Do you love life?

[SmugglersHaunt]

Just curious about this, as two people have said in conversation to me recently that they love life. I felt quite sad hearing this as I don’t love it - and being truthful, don’t even particularly like it - and I’m incredibly fortunate compared to most.

So, if you love life, what do you love about it - and is it possible for someone (ok, me) to start loving it?

I have experienced peaks where I love life. There have been time when I've been able to acknowledge that I have a good life overall. Life is tough at the moment, but endured in the hope that it will be better.

The only thing I know for certain is that life is changing, nothing stays the same.

Yes I do.
I love the silliness and joke me and dh have. I love that he us my biggest cheerleader and encourages me out of my comfort zone with him to guide me.
I love my friendship group and how they have proved to have my back over the decades.
I love the plans I make and having things to look forward to.
I love my job and know that I make a difference.
I love that my adults sons include me and dh in their plans a lot, whether its for a trip away, a night in the pub or a walk on the moors.
I love that I'm loved and that makes my life happy.

Yes of course it's possible for you to love life but you need to know what's stopping you at the moment and change that or change your mind set.

Yes I do.

I view my life like a book or a film; there happy bits, sad bits, funny bits, exciting bits, scary bits etc but all of these culminate into a great story.

I love all the chapters that have led me to where I am today. My present day life is very happy and fulfilled. And my future is full of promise, excitement and new beginnings.

You absolutely have the ability to create a life you love.

Decide what you want your future to look like and start working towards it. E.g. I knew I wanted to be a teacher; I knew I wanted to get married and have lots of kids and a white fluffy dog; I knew I wanted to travel; I knew I wanted a big house with a island in the kitchen 😂

Think about what gives you joy and start booking more of that into your monthly calendar: e.g. I enjoy the theatre, dancing, reading, meals with friends, pamper sessions, holidays etc

Good luck!

I don't necessarily love life but I can recognise I'm incredibly fortunate compared to most. I try to slow down and appreciate joyful moments which helps. I've had plenty of times like you describe which was actually undiagnosed depression and GAD.

Thanks all for you responses and advice. I’m going to look into positive self-talk as a first step, as I realise my internal dialogue can be very negative!

Yes. I live in a beautiful town . With the best friends and family. No real money issues. I have an active social life.

I love my life

No. Life is shit at the moment. Lost parents, no friends, all rather pointless

Not at all. I tolerate it.

some times i do.... sometimes i don't! at the moment i am at a point where life is ok.

i think it depends on whats happening around you. i have a lot of positives at the moment, just come back from holiday, just had a new grandbaby, just been to daughters wedding, waiting for another grand baby.. all things that i guess normal people would describe as loving life.. its just stress to me!

i also think those people who always love life are very few and far between

Oh absolutely. I absolutely love my life. I have a good, kind husband, a fantastic little boy who just makes everything bright, two daft dogs, a lovely home… I find so much joy in the little everyday things.
That’s not to say my life is perfect and I’ve had more than my fair share of trauma and issues through my life but overall, I just feel so grateful for what I do have. In a way, perhaps that’s made me more grateful for what I do have.
I do wonder whether people are naturally predisposed to be glass half full / glass half empty, and there’s little we can really do to change it.

Sadly no. Health problems, useless NHS, Tory government. I really hope I don’t live a long life as I don’t want to age any more in Britain.

I don't really. I've had brief periods where I do and I understand how people say that but I don't experience it most of the time. Life is okayish, with some highlights and tragedies, but having married utterly the wrong man, felt I had to stick with him for way too long, now having left really struggling for money and just scraping by, can't go on holidays, out for meals or go to theatre etc much, peering ahead at old age in the not very distant future, I can't say I've hugely enjoyed it overall. I'll be glad when it's over and I don't have to struggle and strive any more.

I have had moments of it in the past. Trying to claw it back.

"Think about what gives you joy and start booking more of that into your monthly calendar: e.g. I enjoy the theatre, dancing, reading, meals with friends, pamper sessions, holidays etc"

4-5 of these 6 things require spare money...

