The Good Life

Many interpret the “good life” as meaning a life full of material goods, money, leisure time, and not having to work. How many people live this way? And if they do, are they really happy? The average white or blue collared worker may be jealous of rich pampered people sitting pretty with what seems like all the luxuries of life. What is luxury and leisure? Who deserves the good life? How can we, the everyday Joes, obtain it, live it, and keep it?

Let’s start with Merriam-Webster’s definition of “luxury” = a condition of abundance or great ease and comfort; sumptuous environment; something adding to pleasure or comfort but not absolutely necessary, an indulgence in something that provides pleasure, satisfaction or ease.

We just might unknowingly interpret luxury as expensive and something we have to pay a high price for. Luxury comes in many simple forms. Let’s look at the place we call home and the life we call ours and see if we can’t find some luxurious qualities within our own walls and selves.

Whether we rent, pay a mortgage, or own the property out right, our home should be our sanctuary and a place where we feel safe to lay our head at night. Beyond the normal comforts of home, what about those things that make us feel extraordinarily good!

A simple uncluttered house may seem luxurious or pleasurable to one while a home filled with mementos, photos and nick nacks fulfill the same emotion. A cup of hot coffee or cocoa in a favorite cup on a cold night may be the ultimate pleasure for one while another seeks pleasure tinkering in the garage making crafts or creating wood work or cabinetry. Someone may find their complete peace and say that luxury exists when the television remote is in hand, with a bowl of popcorn, blanket and pillow nearby while another would be more than satisfied with the stillness in the house in the early morning, their bible and a cup of hot green tea calling it their heaven. Find your simple pleasures and become conscious of making your life extra-ordinary with things you have rather than with things that are out of reach or unnecessary.

The saying “the good life” could be over rated and we may well have removed ourselves from being eligible recipients of it. We must believe we could live this way and are entitled to nice things, even fancy and expensive ones. Just because we don’t have millions in our bank account doesn’t mean we can’t own fine articles of clothing, jewelry, or an upscale piece of property (we can, that is, if we can afford it!). Remember you have to be able to have the extra cash to indulge in the expensive good life stuff. But what about the simply affordable “good life stuff”. What is that?

The good life is leisure and includes lack of worry. Go ahead take the good life you are entitled to. Don’t worry about money and certainly don’t carry the burden of other people’s problems on your shoulders. You can raise a family, be involved in charitable work and be employed and still reap the benefits of the good life.

We overload our schedules with too much to do and work during all our otherwise leisure time. It is in times like these we rob ourselves of opportunities to enjoy relationships and our belongings. Our time is important and we should place a high value on it. You have control of your time. Rework your schedule so you can have “the good life” too.

If we didn’t have to work chances are after a time we’d get bored (Okay it could be a real long time. That is besides the point!). The thought of doing absolutely nothing seems appealing however it’s an opportunity for a brain to get lazy and turn to mush; not to mention, developing an attitude of pompousness, pettiness, callousness and selfishness. We all need to do something worthwhile! Making it a mission to find that certain something that makes us feel validated and empowered is key. If we’ve got to work to dig ourselves out of this hole we’ve dug, let’s make it something we enjoy while we scratch our way back to the surface! By the way, one does not have to earn top dollar either to be profitable. Yes, most would agree it would be nice to ear gobs of money (hello – old you remember?). Aggh, working should pay for our basic means, and a reasonable amount of extra-ordinary luxuries (hmmm, living like the rich without the frills – sounds like an idea for a story). We should not work to try to catch up to the debt we’ve put ourselves in. Living beyond our means is equal to making the minimum payment on a charge card, it will never get paid off, and you will never receive the payoff – financial freedom. So trim the fat off your spending! Too boot, our attitudes are tweaked when we live in arrears and that ugly stuck feeling is with you for what seems like eternity.

Speaking of attitude, it stinks. Yeah, most of us have a horrible attitude over life in general. We complain about our boss, co-worker, brother, sister, spouse and children. We yak about the insurance agent who gave the outrageous quote, the terrible teacher who loses you in class, the so-called friends that are there when you have money, and who disappear when you are broke. We complain about everything, even ourselves.

Complaining is a waste of time. If you are going to complain, do something about the unfair situation or about you! Many times our complaints are not about unfairness, but rather we are sometimes reaching for something beyond our means or beyond our narrow-minded one-sided way of thinking. There are two, three and sometimes more sides or perspectives to all situations. It all depends on our mindset. Let it go, go with the flow (if its good) and give the situation to God. He takes care of it anyway. Why hold on to something that makes you feel miserable if you don’t have to. Yes, it really is that easy!

Money, money, money, the ultimate dream! Yes money can buy any material thing. The value we place on material things, and the quality thereof determines the price some are willing to pay. Some things in life have been priced right out of our pocketbook! Really, you don’t have to have it. Take a look at the things you have now and find a new appreciation for them. Recall how that old car you still drive got you to and from all those auditions, school meetings and dates before you married. And appreciate how now it still gets you to and from work and handles the visits with friends and family. Hey in all likelihood you don’t have a car payment and the insurance is affordable. The next time you buy clothes, shoes or some other accessory, make sure you love it! That way it will not hang with the tags in your closest or be stored under the bed in a dusty box until that one day when its time to clean out and give to the local Goodwill. You don’t NEED a new movie for your collection, YOU’VE GOT ENOUGH FOR A VIDEO STORE!

Pamper, spoil, and treat yourself to things within your grasp. This does not mean to give up dreams or reach for something beyond your means. You can do those things when you’ve mastered being happy with you and where you are at.

Go ahead and make a fuss over yourself. Enjoy the beauty of the world God provided. Live the good life you deserve it!

Have a blessed day!


Inspired by Isaiah 66:10-13a

Rejoice with Jerusalem, and be glad for her, all you who love her; rejoice with her in joy, all you who mourn over her-that you may drink deeply with delight from her glorious bosom. For thus says the Lord: I will extend prosperity to her like a river, and the wealth of the nations like an overflowing stream; and you shall nurse and be carried on her arm, and dandled on her knees. As a mother comforts her child, so I will comfort you.