How do you know how to live?

[The Sum of Awe]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

 

[Stevicus]

I'm not sure if there's any one right answer as to "how to live," other than the basics, such as breathing, eating, drinking. As long as you remain alive, then you know you're doing it right.

 

[Spice]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Being "successful" can mean many things. What's truly important is not what you gather in life but what you spread out around you. If you truly "live" without harming others you'll have no regrets. You'll have great memories, true friends, and a legacy to leave behind.

Just be sure to stay rooted enough to take care of yourself and your responsibilities. As the song says "if you have the chance to sit it out or dance, I hope you dance!"

 

[Spice]

And -- INTEGRITY & HONOR!
They're everything.

 

[Quintessence]

Who told you that you're supposed to "amount to anything" and why did you listen to them?

Something to keep in mind is that American culture is... instills some peculiar notions within its citizens as part of its materialist and consumerist culture. When a culture is so fixated on mass consumerism, it is constantly bombarding you with messages that you are not enough and you do not have enough. You are never enough and never have enough. You must, therefore, always buy more and do more. Next, couple this with some other peculiar notions regarding what is considered to have value and esteem. When a culture is so fixated on power and posturing, it is constantly telling you to be at the big top and in command an in charge. You should never relax and never simply be. You must, therefore, always strive to be someone important to the most number of other humans.

It's a load of bollocks.

Religion practiced right helps a people discover who they are and whose they are. It orients you to your true nature/soul and what your true/right relationships should be with others around you. What you are part of and not part of. Because it's your lifeway. Maybe use a word other than "religion" if you hate that word, I guess - it's the substance that matters. Finding your narratives instead of just following those of others without thinking about it. Knowing you for you, being you for you, in relationship with other beings. Who do you listen to? Who do you ignore? Your course to chart, always, as swayed by the currents of inspiration that inevitably flow through your life and being.

 

[The Hammer]

You really think the rest of us know what we're doing? We are all kind of just winging it.

 

[InChrist]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Would you think it’s odd if I suggested to seek wisdom and direction from God? I believe God knows us better than we know ourselves and has a better plan for our lives than we can figure out on our own.

 

[Niatero]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

I'll take the question as asking each person how they know how to live. There's a whole thread where people are talking about that. Here I'll just try to answer the question for myself. Not that I know how to live, just how I decided to live the way I'm living. It's by following a spiritual teacher. It happened after a few years of learning about his story and reading his words. From that reading and from my experience in life, I started seeing more and more wisdom in his words, so I decided to try practicing the ways that he was saying to live. That has been working very well for me. If you would want to try that, maybe it could be by learning more of the story and reading more of the writings of some spiritual teacher that you've heard about who appeals to you. It doesn't have to be one living now. It could be one from that past that people are still following. Associating with those people and participating in their activities might help you learn more and better how to practice the teachings.

 

[idea]

The two people whom I look up to the most, my grandparents, had no college degree, no fancy job.

I've always thought its better to be "with" others than "in front".

Success can mean many things.

Self-care: eat healthy, spend time outside, read good books, seek out music events, garden, volunteer, hike/bike, learn about birds and wild edibles. Little things are the best things, that's all you need.

 

[Niatero]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

@idea 's post reminded me about community service. That might be a good place to start. Look for some people to work with in some kind of local community service. Find out what kinds of service activities there are in the area around you. Like mentoring for example, or a food bank, or visiting people in the hospital. Find out about as many local community services as you can, and try one. That could be a first step that could lead to the next one in finding a good way to live your life. Even if you like my idea of looking for a spiritual teacher, working with other people in some kind of community service might be good preparation for that, to give you a better idea of what you're looking for. It's also possibly an answer to a doubt I had about looking for a spiritual teacher: spiritual teachers are not always good for you, to put it mildly. Working with other people in some kind of community service for a few months or maybe even a few years before choosing a spiritual teacher might help you find one that will actually be good for you. That doesn't mean you can't be learning about the stories and reading the words of some of them. Just that you might want to have lots of experience with community service before you try following one.

 

[sayak83]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Ideally you should focus and put effort on something that interests you, so that effort does not seem forced. If you do not feel satisfied after giving the effort and becoming better at something, then you will feel burnt out. So the better plan is to see what resonates with you and go after that. Becoming good at something you like is extremely rewarding mentally, and the effort does not seem hard when you see that.

