Embarking on Eudaimonia; with Aidan Jones, who writes Philosobites and 100 Things To Do Before the Sun Explodes

An interview series on the big things in life by Ta Hiron

Aidan Jones joins us today, who writes relatable articles on daily life with a philosophical edge. Every Monday on 100 Things To Do Before the Sun Explodes he shares an in-depth exploration into something he is adding to his list. Every Thursday, a new article is out over at Philosobites, where he shares bite-sized philosophy that inspires us to think about things in a new light in a relatable and inspiring way. With these two writing angles, you can understand why I am keen to hear his thoughts on our questions today.

We would love your thoughts, too; drop us a comment below to keep the conversation going. 

If you could distil your life philosophy, what would it be, and why is it meaningful to you?

Oh, wow. Starting off light, eh? Hahaha, I really do love this question. The most distilled version of it I could probably fit here without boring people would be to say "Embrace absurdity, examine life, and enjoy yourself along the way." 

This little hodge-podge of mantras is really what I would consider to be the three core principles that I try to carry with me through most avenues of life. Emphasis on "try" and "most." It can be difficult to stick to a perfect reflection of a life philosophy on the daily, but these are a nice reminder of what the North Star is for me. 

Can you share a transformative experience that challenged your perceptions or beliefs about who you are and what you are capable of?

Hmm. My first thought is to think of a moment where I realized I could do more than I initially thought, and decided to reach for the stars, but I also think that the opposite kind of experience can be a valuable learning moment as well. 

Especially when I was young, I really thought I could do anything and everything, but even just earlier this year, I filled my plate far more than I should have, and when a sudden family tragedy hit, I really struggled to keep that plate from falling. I think we're all capable of plenty, but I also believe that it's important to recognize our capacities and to work within a frame that, while still challenging us and pushing our comfort zones a little, isn't going to drain our batteries more than is fair to ourselves, and to the people who tune in to acknowledge our work. 

Have you always kept a kind of Bucket List akin to your 100 Things To Do Before the Sun Explodes? Do you keep other kinds of life lists?

Sort of. It was never as formal as a list, and more just a mental path that I hoped to walk down. Finish school, publish a book, get married, have kids... But I've never been the traditional bucket list kind of guy. I think that's why I like "100 TTDBTSE" so much, because it challenges the typical idea of what a bucket list can be. 

BUT, if I was going to have a real bucket list, the first thing I would write on it would be to build a log cabin from scratch, because that sounds like a fun challenge. 

Can you share a pivotal moment or experience in your life that sparked your passion for writing and made you realise it was something you needed to pursue?

I used to write short stories as a kid. My first one was called something along the lines of "Joe, The Dragon Tamer." I'm sure it was awful, but it made me feel like I could tell stories, and that is a truly special feeling. I think that feeling is just something that grew for me over time, and I've never looked back! 

You mention on your About page that a long-form project is underway. Can you tell us about it?

"Absurd Foothills" is my poetry collection that I've been working on for some time now. It's finally in a place where I can share more details about it, and that makes me so, so excited.

The shortest version of the blurb I can throw in here would be that it's a contemplative poetry collection that explores the themes of searching for meaning, dealing with loss, and finding peace amidst life's inherent absurdities and challenges. It's really a project that was meant to help me process the loss of my dad earlier this year, but I promise, it doesn't stay that heavy the whole time. 

I've managed to squeeze a lot of nature imagery in there as well, which makes me super happy, and we should be set for a global release on August 16th.

If anyone out there is interested, you can check out aidanjonesofficial.com to be the first to know when it's available for purchase!

Can you share a time when you felt lost or uncertain about your life's path, and how you moved forward from there? Do you have any further reflections on that at this point in your life?

Over the last few years, my education has taken a number of turns that I really didn't expect. For a while there, I was trying to decide between real estate and HR, neither of which interested me in the slightest. 

Careers are tricky, and while I don't believe that a job needs to fulfill you to the highest extent, it's important to at least choose something that you can see yourself doing somewhat long-term, especially when we invest such a large portion of our time towards it. 

I've decided to go back to school this Fall to work towards a path that blends my professional and creative life somewhat. Will it make me six figures? No. Do I really care all that much about that at this point? Not really. I'm just happy to have a path to work towards that I think will at least keep me and my family comfortable. 

What role do you believe self-discovery plays in leading a fulfilling life, and if you do, how do you actively engage in that process?

I think that ties in nicely to the life philosophy question. 

