Human flourishing is often defined in terms of a collection of positive human factors. However, many people around the world are living in conditions that block human flourishing and find themselves powerless to change those circumstances. I argue that it is more useful to examine instead the idea of living well. Drawing upon Yu Hua's novel "To Live" and Jean-Paul Sartre's existentialist thought, I sketch an account of how we can live well, even in adversity. This notion emphasizes authentic living, being fully present in the moment, and being open, compassionate, and optimistic to anything life may have in store for us. This notion of living well is then applied to the matter of learning in the classroom.