Maybe you’re living it right now and you are aware of it.  Quite often I see people who seems to have everything they need in order to be living the good life right this moment…but they seem unaware of it.  And so the toiling and moiling goes on with no end in sight, just this far horizon vision of a time when everything is settled and organized and fully stocked up.  But things aren’t ever static, so this far horizon vision doesn’t come. It’s like longing for the moment when all the house cleaning is done and the laundry is put away.  No sooner does that happen then some more dirty laundry goes in the hamper and a fleck of dirt settles on the floor.

There are certainly some necessary material ingredients for the good life, but many of us already have more of those than we let on…a roof to keep the rain out, walls to keep the heat in, someone to love, and something to eat.  I’m still surprised at times how little is really required. The other day, Tom and I were chopping beets from the garden to roast and put in the freezer (they’re nice that way for adding to salads and whatnot). It was probably raining and the house was warm and we were listening to music.  That was it. I knew that was the good life.  

The awareness can show up at unexpected moments.

In fact, awareness seems to be the pivot on which living the good life or not living the good life is resting.  Can we see the good life while we’re in it?  If it were true that you were living the good life right now, and you knew it, would you be different right now?  Would it change the way you acted or any of the choices you made?

I often think simpler is better…of course that’s my vision of the good life, and we all get to have our own vision.

I think it’s helpful to remember that the good life doesn’t need to be the perfect life.  The perfect life is a someday sort of fantasy, when I’m a martial arts expert and can speak 5 languages.  It can be a motivating thing to reach for, but I don’t want to spend so much time fretting about getting there that I miss all the beautiful moments that come and go right now.

So, let’s just say for a minute that you’re going to live the good life starting tomorrow (not tomorrow and then tomorrow endlessly, but really tomorrow).  What’s that look like?  Could you describe it a bit?  What you’re doing with your time, how you feel, how your family feels, what you eat (food is important in my vision of the good life), if it matters what you have or don’t have.  

I’m curious what are the first steps open to you to live that good life…starting tomorrow?

I’m curious about any steps that might be harder…and how long those might take?