I'm sure anyone who reads either of my Substacks is probably sick of me talking about introspection, but I really do think it's at the heart of feeling fulfilled, which really is my number one priority in life I'd say. 

Figuring out who you are, what your goals are, what makes you tick, how you interact with others, your biases, your beliefs... These are all things that, with a strong sense of self-awareness, will help someone tremendously in navigating life's winding paths. 

Personally, I engage in that process by writing, I know, shocker. But I think it doesn't have to be that formal for most people. It can look like quiet moments in the shower or on the drive to work, or like taking that extra second to think about a response to a question before saying the first thing that comes to mind.

I really want to encourage people to think about these sorts of questions, which is why I started including journaling prompts in my Substack posts, because I want people to feel like they have the space to think about how these things impact their own lives, and not just read about how they impact mine. 

If your future self were to give your now self advice on what you are working through in yourself/life, what do you think it might be?

Not to stress so much. I'd like to keep the hair on this head, and at this rate, my odds aren't looking so good. 

Looking back on your life experiences, what are the two most important lessons or pieces of advice you've learned in navigating life's complexities?

Treat other people the way you want to be treated.

Try to shoot somewhere between the low-hanging fruit and the stars. 

Do you have any tattoos, and if so, and you are happy to share them, can you tell us about them?

I do! I started keeping count recently because this question comes up a lot - so 35 to be exact. I'll tell you about my most recent two, because 35 would take up this entire interview. 

The heron here is inspired by a picture I took a while back at a nature reserve near my old house. Herons are just the most beautiful creatures to me. That's part of why I named my Arts Collective after them. They don't feel real a lot of the time. Especially around where I live, where so many of the animals feel so mundane, this amazing bird just gets to break through all the noise. I felt like I needed to hold on to that feeling.

The second one here is Sisyphus. Albert Camus is a big inspiration for me, and his book, "The Myth of Sisyphus" was a pretty life-altering read. It's where I picked up the bit about embracing absurdity. I won't preach about it too much, but it's truly worth a read.

What 3 books have been the most impactful for you to read and why?

Well, I'll throw "The Myth of Sisyphus" in here for reasons already mentioned, haha. "The Giver" by Lois Lowry was a big one, and Christopher Paolini's "Eragon." 

"The Giver" was one that taught me a lot about how the world works, and as a young kid reading that book, those kinds of lessons can be pretty influential in shaping your world views. 

"Eragon" was a funny one for me, because, as a kid, I really just thought it was cool how thick of a book it was, and when I found out there were dragons, I was hooked. I'm really not much of a fantasy geek anymore, but dragons hold a special place in my heart from those days, hahaha.

Any final thoughts/story to leave us with:

Just to try to make the most of your time here. Do things you love, be with people you love, and if you're in a position where you're not so fortunate as to have those kinds of experiences or connections, the best thing you can do is open yourself up, be vulnerable, take up less space, and try to do good by other people. A little really does go a long way! 

All photos credit: Aidan Jones, 2024.

Aidan, thank you for sharing your wisdom and experiences so openly today. I, too, have encountered Albert Camus’s work and embrace the 'absurd condition' of leaning into the desire to make sense of this life. Your understanding of what brings fulfilment allows you to deviate from standard paths in favour of what truly works for you. This provides an important reflection I will enjoy reflecting on in my own journal.

I enjoyed learning how the idea of holding onto the awe is behind your heron tattoo. Your writing journey, from dragon tamer to poet, is beautifully honest and deeply inspiring, encouraging me to embrace my inner callings more openly. I’m sorry to hear about the loss of your father. Your windy journey will undoubtedly enrich your upcoming poetry collection, making it a relatable guide through life’s unexpected paths. Thank you for allowing us to tap into the wisdom of your journey via your Substacks’, and we look forward to the deep dive your poetry book will gift us.

Subscribe to Aidan on the direct link below.

Again, Aidan’s website to keep updated on his poetry release, Absurd Foothills, is aidanjonesofficial.com

You can also find Aidan on Medium and Instagram.

P.S. Embarking on Eudaimonia signifies a journey towards living a life of fulfilment, purpose, and flourishing.

"Eudaimonia" is a Greek term often translated as "happiness" or "flourishing." In philosophy, particularly in Aristotle's ethics, eudaimonia refers to the state of living well, achieving one's full potential, and experiencing a sense of fulfilment and thriving in life.

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Embrace absurdity, examine life, and enjoy yourself along the way.

Aidan Jones