How to Be Alive : a Guide to the Kind of Happiness That Helps the World

“This is the book where self-help turns into helping the world—and then turns back into helping yourself find a better life. Fascinating and timely!”—Bill McKibben, author of __Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet__ What does it take to achieve a successful and satisfying life? Not long ago, the answer seemed as simple as following a straightforward path: college, career, house, marriage, kids, and a secure retirement. Not anymore. Staggering student loan debt, sweeping job shortages, a chronically ailing economy—plus the larger issues of global unrest, poverty, and our imperiled environment—make the search for fulfillment more challenging. And, as Colin Beavan, activist and author of __No Impact Man__, proclaims, more exciting. In this breakthrough book, Beavan extends a hand to those seeking more meaning and joy in life even as they engage in addressing our various world crises. __How to Be Alive__ nudges the unfulfilled toward creating their own version of the Good Life—a life where feeling good and doing good intersect. He urges readers to reexamine the “standard life approaches” to pretty much everything and to experiment with life choices that are truer to their values, passions, and concerns. How do you stop placing limits on your potential impact? How do you make your choices really matter in everything from your clothing purchases to your career? How do you find the people who will most support you in your quest for a good life? To answer these questions and more, Beavan draws on classic literature and philosophy; surprising new scientific findings; and the uplifting personal stories of real-life “lifequesters”—people who are breaking away from those old broken paths, blazing fresh trails, and reveling in every step along the way. “There is a movement afoot for a better life and Colin Beavan is its prophet, with a new book as powerful as his already classic __No Impact Man__.”—John de Graaf, coauthor of __Affluenza__ “This is the book where self-help turns into helping the world—and then turns back into helping yourself find a better life. Fascinating and timely!”—Bill McKibben, author of Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet What does it take to achieve a successful and satisfying life? Not long ago, the answer seemed as simple as following a straightforward path: college, career, house, marriage, kids, and a secure retirement. Not anymore. Staggering student loan debt, sweeping job shortages, a chronically ailing economy—plus the larger issues of global unrest, poverty, and our imperiled environment—make the search for fulfillment more challenging. And, as Colin Beavan, activist and author of No Impact Man , proclaims, more exciting. In this breakthrough book, Beavan extends a hand to those seeking more meaning and joy in life even as they engage in addressing our various world crises. How to Be Alive nudges the unfulfilled toward creating their own version of the Good Life—a life where feeling good and doing good intersect. He urges readers to reexamine the “standard life approaches” to pretty much everything and to experiment with life choices that are truer to their values, passions, and concerns. How do you stop placing limits on your potential impact? How do you make your choices really matter in everything from your clothing purchases to your career? How do you find the people who will most support you in your quest for a good life? To answer these questions and more, Beavan draws on classic literature and philosophy; surprising new scientific findings; and the uplifting personal stories of real-life “lifequesters”—people who are breaking away from those old broken paths, blazing fresh trails, and reveling in every step along the way. “There is a movement afoot for a better life and Colin Beavan is its prophet, with a new book as powerful as his already classic No Impact Man .”—John de Graaf, coauthor of Affluenza The author of No Impact Man and founder of the No Impact Project returns with this trailblazing guide to living a meaningful and fulfilling life while also contributing to the wellbeing of our communities and the planet. When Colin Beavan embarked upon a yearlong experiment to lead a zero net-impact existence in the middle of New York City, he had no idea what a profound effect it would have upon himself and others around him. For Colin, the projectchronicled in a book, a documentary, and an ongoing lecture seriesformed the basis of a radical lifestyle redesign that reached beyond just environmental activism. And, in the course of his travels and lectures, he encountered scores of people who were similarly breaking from traditional ideas about work, home, and even family in order to take their futures, and the planets, in their own hands. In the process they made a startling discoverya happier way of life that is also having a deeply positive impact on the world. For most of us, though, even contemplating this kind of transformation is overwhelming and confusing. In How to Be Alive , Beavan shares his insights on finding the path thats right for you. Drawing on everything from classic literature and philosophy to current science, and combining that with his own experiences alongside those of the many people he has met along the way, Colin explores a broad array of transformational lifestyle adjustmentssmall and largethat offer security and meaning in a world confronted by ecological crises, economic upheaval, and ongoing war and social injustice. In the process, he helps readers embark on the quest for a good life of their ownlives both better for them and the planet. "What does it take to achieve a successful and satisfying life? Not long ago, the answer seemed as simple as following a straightforward path: college, career, house, marriage, kids, and a secure retirement. Not anymore. Staggering student loan debt, sweeping job shortages, a chronically ailing economy—plus the larger issues of global unrest, poverty, and our imperiled environment—make the search for fulfillment more challenging. And, as Colin Beavan, activist and author of No Impact Man, proclaims, more exciting. In this breakthrough book, Beavan extends a hand to those seeking more meaning and joy in life even as they engage in addressing our various world crises. How to Be Alive nudges the unfulfilled toward creating their own version of the Good Life—a life where feeling good and doing good intersect. He urges readers to reexamine the “standard life approaches” to pretty much everything and to experiment with life choices that are truer to their values, passions, and concerns. How do you stop placing limits on your potential impact? How do you make your choices really matter in everything from your clothing purchases to your career? How do you find the people who will most support you in your quest for a good life? To answer these questions and more, Beavan draws on classic literature and philosophy; surprising new scientific findings; and the uplifting personal stories of real-life “lifequesters”—people who are breaking away from those old broken paths, blazing fresh trails, and reveling in every step along the way"-- Back cover The new facts of life. The awful stories we tell ourselves to make ourselves small ; Understanding the truth of your relationship to the world ; The lifequester's mind hacks ; The unifying theory of changing your life and your world How to want what you really want. The coolest part of being a lifequester ; What are people for? ; How to know how many regrets you will have on your deathbed ; What science says about where you will actually find purpose and meaning ; Why most of humanity seems to be headed straight toward those deathbed regrets and how to change course ; A last word on why the world would be safer and happier if we wanted what we really want The gentle path. A journey of a thousand miles, etc., etc. ; Identifying the easy parts ; Eat how you want to live ; Own what really makes you happy ; How to get around and where to stay put ; How to become a true citizen Finding your people. The "real" thing in relationships ; When the black sheep finds its flock ; Success in everything that matters ; Build it as you like it Who to parent. The many ways of parenting (including not having kids) ; Some reasons people do and don't have children ; Parenting other people's children (and letting others parent yours) ; Deciding whether to be a bio parent Walk your path. Learn to discern ; How can I help? ; The life of your time ; Thriving in your corral ; Building a corral where you live Rise above the noise. What it's like to be human ; The freedom of no escape ; The science of truth. Deeply concerned about the environment, Colin Beavan went on a year-long experiment to lead a zero net-impact existence in the middle of New York City. The project went far beyond the typical 'reduce, reuse, recycle' credo and had a profound effect on Colin and those around him, in the process prompting what he came to refer to as a 'lifestyle redesign.' His project, chronicled in a book, a documentary, and an ongoing lecture series, has provoked and inspired tens of thousands of people. He shares his own experiences alongside those of the many people he has met along his journey who have discovered thousands of transformational lifestyle adjustments - small and large - that offer both security and meaning in a world confronted by ecological disaster, failing economies, war and social injustice. In the process, he helps readers embark on the quest for a 'good life' of their own lives - both better for them and the world. Print run 75,000 Presents a guide to living a meaningful and fulfilling life in service to one's community and the environment, drawing on inspiration from classic literature, philosophy, and modern science while outlining specific lifestyle-change recommendations.