Precisely.

Yes I love life. However I realised recently that I do not want to hang onto it at any cost. I saw both parents die of different forms of cancer, and my mother in law. I have cancer myself. Some of my treatment has been pretty horrendous. I have told my husband that if I have to go through more painful and debilitating treatment AND if it is only to prolong my life by a small amount then I would rather just let go gently - lots and lots of painkillers so I'm not aware of what's happening. I'm happy to continue with my life as long as its worth living, but not at any cost once its not.

I love the natural world and exploring. When I can do this, whenever I see amazing views or gaze up the stars, I feel like I love life.
I've had my ups and downs. At the moment things are ticking along well. Everyone is fine and things are good.
The other day, I felt a sadness thinking that this could be the best my life will be and it's only a matter of time before something happens.
Sounds a bit nuts and depressing but I think that is the reality of life.

Depends on the day. Some times I love my life others feel totally overwhelmed and still others despair at what a mess the world is right now and wonder when it will get better. Mostly I am an optimist and believe we can fix most anything so mostly happy - but again, boy are there days!

I love life. I learned to live moment to moment when I was going through trauma therapy. It helped me cope. Now it’s helpful in slowing down and enjoying the good.

I think safety, freedom and enough money for at least the basics, mean life can be lovely and enjoyable. Without those things, it can be a hard slog.
I’ve had a lot of trauma but I believe I love my life now, not because I’ve seen the worst of things but because I am comfortable now. I’m far away from the people who hurt me and I don’t have to work. I live in the countryside and have animals. I have healthy children and a wonderful husband. Of course I can take the time to notice birds singing etc, because I’m safe and free now. I didn’t use to even notice birds or anything. I lived a half life.

So what I’m trying to say is, gratitude positivity stuff is easy when life is good, but how are you supposed to be grateful when something is making you unhappy. Whether that’s mental illness, an unhappy relationship, money worries, health stuff etc

Yes!
Twelve years ago I was homeless, an addict, alcoholic and had been in a mental unit for attempting suicide after a man I thought was my boyfriend forced me into prostitution.
Now I'm clean and sober, living in a little flat with my daughter and my dog, and I'm on a very low income but I'm alive and it's absolutely fucking beautiful.
There's bad days and I've got a lot of physical and emotional damage but life is still beautiful and I love it.

They don’t have to cost money. Reading and dancing can easily be done for free at home. Meals with friends can be at each others’ houses and needn’t be fancy. Moisturiser, a face mask and some nail varnish doesn’t need to break the back either. I managed to do all these things when on a very low wage.

But anyhow, they were just examples of what gives me joy, the OP will like different things; perhaps she likes colouring, sewing or hiking?

Yes, I love my life. I don't love every moment but on the whole I love it and there's not much I would change. I was in an abusive relationship / marriage for 25 years and left 6 years ago so that helps put things in perspective I think.

Then again I've always been a positive person which is probably why I stayed in an abusive situation for so long as I'd put a positive spin on things or tell myself "it wasn't that bad" when it was actually horrendous.

I take pleasure in small things like a good book, a chat with DH or my young adult kids (every day they don't have a drama of one kind or other is a great one) and rarely worry about what I don't have.

Yes i love it i love life.
I love the choices ive made.
I like my home my peace and quiet mess free single.
Enjoy doing what i want no responsibility no compromising.
What's not to love.

Its not a phrase I would use but generally yes I do love life but am also not afraid of death and would prefer quality of interesting life over length of life. Also had cancer in 40s and chemo etc.

I don't equate loving life as constant happiness either, its more about experiencing different things. I love travel, love my kids and family and pets, love wildlife, love economics / politics, love our beautiful house and garden and birds. I think you can change your outlook yes. Getting cancer can often be a trigger for a change in outlook as you have to do the treatment or risk dying in many cases. Also found exercise really helps, love swimming. No money issues helps a lot as well and allows a lot of travel.