on life
Already in 1877, Robert Louis Stevenson called busyness a symptom of deficient vitality, and observed a sort of dead-alive, hackneyed people about, who are scarcely conscious of living except in the exercise of some conventional occupation.
Jenny Odell • How to Do Nothing
On taking action…It is not death that a man should fear, but he should fear never beginning to live.
James Clear • Masters of Habit: Rituals, Lessons, and Quotes from Marcus Aurelius
‘There is a meaning to life that can be peripherally sensed by being astounded or astounding others. And it may be fully glimpsed by astounding yourself.’
Jo Tinsley • The Odditorium
Waiting for nothing, that is what kills the heart of a man, isn’t it? Now the people are waiting for something.
Gregory David Roberts • Shantaram: A Novel
the good life, the life without the pressure of time. A life we could lead together, even if we had to sell apples along the road.
Sheldon Vanauken • A Severe Mercy
- I know that freedom is earned by confronting things that embarrass and trigger you, over and over again, until you are cringe-proof in your desired environment.
Sasha Chapin • 50 Things I Know
But what if your purpose is simply to build a good life? To raise kind children. To cook a little better each year. To read a few excellent books. To notice the seasons. To build meaningful relationships. To help others. To give time - and money if you can - to causes you care about.
Pamela Clapp • Why the French Don’t Obsess Over Purpose
building a world for yourself creates magnetism in the purest sense