On Exeter's streets, spontaneous conversations often invite deeper reflection on mindfulness, human connection, and what it truly means to feel alive. In this feature, we speak with Joseph about presence and the inner work of self-acceptance.
For Joseph, feeling fully alive comes down to being surrounded by people who let him drop his guard and stay anchored in the moment:
"What makes me feel present in being alive is when I'm with people that allow me to not overthink & just allow me just to be in the moment, be myself. So friends & family, being in their company, laughing in their company. that's when I feel most alive, because I feel the most present."
Opening up about the ongoing mental battles he faces, Joseph shares an honest look at how overthinking and self-judgment affect his daily life:
"It's a constant battle, but for me right now is my overthinking & my ability to get so in my mind... I really struggle with caring about what other people think. And just really trying to do self-acceptance and self-love is my main struggle in my life at the moment."
Reflecting on how he handles self-resentment and works toward healing, Joseph adds:
"There's a lot of self-resentment that I can have & share, and I think just trying to find ways to gain and find self-love is the path that I'm trying to find now."
Closing our conversation, Joseph shares a compassionate and grounding message for the world:
"Peace & love, man... treat others how you want to be treated. We're all in this together, don't look down on anybody, we're all human & we're all cool, we've all got something to gain from anybody."
