It isn’t until a crisis or catastrophe hits in our lives that we’re pushed towards a new paradigm or philosophy of life. These pivotal moments can challenge us to look at our lives with greater depth to spark a change for the better.
You already have a philosophy of life
- You already see the world through a pair of specific lenses
- This way of perceiving the world usually comes from our surroundings
- Usually, this initial system of beliefs isn’t one we choose for ourselves but one our parents and family chose for us
System of Beliefs
A philosophical ideology is a system of beliefs. Thus, these philosophies of life form the system that will dictate our actions and build our reality. These systems have names. For example, you might have heard about feminism, stoicism, hedonism, existentialism, liberalism, nihilism, and many others. What is interesting about this variety is to go deeper and try to find three things:
- Ethics = What should I do? (right actions vs. wrong ones)
- Esthetics = What is a beautiful life?
- Metaphysics = What’s out there? (and how did we get here?)
Philosophy of life isn’t something on your list; it is the list itself
- What you’re choosing in a philosophy of life are the lenses through which you look at the world
- If you want to change your philosophy, you can, but it will be within the realm of your current way of seeing the world
- The world will remain the same, but the philosophy you choose will change the way you see it
The goal of a philosophy of life is to live a better life
- Changing the lenses you’ve used all your life to see the world is not necessarily to change your goals but to choose a better path to achieve them
- Everyone’s philosophy is unique and can change over time. Choose a philosophy that will allow you to accept who you are
