Thursday, January 16, 2014

Eudaimonia - The Result of Living a Virtuous Life

As if it was something new to report, life is extremely busy - but for all the right reasons. As 2014 rolled around I was trying to wrap up old projects and prepare for new projects. My life in the past year has gone from waking up most days of the week thinking.. "what should I do today to pass the time?" to waking up with an inbox full of work emails and meeting emails and new adventure emails, an office space calling to me with nine drives just waiting to be fired up so they can spit out hours of video footage, and running around in my little SUV bouncing from shoot to meeting to class to socializing to climbing. How does she do it? Honestly, I really have no idea. I have a thought to actually count my work hours, climbing hours, and sleeping hours but I think I'd rather just pretend like I'm a balanced person ;) 

I ended 2013 at home with my family and my friends. The trip was extremely restful, refreshing, and enjoyable. There is something so special about having a history with someone. The ability to connect after many months.. and even years... have gone by and still have a deep rooted love with that other is a tremendous gift. I moved to Colorado without much of a plan.. and in the past five years so much has evolved it's hard to really grasp where I'm at and what I'm actually doing - let alone figure out where I'm going. But in the midst of all of it, I found my constant in my life are the relationships I've formed along the way.  They've seen me through a lot, and know me inside and out.. and even though we've all changed in our own way, our relationship hasn't. That's really precious and I'm really grateful. 

I didn't make any new year resolutions but I do think it's important to set new goals or intentions  in your life to strive for. And this year I want to work on being better at chilling out and just being fine with what each day gives. "Do not be anxious, but instead pray about everything, and give thanks to God for all he has provided" It's true, I'm well taken care of. He's given me a family in Pennsylvania, and now a family in Colorado. I tend to really worry about what is next.. who will be in my life.. who is going to leave my life.. where my next job opportunity or climbing opportunity will come from (or will it come at all?!) But if history shows me anything it's that I'm never without.   So this year I'm striving to remember that and to be happy with that - to celebrate my life and my relationships daily.  And to be ok with waiting for the next opportunity, but still continually moving in the directions I feel called. 

In business, adventure, and love I have met the most amazing people and continue to do so. And through it all the history I've made with others remains - thankfully! For Christmas my mother gave me this little bag that said "see the world, but come home for love" It's true. I am going to see the world, and the best part of these journeys will be the people I meet along the way and the new relationships I have the chance to form, but nothing compares to the home I've found in PA and in CO. 

Thankful for all the love and support throughout these few short years, and thank you for all the encouragement to keep on going. I know this is where I'm suppose to be, and today I just feel so energized to be on the path I'm on - even if its long and unclear of the destination - if you know me, I'm all about the heinous approaches ;) 

I posted this on FB, but thought I'd share it again - It was an excerpt from some reading I had to do for a grad course in building partnerships and businesses - I thought it was good and resonated well with my own intention to start a company and pursue production. 

All human beings desire happiness. For Aristotle, “Happiness” or eudaimonia is the result of living a virtuous life. This “happiness” could also be described as fulfillment and flourishing (success). Acting virtuous means doing things well or acting according to reason excellently used. But happiness is not a purely individual matter, for it can only be realized within a network of relations with others. We are social animals and we need one another in order to reach our perfection as human beings. So the notions of virtue and eudaimonia are nested in a yet a wider context of society or community. Virtue implies a social context. Virtues by definitions place one in a relationship with others. In such a framework there is no distinction between self-interest and social mindedness. Acting virtuously takes on to respect others in the community while at the same time perfecting oneself and living a meaningful existence. In this model the important point is that doing one ought or striving to be virtuous is not counter but conductive to the good life. Fulfilling one’s responsibilities helps one to become the sort of person one wants to become, leads one to respect others, and fulfills and gives meaning to the actor.




Me and my grandmother hanging out ! 


Namaste 

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