Use These 3 Jars of Life To Make Your Life Count
You and your business form the first Jar
Let me start by asking you a question. How old would you be if you didn’t know how old you are?
For some, age is a mere number, and it is all about the experience you have gained in your life. And for others, it’s all in mind.
I love this observation by Joseph Campbell wherein he says,
The meaning of life is whatever you ascribe it to be.
The same is the case with age. So, let’s look at age differently today. What if we count our age in terms of the number of stories in our lives. And how do we do that… read on to find out.
Age — A Matter of Stories
I look at age as a sum total of three kinds of stories :
1. Stories which I make
2. Stories which I am a part of
3. Stories that are constantly unfolding all around us
Let me explain each one of them.
1. Stories which I make
These are the stories that I am creating and are about my personal or professional life. These are all the goals and aspirations I have in life for myself. These also include the tiny, joyous moments or the tough, difficult ones who taught me how to live life.
I am the main lead actor in my story, and my family, work colleagues, friends & my immediate community play the supporting role and help the story evolve and take shape. Net-net, I drive outcomes in this story.
2. Stories which I am a part of
This is an interesting one because it’s the same set of people as in my story, but the roles have reversed now. They are the main actors, and I am playing the supporting role.
I become a part of their journey of life. I play an important role and help them create memories, achieve their goals and be there for them through life’s ups and downs.
These stories though not my own, help me learn and grow as an individual. At the same time, they give me a sense of purpose and belonging. Most importantly, when these people narrate their stories, I may make an appearance and be remembered for the good deed I did for them.
3. Stories that are constantly unfolding all around us
Just being aware of what is happening around us is a great source of learning human psychology. So, whether it is the BLM movement or civil unrest in some part of the world, or the various environmental issues, these are tremendous opportunities for self-introspection and self-redemption.
The 3 Jars of Life
Let us assume each of these three stories is represented by a Jar. As we go through every year of life, we need to fill these jars with stories. So this is how our jars are labelled.
- Jar 1 — Stories which I make
- Jar 2 — Stories which I am a part of
- Jar 3 — Stories that are constantly unfolding all around us
The key to a truly wholesome life is when we can strike a balance between all three jars.
An intentional approach to fill each of our jars is what would make life worth living.
Let us assume if only Jar 1 is full; it means I have just focused on myself to the point of being self-centered. As a result, I would have lost the opportunity to make a difference in other people’s lives and missed out on many other experiences of life.
Similarly, if Jar 2 has more stories than, say, Jar 1 and 3, then it means I have been a part of other’s stories but have not been able to create my own. Again, this may lead to low self-worth or self-esteem and a loss of a sense of purpose.
Stories in Jar 3 are as important since our universe/ecosystem is constantly sending us signals that enable us to adapt and adopt. This is necessary for our own growth and the overall betterment of the human race. So we cannot be in a cocoon and behave that we can stay untouched by what's happening around us.
I strongly believe that we all are here for a purpose that is, to be a part of all these stories. And an ideal way to measure our age is to count how many stories we have been a part of in each jar.
All those stories that have made a difference to our lives and others find a place in appropriate jars.
How I Use These 3 Jars As Continual Inspiration for My Blog
The purpose of my blog is to spread ripples of change with my stories. Some of these stories have me as the main lead, while others have my family, friends, my work colleagues, and most importantly, my ecosystem as the main lead.
The idea is to have the right balance of stories to get a 360 degree perspective of life.
When I write, I draw out stories from one of these 3 jars, and the feedback I get adds to my repository of stories.
All of us are constantly creating stories knowingly or unknowingly; all we need to do is to pause, reflect and put these stories in the right jars and aim to reach a state of equilibrium.
Main Takeaway
So now tell me, would you like to age counting the years you live or the stories you have in your jars?
I would definitely like to measure my age based on the stories in my 3 jars. Remember, it all starts with you. With every addition to any of the jars, you are becoming richer in terms of experience, a sense of purpose, and compassion.
And as I age, I would aspire to add stories in all my 3 jars.
Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old when we start thinking that there are no more stories to make or learn from. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm and the yearning to make a difference wrinkles the soul.
So how many stories old are you today, and are you filling all your 3 jars?
Thank you to my dear husband for being a part of my story and seeding this thought in my mind and my sister for the artwork of the 3 jars.
