've created and give it to yourself. Spend this time finally getting to know you. Ask yourself what it is that is truly important to you in this fleeting life or what it is you would do if you only had days left on this earth. Write it down. Do it. Don't die with a death bed wish.
There comes a time in all of our lives where we will breathe our last breath, think our last thought and then we’re gone. For those of us that are aware of the sudden increasing speed of time left of life before death, we will use that time to look back at when life seemed to be moving along at more of a steady pace. It is something about death that finally makes us appreciate we are living. For the first time in our life we can look into the future and know for certain what is to come next. When we see ourselves in the eyes of death we reflect on life and what it is we could have done differently.
Bronnie Ware, a nurse in a terminal palliative care unit, surveyed her patients on their last days to see what their deathbed wish is, what they wish they had done differently with their life. In her experiment she found ten answers that seemed to summarize all answers given. Some of these included: I never pursued my dreams and aspirations, I worked too much and never made time for my family, I should have made more time for my friends, I should have spoken my mind instead of holding back and resenting things. These answers all shared the common theme of living to others expectations and putting themselves and relationships last. I am willing to bet this would hold true for most of us as we seemed to be a society blinded by money and status.
So what I am going to ask you to do is take this moment NOW to reflect on your life. Find out what it is YOU feel YOUR life is missing before it's too late to accomplish it. But don't stop there, put your words into action. Although this should be something we all are already doing, it can be the scariest decision you make, to live a life with meaning rather than “fulfilling” your life with settlements. Quit your job and pursue your dreams, knock down the wall that is blocking your happiness and build the life you want. To us, this idea has become dream or a fantasy. Why quit your job when it brings in money? Why leave your comfort zone when you're meeting society's expectations? I say we need to challenge this reality we created. My question is why live a life just because it convenant? It can be intimidating leaving what you know, but as Alexander Graham says “When one door closes another one opens”. So as you walk into this room, I ask you to take a moment from this demanding clock we've created and give it to yourself. Spend this time finally getting to know you. Ask yourself what it is that is truly important to you in this fleeting life or what it is you would do if you only had days left on this earth. Write it down. Do it. Don't die with a death bed wish.