One of the most memorable conversations of my life took place with a man who was about to commit suicide and changed his mind at the last moment. After that he returned home, he put his most important possessions in his backpack and completely changed his life over the course of the next couple of years.
I’m not describing one of those painful, hyperoptimistic stories life coaches like to recount. This is the story of the choice of a mature man and the words that he shared with me:
“The only thing you have to do in life is to accept yourself.”
To accept what you are by nature, your way of thinking, your habits, weaknesses, and fears. You have to make peace with these things and live as you want. And the main thing is to do things that you like, which give you a sense of a fulfilled life. Then you will not have to look for any meaning or do things that contradict your nature, nor will you try to change yourself to fit the requirements of society or the expectations of your environment.
None of the above things are worth the pain, because so few things really matter.
So just live the life you want to live.
