Living life well: The role of mindfulness and compassion

Abstract

Most of us lead extraordinarily busy lives. We immerse ourselves in our work or studies, in family and social activities, we go to the gym or engage in other forms of physical activity, we may participate in community events or volunteer our time for good causes. It is common to feel we are hurtling through our lives as we strive relentlessly towards our goals, driven by expectations and social pressures. We are spurred on by our 24/7 culture and the ubiquity of mobile technology, including the social media with its addictive quality (Amichai-Hamburger & Etgar, this volume; Dunn & Dwyer, this volume). It has been said that we have become human doings not human beings. The question we need to ask is whether our obsession with doing, striving, and constant busyness is conducive to living well.