The Mentor | #61 | Living

Each month, I share 3 things I’ve read on skills, careers, and personal development.

“Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” — Mary Oliver

There’s a difference between being alive and truly living. Too often, we mistake busyness for vitality and motion for meaning. It’s possible that living is less about how much you do and more about the depth with which you do it.

Bronnie Ware, a palliative care nurse, once captured the Top 5 Regrets of the Dying:

1. I wish I’d had the courage to live a life true to myself, not the life others expected of me.

2. I wish I hadn’t worked so hard.

3. I wish I’d had the courage to express my feelings.

4. I wish I had stayed in touch with my friends.

5. I wish I had let myself be happier.

These regrets point us toward a truth: living isn’t about fitting more in, it’s about fitting the right things in. They are also a warning: going through the motions is the fastest way to waste a life. Living isn’t about adding more to the calendar — it’s about cutting to what matters. The people who matter. The chances that scare you. The moments you let yourself enjoy. The place you can have an impact.

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1

Principles from the world’s Blue Zones that add years to life, and life to years.

Longevity and the Power of 9

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2

A simple, powerful reminder that most barriers are in our heads.

Just Do The Thing

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3

Why speed isn’t always strength, and how slowing down can actually move you further.

Importance of Slowing Down