Living vs. Existing: A Truth We All Have to Face

Simply Flava • By Lady Flava

Every now and then, a question comes along that doesn’t just make you think — it makes you check yourself.

This one did that for me:

What is the difference between living and existing?

It sounds simple, but it carries weight.

It makes you sit still for a minute.

It makes you look at your own footsteps and ask, “Am I really here… or am I just passing time?”

Because let’s be real — a lot of us have spent years existing and didn’t even know it.

Existing is survival.

Living is intention.

Existing is waking up, doing what you have to do, and shutting down.

Living is waking up and actually feeling something — even if it’s small, even if it’s messy, even if it’s just gratitude for a quiet moment before the world gets loud.

Existing is a routine.

Living is a rhythm.

Existing feels like you’re watching your own life from a distance.

Living feels like you’re inside the moment with your whole chest.

What Existing Really Looks Like

Let’s call it what it is:

Days blending together Numbness pretending to be “fine” Putting yourself last because you’re too tired to think Doing everything for everyone else Ignoring the small voice inside you saying, “There has to be more” Waking up and not remembering what yesterday felt like Feeling disconnected from what used to bring you joy

Existing is when you’ve stopped choosing.

Stopped dreaming.

Stopped checking on your own heart.

Not because you don’t care —

but because life has worn you down so much that survival became the safest option.

What Living Feels Like

Living doesn’t mean everything is perfect.

Living doesn’t mean you’re always happy, always glowing, always peaceful.

Living means you’re awake.

You’re present.

You’re connected.

You feel your own life when you step into it.

Living looks like:

Noticing the sunrise on a quiet morning Holding a warm cup of tea and actually tasting it Laughing from your stomach, not just your mouth Saying yes to yourself and no to the things that drain you Finding joy in something small — music, a walk, a favorite smell, a memory Letting yourself hope without apologizing Choosing people who choose you back Sitting in gratitude for the life you’ve built, even if it’s still in progress

Living is when you remember that your story still matters.

Living is when you stop shrinking and start breathing again.

The Shift Between the Two

People think the difference between living and existing is some big dramatic moment —

but most of the time, it’s not.

It’s one breath you take with intention.

One decision to treat yourself gently.

One moment where you finally admit you deserve more than just “getting by.”

It’s the day you wake up and say:

“I am no longer surviving my life. I’m going to live it.”

And that shift changes everything — slowly, quietly, but powerfully.

My Simply Flava Truth

Living isn’t about perfection.

It isn’t about having a full schedule or a big circle or a flawless plan.

Living is about being present enough to feel your own life.

Living is about choosing joy, rest, peace, growth, boundaries, and self-respect — even when it’s uncomfortable.

Living feels like you’re finally home inside yourself.

And once you taste that…

existing will never be enough again.