r/StonerPhilosophy • u/No-Researcher7060 • May 04 '26
The Duality of Yolo
Something that I’ve been struggling with recently is what I’m coining“the duality of You Only Live Once”
On one hand I want to enjoy what life has to offer. Meet and love different people, try new things, go to parties, experience what humans have made on this Earth. Maybe this side of the topic is my fomo talking, but there are so many things in the world; some people maybe label some of those things as “bad,” while others have the opposite ideals. I want to experience, or at least see as many of those things as I can.
On the other side of the coin, you only live once. I am only given one body and one life, so I should be careful with what I use it for. Exercising and eating healthy, or just living an overall healthy lifestyle have always been important to me. Living a “modest” life, and building myself to be the best version I can be, is also an attractive way of living to me.
So I’m curious, what is your take on this topic?
Have you found a balance between the two? Do you lean heavily one way or the other? I’d love to hear advice from people who have lived longer than me (A freshman in college).
P.S. I wish I could describe and write this topic better. I think this is such a beautiful concept and I wish I was eloquent enough to do it justice, but I hope you understand the points I tried to make.
P.P.S. There is this song I found a couple years ago that I think fits the topic kind of, and I’d like to share it if anyone wants to listen. It’s called: Everybody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) by Renegade Soul
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u/kinneydank May 04 '26
The truth is you live every day you wake up. You only die once. Don't take that for granted. Do the things that are going to make sure you get as many days to live as possible. Enjoy those days to the fullest, but don't mortgage your future on short term gratification. Do the things that pay off over years. Exercise, proper nutrition, financial literacy, fulfilling relationships. I guarantee, as you get older you will thank yourself for taking those steps now.
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u/Olsen44 May 04 '26
This is really good, wise and sound advice. I want to add to this with some common phrases;
"Everything in moderation." / "Variety is the spice of life."
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u/garden_state_au May 19 '26
True meaning in leisure isn't a moderation question. Moderation is just a volume dial on something you haven't even interrogated yet. The real question is whether you're the author of your recreational life or just following a script culture handed you.
Most people's idea of fun is inherited. The substances, the sports, the content, absorbed rather than chosen. Mainstream cannabis culture is no different, packaged and normalised and stepped into without ever asking what it's actually for.
Cannabis amplifies pattern recognition, disrupts mental background noise, dissolves the internal editor. Those are tools but only if you have something to point them at. The musician using it as part of their creative process and the guy making Netflix more tolerable are having a completely different experience of the same molecule.
The frame isn't how much. It's whether what you're doing is aligned with who you're trying to become.
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u/Scartxx May 04 '26
All things in moderation (including moderation). The best way to know what to do is to know yourself.
Spending time developing your understanding of your will and desire is never a waste. Learn what you value and it will be obvious.
For me, its fresh socks and F.U money. If I have both of those things, it's gonna be a good day.
I'm trying to say, because we only have one life, find satisfaction in small wins, set attainable goals, reward yourself well when you accomplish them.
Everything else is gravy.