We’ve all heard, or even used the phrase, “livin’ the good life”, right? What does that actually mean?
From www.collinsdictionary.com, the good life is: “living in comfort and luxury, with few problems or worries.”
I know a few of you are rolling your eyes, thinking that is NOT possible. Well, I agree. Having few problems and worries can definitely seem like an impossible dream. But what about the comfort and luxury part? Think about that for a minute… you don’t have to have millions of dollars to feel like you are living in comfort and luxury.
Let’s dive a little deeper here. Yes, that means I’m going to ask you to get out a journal, piece of paper, post it note, back of a napkin, whatever you have access to! Close your eyes, take a deep breath in, and out (stick with me, I promise this will be good!). With your eyes closed, reflect on the things that you LOVE to do. The things that feel a bit like a treat when you do them. The things that feel a bit luxurious. I’m talking more than a good cup of coffee, I’m talking things that you LOVE and are a little bit elevated. Let yourself fully immerse in that experience. What do you feel? Is there a scent? Who are you with? Are you smiling? Now open your eyes and write down what came to mind. Write down, in no particular order, all the things that feel like a special treat to you. The things that feel just a little "extra".
This is your “Joy List”, your “Happy List”, your “Livin’ the Good Life List”, whatever you’d like to call it! THIS IS IT!
Here’s an example of the things on my “Good Life List” (in no particular order)
Getting a massage
Dinner/drinks with friends
Coffee at a coffee shop with girlfriends
Hanging out with my sisters
Visiting breweries/wineries with hubby and friends
Traveling/new adventures/vacations with my family
Traveling with friends
Going to hear LIVE music, aka concerts
Now, here is the most important part of this exercise. Are you listening?!
Take out your calendar, and schedule in these items! You need to do, at a minimum, one of the items on your list EVERY MONTH! And even better if you can do one of your list items EVERY WEEK! You will feel happier, relaxed, more content, you'll be more fun to be around. You will be living your version of “the good life”, and it doesn’t have to cost you tons of money! For instance, one of the items on my list is adventures with my family. This could simply be taking the kids on an adventure to a new sledding hill and sledding with them! Cost = $0!
After you have scheduled your happy list items into your calendar, tell your spouse/friend/mom/aunt/crazy cousin Carol, someone! Just tell someone about your good life items, and how important these things are to your well being. Ask them to hold you accountable to keeping the “appointments” you have made in your calendar to do your list items. Make yourself a promise, a promise to live your best life. You don’t have to keep putting off things that make you happy until you save a certain amount of money, or hit a certain level in your company, or until you’ve lost 5 pounds, or whatever silly excuse we make to ourselves. You are important. You are worthy of happiness. You are worthy of “living the good life” NOW!
That’s it! Go do it! If you feel so inclined, I’d love to hear the things that have made it on your “good life” list.
Stay Wild, my friends! xoxo - Chrystal
