Changing your life, Tolstoy style

I am not expecting the name of the thread to draw in a lot of views. Tolstoy? Come on!

Well, Tolstoy was actually a pretty awesome dude. He turned his life around and developed his own philosophy of life and religion, which is remarkable, whether you believe it or not.

One of his books makes a point about developing meaning in life. We all struggle with this and we feel disconnected. Here’s what he suggests:

1. Expose yourself to nature. Animals, sunsets, hikes, etc. Make it a real part of your life.

2. Work with your hands to a point of physical fatigue. I take it to mean not only exercise, but also doing something that has immediate positive impact. Fixing stuff around the house, cooking, cleaning, etc.

3.family. This is a two-fold issue. One, be attached to one partner. Don’t sleep around (this comes from Tolstoy - a hedonist in his prime). And two, have kids, cherish them!

4. Talk to strangers in real life. Friendly, kind, genuine interactions with your community are key to not get stuck in your tiny mind with its problems.

5. Have a healthy life style. Again, this is about exercise. I suspect, this is also about avoiding drinking excesses, etc. I also would like to add meditation to this item. Nothing wrong with seeking introspection, calmness, and detachment from passion.

I hAve been thinking about this list for years. I think it’s pretty comprehensive and can really meaningfully replace PM habits.

 

It’s in “what I believe”. I recall it was available on YouTube as an audiobook