I’m not an expert in philosophy or how to live a good life
but I find the idea fascinating. There’s so much out there in the world that is
vying for our attention and is trying to convince us that their idea or their
product is the answer to what makes a good life. Less people are simply asking
the question and having the conversation.
This is what I’m hoping to do with this blog – to have a
conversation – I guess this starts with myself but I’m hoping you’ll join in.
Starting afresh with no paid work and no one creating
deadlines for me feels like being given a fresh start, a clean slate. A few
weeks in and I’m beginning to realise that’s not fully the case – there’s still
housework to do, errands to run, people to see, but now I have so many more choices
and one of the things that I want to explore is how to do this well. How am I
going to live the good life as a writer, a wife, a friend, in my family, my
church, my local community? I’m hoping that perhaps some of these questions
resonate with you and we can explore the answers together.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle had some ideas about how to
a live a good life. He used the word ‘eudaimonia’ which is tricky to translate
into English – sometimes it gets translated ‘happiness’ which is a little misleading
as this could be associated with hedonism but Aristotle meant more than this
and a better definition is ‘flourishing’. This is an odd word and not one we
tend to use about ourselves. An on-line dictionary defined it as ‘developing
rapidly and successfully, thriving’. Aristotle believed that the desire to
flourish is within each one of us.
There are many things that encompass a life, some of which I
hope to consider in later posts. If I were to think of one thing that is
holding me back from flourishing at the moment it would be fear. Starting this
process of writing is such a break away from the routine of a school term and
planning lessons and marking. The unknown quality of this new way of life is
daunting as is actually writing words that I hope someone will want to read.
There is a lot of self-doubt and questioning going on in my mind on a regular
basis but I am learning to push through the fear fog. I am reminding myself
that when I look back on my life I do not want to have a long list of ‘what
if’s…’ and I certainly don’t want writing to be something I miss out on.
As I’ve been watching the recent series of Bake Off I’ve
noticed that we can visibly see some of them going through their own versions
of self-doubt. It’s one of the things that I think as an audience draws us in. We recognise the anxiety and then rejoice in their delight when the bake or
the flavours receive praise. I have been impressed by Val, who perhaps has not
been the greatest baker and has been criticised for always having an
answer to the questions or reactions of Mary & Paul, but she stands her
ground. She rarely apologises for what she has done and she takes
responsibility for the things that work and the things that don’t but the highs
and the lows do not diminish her as a person. She recognises the opportunity
that she has been given and goes for it. This is the attitude I want to adopt.
Another way ‘eudaimonia’ has been translated is to mean
‘well being’ - this seems to be one of
the buzz words of the moment – just showing that these ideas don’t go away,
that we are still asking the same questions and wanting that good life for
ourselves.
So, what do you think? What one thing would make it easier
to flourish in your life at the moment? What are the ways that you try to make
flourishing a reality in your life?
