The first question for me is what is living? For my opinion living is doing things your way. Doing reckless things, things you've always wanted to do. Fulfilling every dream you have and helping others to fulfill theirs. And living is also about waking up everyday knowing that your live has purpose and meaning because you make it so. Living is manifesting dreams into reality, actualizing your full potential. That's living.
Follow by what is existing? Existing is simply being on earth. Not doing anything of any significance, just breathing. Like you waking up everyday only because your metabolic processes need you to eat or drink something to keep going. Existing is going through the motions, letting life happen to you instead of making things happen.
I think the biggest distinction between living and existing comes from how much control you have over life decisions. Where do you see control coming from? In general, someone who exists feels as if everything is outside of their control while someone living knows they determine the path their life takes.
Emotions have a big role to play in this. Someone who exists lets emotions such as fear and anger dictate what they can and can’t do. Someone who is living understands those emotions, controls them and doesn’t let them interfere with their decisions.
People who simply exist do the same boring routine every day even though they don’t really like it. They don’t take any chances on improving their life just so they can maintain their current comfortable lifestyle. This is because they are unable to take control of their decisions.
People who is living they will