What is the meaning of suffering? It isn’t something we ask for, yet suffering afflicts every human being in some capacity, whether physically, emotionally, spiritually, or existentially (perhaps it’s all the same). It’s how we respond to what we can’t control in life that defines our time on planet Earth.
“You desire to know the art of living, my friend?” said Henri Frédéric Amiel, the 19th-century Swiss philosopher and poet.
“Make use of suffering.”
In this episode, Gregory and Vincent discuss the concept of the ‘lonely chapter’ in one’s life—the period of striving to make a change that goes against the grain, one you may have to make alone.
A meaningful existence isn’t gonna be full of endless creativity, sunshine and pats on the back, as meaning comes not only from doing what makes us happy.
It’s the challenges of life—the suffering—which can serve as the most profound opportunities for real transformation and finding one’s purpose, something Vincent and Gregory have experienced themselves.
“When most people think about the future, they dream up ways that they might live happier lives,” says Dr. James Davies, psychotherapist and author of books including The Importance of Suffering.
“But notice this phenomenon: when people remember the crucial events that formed them, they don’t usually talk about happiness. Most people shoot for happiness, but feel formed through suffering.”
While we’re fighting the good fight, sometimes we just gotta laugh at the absurdity of life. It’s really all out of our control, anyway. Hopefully this podcast makes you think.
But ultimately, we hope it puts a smile on your face and makes the trials of being a human being on this mystifying rock a bit more bearable.
For more Dare to Dream content find us on:
Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-dare-to-dream-podcast/id1522983890
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YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoimyPFCjO_qrJhH4ALafcA
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Join Vincent’s Newsletter - Citoyens du Monde: https://vincentvanpatten.ck.page/
For Vincent's writing from Japan, travel photography, and more, check out: https://vincentvanpatten.com/
Join Gregory’s Newsletter - Live a Story Worth Telling: https://liveastoryworthtelling.gregoryrussellbenedikt.com/laswt
If you’re feeling empty despite your “success”, book a discovery call with Gregory: https://calendly.com/gregoryrussellbenedikt-1/discovery-call
