Phase 5: Existential Fitness as a Way of Life
It's a "way of life."
It's not something we do once, and then we're done.
It's about making things better from here on.
For some, physical fitness is a way of life. Exercise, eating right, and so on are woven into the fabric of every day.
Physical fitness focuses on the strength and health of the body.
Existential fitness is similar, except that it also includes the heart, mind, and soul.
Objective: A way of life that strengthens the body, heart, mind, and soul.
Existential Fitness: The Basics
This phase assumes some familiarity with the previous phases (1, 2, 3, and 4). So you know you're already a philosopher, theologian, and mystic, you've already taken a clear look at our situation (1), asked Big Questions (2), made your life philosophy more sturdy (3), and are either set or seeking on the spiritual front (4).
What is "Existential Fitness"?
If Life Seems Meaningless, Do This (7 Steps)
Philosophical Self-Defense
How to Measure Existential Fitness
Existential Fitness: A "Workout"
A Model for Existential Fitness
An Introduction to "Inner Work"
Body
Focus on the mind, heart, and soul doesn't mean negating the body.
Which Diet is Best?
The "Losing Weight" Thing
Why Obsession With Physical Health Isn't Healthy
Our Worst Health Problems, Already Figured Out?
Mind
"Mental clarity" is often a seriously undervalued commodity and skill.
Build a Sturdy Life Philosophy
The 7 Basic Worldviews
Psychological Self-Defense
Philosophical Self-Defense
Overcome Postmodern Confusion
What is "Human Potential"?
The "Everything Problem"
Heart
"Emotional strength" involves knowledge, skills, attitude, grit, and practice.
Conventional Psychology Isn't Up to the Task
Our Current State of Psychological Health
What Psychology Doesn't Know
How Psychology Drives Us Crazy
Mental Health: The #1 Mistake in Our Usual Approach
Why Isn't Mental Health More Focused on Prevention?
Do We Understand More About Anxiety Today, or Less?
9 Tips to Halt the Decline in Psychological Health
The Search for a Better Model of Human Nature
10 Popular Models of Psychological Health (That Don't Totally Work)
What is "The Human Condition"?
Why Isn't Mental Health More Focused on Prevention?
What 12 Movie Monsters can Teach Us About Human Nature
A Basic Model of Psychological Health
The "Sweet Spot" in Mental Health
The Perennial Psychology
Depression, Anxiety, and More
How to Approach Anxiety in 5 Steps
Anxiety: A Regular Person's Guide
How to Cope With Anxiety (in a Nutshell)
Depression, in a Nutshell
Is There a Better Approach to Suicide Prevention
Beyond the "War on Drugs"
What's the Meaning of "Sanity" in a Crazy World?
Soul
See "Reluctant Spirituality" (Phase 4) as groundwork for the below.
Experiential Spirituality: A User’s Guide
What is "Spiritual Awakening"
An Introduction to "Inner Work"
Workout for the Soul
10 Practical Spiritual Experiments to "See for Yourself"
Contemplative Practice
Why We Need a Spiritual Renaissance
OK - now what?
The above is a basic "workout plan."
Beyond this, the thing is to work out.
"Sharpen the saw," as Stephen R. Covey might say. Keep sawing (doing the work), and stop every so often to sharpen the saw.
In relation to the above, this means continually upgrading and refining your life philosophy (Step 3). Continue deepening your spiritual approach (Step 4). Keep asking questions (Step 2). After running a few "spiritual experiments," develop a contemplative practice, and practice it daily and consistently. If you're inclined, find others who are interested in the same things and compare notes.
Enough of this tends to yield fruit.
Some aspects of this "fruit" might be a newfound sense of awareness or energy, greater insight into everyday life, and even the sense of being a new self. The possibility and sense of a more profound awakening might even become a reality.
It then becomes a matter of integrating this into the ground-level realities of everyday life.
And from there, every experience can teach us.
Course Home | Phase One | Phase Two | Phase Three | Phase Four