The good life

Too often, when we think of living 'the good life' images of wealth and luxury come to mind. In a recent conversation with a friend, I was reminded again that life is fragile and unpredictable and many people seem to have more than their share of suffering.

What does the good life look like to you? For me, it involves good health and accepting both my bodies limitations and strengths. There is an the old cliche that states "if you don't have your health, you don't have anything". When we face illess or accidents, we come face to face with the understanding that we often take our health and physical abilities for granted. Taking time to feed our bodies well, get good rest, and taking time for exercise and movement are all important to maintaining good health. Yet, even with good habits, we will still face illness. Be as healthy as you can be today, and don't put off happiness or enjoying life until you reach some arbitrary goal.  If we spend too much of our time dwelling on the past, or too much time worrying about the future, we miss the opportunity to live fully in the moment.

The good life is also about relationships with others. What would our quality of life be like without personal connections, a sense of belonging, and people that we know are there for us in times of trouble? Take time to listen, take time to make a new friend, take a minute to call someone that you have not talked with in awhile. Invest some time and energy in creating and maintaining personal connections.

Nurture both your own health and your personal relationships. Spend less time thinking about accumulating wealth and "stuff" and more time really and truly living each day. Live a good life!