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Living life to the fullest.

Unkindloving

Lungs & Lips Locked
Joined
Dec 10, 2009
Messages
2,963
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Enneagram
4w5
To me, it's just doing what satiates me. If i'm happy working a basic job just so i can embrace going on small adventures with my close friends, then fantastic. If i'm happy traveling to new places because i want to visit people and not with sightseeing as my first priority, so be it.
I've always come across this misconception of "The big house with the white picket fence. Babies and a dog running around and tending to them. A successful career and traveling all over the world to see various things and climb the highest mountains!" While this is fantastic and true of some people, it is the furthest thing from living my life to the fullest for me. I'm fairly simple and laid back and my basis can seem very pseudo-Fi when it's just me and then seem very ENFJ-Fe-insanity when others are involved.

I would rather enjoy my life as i live it, than strive to enjoy it eventually. People die before eventually, so why die unsatisfied? Not to say people who want the larger things in life are wrong, but everyone should make time for enjoyment throughout their journey.

I just want to enjoy who i am and the people i care about. Nothing too extravagant.
 

ajblaise

Minister of Propagandhi
Joined
Aug 3, 2008
Messages
7,914
MBTI Type
INTP
Pure hedonism. Mixed with some long-term planning.
 

Words of Ivory

facettes de la petite mor
Joined
Jun 19, 2010
Messages
492
MBTI Type
INFJ
Just to make a related observation, I constantly have a discussion with my ENTP best friend (whoo, stereotypes!) about this subject. For some reason, he is incapable of understanding the fact that I don't need to go to giant music festivals half way across the world or jump out of an airplane to feel like I've lived my life to the fullest.

Something like the successful exposure of my writing to others is more than enough for me to consider my life "lived to the fullest."

Has anyone else ever dealt with a situation like this?
 

Unkindloving

Lungs & Lips Locked
Joined
Dec 10, 2009
Messages
2,963
MBTI Type
ENFJ
Enneagram
4w5
Just to make a related observation, I constantly have a discussion with my ENTP best friend (whoo, stereotypes!) about this subject. For some reason, he is incapable of understanding the fact that I don't need to go to giant music festivals half way across the world or jump out of an airplane to feel like I've lived my life to the fullest.

Something like the successful exposure of my writing to others is more than enough for me to consider my life "lived to the fullest."

Has anyone else ever dealt with a situation like this?

Definitely. My ISTJ arch nemesis told me that my disinclination to travel the world made me and my life sound boring and clouded.
He couldn't accept that i'm agreeable when asked if i'd like to join someone whose goal it is (if feasible), but it isn't my goal. Life is subjective. My blood boils a little when people can't grasp that.
 

gromit

likes this
Joined
Mar 3, 2010
Messages
6,508
Yeah I feel the same way. I like to travel... to visit people, but I don't feel any intense need to 'see the world'. There is a lot to see anywhere. More than enough for a lifetime. :)
 

cascadeco

New member
Joined
Oct 7, 2007
Messages
9,083
MBTI Type
INFJ
Enneagram
9w1
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
For myself, I think it means trying not to get too wrapped up in my own instincts/perspectives/natural ways of being. Trying to keep my eyes open to alternatives and experiencing various life experiences (lol..what a phrase), even if out of my comfort zone, to add to my collection of what life is or what it could be. Various different elements. Not allowing myself to get stuck in just one mindset. i.e. Not falling into the purely sensory, but not falling into the purely intellectual either. Not staying completely put, but not being constantly on the go either. I tend to view any extreme - no matter what - as meaning you're then forgoing an equally valid way of being. And to forgo one way would mean you're 'missing out', in a way, on certain elements it can bring to the table of your life. :) Now you may learn while dabbling that one way really isn't your cup of tea, and that's fine..but at least you tried, and it does add to a richer, more versatile/varied (imo) life.

:)End cheesy phrases: ;))
 

Synapse

New member
Joined
Dec 29, 2007
Messages
3,359
MBTI Type
INFP
Enneagram
4
To mean it means ambiguity. You know like saying that's nice dear when the person annoys the heck out of you and you rather say thats nice than, you annoy the feck out of me, now bugger off. It means a kind of insincerity, like a sweeping statement that is as the saying of, honestly, I really really honestly didn't do it, honest, like totally! But of course saying it that much means they did something but are covering or hiding something in the process.

So to me saying living life to the fullest is another one of those expressions. You say it but don't understand the meaning behind why you say it. To be able to live life to the fullest you would then be inclined to live on adrenaline and simply live each day as a maximising effect like it was your last. And when you say it offhandedly there is a meaning that you wish you did but your dreams are diminished and its a off handed remark about something, a self defeating exercise. An excuse that you should be living your life to the fullest and reality says otherwise.

Hence it is rather impossible to live life to the fullest and there in lies the ambiguity, a limiting belief. What however you can do is live in the present and take each moment as a stepping stone to the next without expectations that you have or haven't lived life to the fullest. :D

For possibility is endless so too are limitations and absolutes and indentures in the road of happenstance, a middle ground of intentions that manifest in the realm of transient reality are like an energised springboard of precipitation towards those events that make your life meaningful. None of this business about living life to the fullest. Its like saying oh, I forgot to run that marathon yesterday, but I'll do it tomorrow. Man I would love to run that marathon tomorrow but it looks like its raining. How good was I when I ran that marathon when I was young, oh yeah right on I'll train harder so I can run the marathon in the future of course when I am older.

blah.
 

angelhair45

New member
Joined
Jun 15, 2010
Messages
307
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
7w6
I could have written a lot of what is already in this thread. I especially agree with Halla74 and Whatever.

