Living life vs. Limiting yourself

Unfortunately there has been a lot of sad news here lately - and it got me to thinking a little.

Is there anything that you limit yourself with in your life? Do you sometimes feel that life is too short?

I will give you an example from my life:

I am jewish, a few years back I went to Israel for the first time. After I came back I stopped eating pork and shellfish. I guess it made me feel more "connected" to judaism.

It's been a few years now, and sometimes I wonder if it's silly that I did that. I will still eat other foods that aren't kosher without a problem...and sometimes I feel like life is too short. I really enjoy seafood, it's a treat and maybe I should just indulge. It doesn't make me a worse person - I still am who I am.

It might be a silly example to some, but sometimes I wonder - can you live life fully AND limit yourself from the things you enjoy??

Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

Yes i am scared to fly, so much so i have never flown and limit myself where i go based on other ways of getting there.

I wish i could get over this fear because its seriously limiting my travel experiences

My fear is so bad that i have regular dreams of planes crashing, and me on the ground witnessing it, i have dreams with me on the plane and its crashing.
Everytime i see a plane fly overhead i think that it may crash, i think that a plane could crash on my house as well.

Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

I have been trying very hard to limit my non-essential time on the computer (I can while away too much time here, on FB, reading blogs, etc.) because while I enjoy it, it takes away from other goals and tasks that I value more.

I'm also trying to improve my eating habits. It's hard, but I tell myself that being in bad health will limit me much more.

So I think it depends on the situation. If the thing you love detracts at all from your overall quality of life, then it really may not be worth it.

I don't think that what you did was silly- it provided you with something of value and that is important. And we're always changing, so there isn't anything wrong with feeling differently now, either.

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Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

Gadi and I have this philosophical conversation every night at dinner (about being vegetarian)

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This is ALL DH and I talk about these days.

I find it so hard to balance planning for the future with living in the moment.

When is it okay to splurge and when is it detrimental?

When is it good to eat that second piece of pie and when is it unhealthy?

It's so insanely hard.

We ultimately just have to go on instinct.

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All the time. I have become very frugal, trying to save as much as possible. But we are constantly turning down nights out at bars and what not with our friends in order to save. We still go out to dinner once a week, but I wonder if it will really be worth it one day. I feel like sometimes we miss out.

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I think you can do both. If I was an extreme hedonist and did everything I wanted, I wouldn't go to work. I'd eat whatever I want, etc...

But then, I wouldn't have any money and I probably wouldn't be happy with my body... so I would still be limiting myself, kwim?

So I limit myself in some things, knowing I will enjoy the reward later.

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I always struggle with my desire to be vegetarian and my intense love for bacon. But I figure that cutting out all other meat is better than nothing. If you feel more connected than it is worth it to give up a little.

just thinking out loud...for myself as well...maybe go one month without, one month with? that's an interesting idea for myself as well.

Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

Message edited 2/17/2009 4:22:22 PM.

Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

very interesting topic

from the point of view of where i am in my life: fixing my life

i think it is a fine line to walk. i want to enjoy life, but i'm also having to clean up the mess i had been making for X number of years. denying myself of stuff now is proving to be beneficial. this is the first time i have money in a savings acct and i'm not itching to spend it. i've given up, charging EVERYTHING, eating out... so forth and so on. seeing the number in my savings acct is starting to make me feel real warm and fuzzy... especially in "this economy"

i'm delaying some things for the betterment of my life and the life i can give my son.

do i still eat out? yes
do i still spend when i shouldn't? yes

but i don't do it as often, and i don't do it as severely as i used to. i'm learning to be a better adult.

this way: when i do go all out, it's going to feel soooooooo good

Re: Living life vs. Limiting yourself

Posted by joenick

Posted by MrsM-6-7-08

Yes i am scared to fly, so much so i have never flown and limit myself where i go based on other ways of getting there.

I wish i could get over this fear because its seriously limiting my travel experiences

My fear is so bad that i have regular dreams of planes crashing, and me on the ground witnessing it, i have dreams with me on the plane and its crashing.
Everytime i see a plane fly overhead i think that it may crash, i think that a plane could crash on my house as well.

OMG...I could have written this exact post...word for word (with the exception of that I have flown in the past...but not since 9/11)



It is a fear that puts limitations on my life. But I feel my life is so full otherwise, I don't let it get me down too much.