Our Insane Obsession with “Not Dying”

It seems reasonable when you think about it.
Just try not to die for as long as you can.

“Woohoo, I made it to 100!”
There are whole industries built around this one topic.
“20 min of Exercise, 3 times a week helps to reduce the risk of heart disease.”
“Try this anti-aging routine!”
“Try these brain games, so you don’t lose your mental acuity.”

Even biohacking in the quest for “Longevity”, is really just prolonging death in disguise.
“Do this simple trick to add years to your life.”
“Sacrifice now, so you can have more days on this planet!”

So that you can do, what exactly?
Sit in the stress and anxiety of your job, or kids, or how it seems like the world is falling apart?
Wallow in the depression around how hard and unfair life is?

Endlessly scroll through social media while you listen to people way younger than you, tell you how you need to be in order to be successful and happy? All while they’re the ones stressing out that this video didn’t get as many views as their last video?

What if we shifted our focus?
What if instead of focusing on “not dying”, we focused on “living”?
Is there something stopping you from that?
Is it because the concept is a bit too nebulous?
What does it mean to live fully? To live an active existence?
What does that look like for you? 
What if you took 5 minutes out of your already over-scheduled day to think about that?

For me, what I’ve found over the last 41 years of living on this planet, the difference between an active versus a passive existence, is engagement. 
Be actively engaged with life, not the passive receiver of circumstance.
More specifically, engage with these 5 areas:
           - Mind
           - Body
           - Spirit (community & purpose)
           - Skill Acquisition
           - Adventure (growth through living outside of your comfort zone).

Use your mind.
Use your body.
Tap into your spirit.
Learn something new.
Grow.
Get uncomfortable so you can transform.

Engaging regularly with these 5 elements, can bring an immense sense of fulfillment.
I find, when I’m focused on these areas, I spend more time with family.
I travel more, and acquire more memories & experiences that help me to see the world in new ways.
When I do this, I feel my days being injected with life, with vitality, with fulfillment.
This practice has added life to my years, instead of just adding years to my life. 

Live this way for a week. See what happens.
You’ll most likely feel the richness of life start to pour in.

If nothing else, just ask yourself one thing…
Is your goal just to “not die sooner?”
Or is your goal to “live more fully?”

Author

Dan Jimenez, Mindset & Lifestyle Coach
Axistence: Training for a Life of Adventure