For me living life to the fullest is about living my life the way I want to. I feel like for the past 10 years I did not live my life to the fullest whatsoever. I was living my life by the expectations of others, my parents, the church, my husband. I was miserable. I have finally started living my life to the fullest, or trying at least. It's been a habit of mine to deny, deny, deny, now I want to live, live, live. So for me it is doing what I want, think is best and makes me happy.

Specifically I like new places, experiences, and people, but I think that varies from type to type and person to person.
 

Pixelholic

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
550
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
8w7
Not pissing opportunities away mostly. It's kind of personal for me since my parents are huge fuckups in everything and just let life pass them by and come up with excuses for everything so I feel compelled not to end up like them. To the point that if I'm bored or not doing something I feel like I am going to end up like them and freak out.

I also think the term itself is something of a vague platitude that is used in place of actually living your life to the fullest.
 

Mole

Permabanned
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
20,284
Not pissing opportunities away mostly. It's kind of personal for me since my parents are huge fuckups in everything and just let life pass them by and come up with excuses for everything so I feel compelled not to end up like them. To the point that if I'm bored or not doing something I feel like I am going to end up like them and freak out.

If you despise your parents so much, why do you remain emotionally and financially dependent on them?
 

Pixelholic

New member
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Jun 20, 2010
Messages
550
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
8w7
If you despise your parents so much, why do you remain emotionally and financially dependent on them?

Well I'm not financially dependent on them anymore, and haven't been for some time. As for emotionally dependent, I don't know if I would say that. I mostly want them to stop screwing their own lives up. I haven't quite gotten to the point where I want to sever all contact with them.

It's sort of like if you have a good friend who's killing themselves with heroin or something and you want to intervene but you're not in a good situation to do so. That's essentially what my relationship with my parents is like at the moment.
 

Mole

Permabanned
Joined
Mar 20, 2008
Messages
20,284
I mostly want them to stop screwing their own lives up.

It is unlikely you will be able to help your parents alone, however if you seek help from say The Conflict Resolution Service or a Social Worker or a local charity, you may possibly be able to help them and yourself.
 

Pixelholic

New member
Joined
Jun 20, 2010
Messages
550
MBTI Type
ENFP
Enneagram
8w7
I have been looking into group therapy and the like. The biggest problem is I can't force them into anything unless they become a danger to themselves or others. The only thing I can think of would be calling CPS and telling them they pulled my younger brother out of school and I really don't want to open that can of worms.
 

Mole

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20,284
I have been looking into group therapy

Perhaps you could invite them to Family Therapy.

Who knows, perhaps they might appreciate the invitation. And you could always appeal to their better nature and say it is to help you. And people love to be helpful.

Can you help me?, you might ask, Can you help me in Family Therapy?
 

Pixelholic

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Jun 20, 2010
Messages
550
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ENFP
Enneagram
8w7
Perhaps you could invite them to Family Therapy.

Who knows, perhaps they might appreciate the invitation. And you could always appeal to their better nature and say it is to help you. And people love to be helpful.

Can you help me?, you might ask, Can you help me in Family Therapy?

Believe me I've tried. They're not interested, either they refuse to see the problem or say it won't help. And in the states you can't force someone to go to therapy if they don't want to unless it's court ordered.
 

Lark

Active member
Joined
Jun 21, 2009
Messages
29,569
I think its about being optimistic and taking chances instead of letting time pass without accomplishing anything.
 

Coriolis

Si vis pacem, para bellum
Staff member
Joined
Apr 18, 2010
Messages
27,230
MBTI Type
INTJ
Enneagram
5w6
Instinctual Variant
sp/sx
To me, it is making the most of each day, using the time available to best advantage. Ultimately, this meand accomplishing as many of my personal goals as I can. This does not mean going at some breakneck speed through life, though, but rather includes time for rest, relaxation, and meditation, since these refresh me to take on the next challenge, and provide inspiration for future projects and problem solving.
 

LightSun

Well-known member
Joined
Aug 9, 2009
Messages
1,107
MBTI Type
INFP
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#9
I believe each of us has a gift. Doing this gift, one achieves a sense of happiness as well as utter timelessness. Finding one's gift will allow the spirit the freedom to soar. This is what life this life is. Find your gift and thus you find yourself. I happen to have a penchant for writing as well as a oratory skill when giving speeches. Doing your gift benefitting the world upon which we live on called earth. Reaching a heightened state of consciousness called flow. For each of us are interrelated with every other life form. Combining our gifts can also produce the added benefit of a byproduct called synergy or the synergism of which the sum is greater than the parts. This experience is as rapture, which is beyond heavenly words to describe. Only for one moment do we feel like we have experienced a little slice of heaven on earth. It is confounding as it is in effect beyond description. I don't know if everyone's experienced this phenomenon. It could also be called runners high. It also is what the (psychologist) Maslow called "peak experiences" I can get it running and feeling free, immortal, and young! I can get it by writing and getting it in a rhythm and "flow". One can get it feeling in love and can't wait to see and hear a beloved! The point is that it seems to be a human experience. Generally it is very positive and creative. It is what I pursue instead of the mind numbing triviality that the advertisers want you to see and be almost hypnotized. It is a choice. The point is that the is wonderful feeling is open to all of us in different pursuits. It is "heaven on earth". It is the stuff of life itself. Everyone has a choice to taste this wonderful nectar.

“The key to create passion in your life is to find your unique talents and your special role and purpose in this world.” Stephen R. Covey
 
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