 

[Mock Turtle]

I'm another that never felt any particular drive to do anything - as a plan for life or as to any overall aims. I have done lots of things however and had many friends - usually from work or any special interests - and hence have often been quite happy with what we shared. I have also done lots of things on my own, usually because something appealed or I wanted to test myself, and I have had as much pleasure and satisfaction in doing these things too. I would suggest just choosing a few projects that might appeal - whatever such might be - and see where any might lead. Nothing like have shared interests to give one purpose, and where one's contributions are appreciated by others.

I did once have an interest in sailing around the world but my increasing age gradually made this less achievable and more dangerous.

 

[Tomef]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Follow what you are most interested in. I’ve squeezed in a few interesting careers in that way. The key part is identifying something you want to do, after that you just need to commit to it and the rest follows.

 

[ChristineM]

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Pick something that interests you, something that you enjoy doing, preferably something you get paid for.

The trick is, do your best, it's the least you can do.

I'm not saying you'll win, i think that's a matter of luck, the right thing at the right time sort of thing ..but you will have fun trying.

 

[PureX]

Who told you that you're supposed to "amount to anything" and why did you listen to them?

Something to keep in mind is that American culture is... instills some peculiar notions within its citizens as part of its materialist and consumerist culture. When a culture is so fixated on mass consumerism, it is constantly bombarding you with messages that you are not enough and you do not have enough. You are never enough and never have enough. You must, therefore, always buy more and do more. Next, couple this with some other peculiar notions regarding what is considered to have value and esteem. When a culture is so fixated on power and posturing, it is constantly telling you to be at the big top and in command an in charge. You should never relax and never simply be. You must, therefore, always strive to be someone important to the most number of other humans.

It's a load of bollocks.

Religion practiced right helps a people discover who they are and whose they are. It orients you to your true nature/soul and what your true/right relationships should be with others around you. What you are part of and not part of. Because it's your lifeway. Maybe use a word other than "religion" if you hate that word, I guess - it's the substance that matters. Finding your narratives instead of just following those of others without thinking about it. Knowing you for you, being you for you, in relationship with other beings. Who do you listen to? Who do you ignore? Your course to chart, always, as swayed by the currents of inspiration that inevitably flow through your life and being.

This!

 

[SalixIncendium]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

What is it you feel you should "amount to?"

What do you think would cause you regrets when looking back over your life at an old age?

 

[Yerda]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Charting a general direction of travel helped me to get on with things a bit better after the appeal of living aimlessly got a bit tired.

What @ChristineM said looks like solid advice on the career side of things as well as maximising your enjoyment of the things you do.

 

[PureX]

Regrets are a waste of time and energy. Much better to look around where you're at, and see what's possible from there, and what's worth trying to accomplish. If it works out, great, if it doesn't, just reassess. The past is just a collection of lessons. Not somewhere you want to fuss over. And the future is a collection of questions that can't be answered until you get there. If even then. So, live in the present and keep your eyes and mind open to new lessons and possibilities.

You don't have to "measure up" to ANYTHING or ANYONE. You are here to be you. And the rest of us are happy to have you among us. It's a shared journey. And none of us knows why, exactly. So help others when you can, take help from them when you need it, and share what you learn along the way. Nothing else makes any sense, or even really matters.

There are far more "losers" walking around in this world with big fat wallets then there are dying in the streets from illness, addiction, and bad luck.

 

[Tomef]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

Actually if you really don’t know what you want to do, the old cliché that travel can help you find yourself does actually apply. There are various fairly easy ways to work online, from anywhere, and just being in a new place, exposing yourself to different experiences for a few months or more, can have an unexpected influence over how you think.

 

[bobhikes]

I'm almost 30 and I have no idea what I'm doing. I've mostly just been living aimlessly and in the moment. I think of the future in regards to taking care of my health and finances, but I'm not overly ambitious about any of it.

Is this one of those situations where I should just "go with the flow"? Let my life take its course? But if so, what if I never amount to anything? What if I just grow old and just end up full of regrets?

Or is it one of those situations where I should pick something, or a couple things, and put a lot of effort into them to make something big out of them? Every time I try to do that it seems like I burn out, though.

As a Taoism practitioner going with the flow is an ideal way to live. Regrets are yours and only yours to hold, what you consider a regret others would consider a reward. I know it's not easy but stop holding on to regrets. Regrets only hold you back.