Are you living the good life?
What actually makes a life good?
I love an amazing wife and our four young children. We live in a home with a spacious garden. I have good friends living close by. I enjoy working to empower other people in their lives. But it’s not sunshine all the way…
It can be years between seeing some of our family members. The house needs so many repairs, both inside and out. I’ve suffered through redundancy. My health frequently limits me.
What would you say, am I living the good life? Ok, so perhaps it’s not fair to ask that question on the basis of a few context-less statements about me. So, what about your life; are you living the life you want to live?
Is your mug half empty or half full? Did you spill half your latte or manage to save half of it?
What we say and do is rooted in what we think. We’re all subjected to a barrage of stresses in our daily lives but our thinking determines the life we live in spite of these stress factors. We can’t always chose the situation we’re in, but we can decide how we will respond to it.
I read of someone setting himself a challenge that would change his thinking for the better. Every day, for one year, he would deliver a handwritten thank you note. Wow!
As I stop to think about that I fear I’m reminded of my own shortcomings. It’s easy to fire off an email of complaint when expectations are not met. Do I send as many thank you notes as complaint letters?
Perhaps a note may seem too extreme – a verbal thanks would be easier. And the more specific the better. I could start by thanking the sales assistant by name – they have it on their badge. What about a colleague’s friendly greeting when I’m feeling down?
Gratitude is contagious. Be grateful for what you have and you’ll soon find you have more to be grateful for. Before long you’ll discover you are living the good life.
