Essential components to colour a good life
What does life mean to you?
As you dwell upon the meaning of life and the purpose behind it, like the philosophers and wise men since times immemorial, another question comes up:
What does a good life mean to you?
Most people would answer this with, “ It means having a lot of money,” or “ A good life means not having to worry about money,” or a broad “It means I can do what I want when I want,” without diving into the specifics.
Very few people go beyond the material into the holistic meaning of a good life and the answer is personal and subjective to each person, even though the following principles might be foundational for everybody.
Relationships: Man is a social animal or rather, without being sexist, human beings are social animals. We thrive on good supportive relationships, on all levels, even those of us with an introvert bent of mind and character.
Once upon a time and I daresay even today, our survival and well-being depended on belonging to a Tribe that provided us with security and safety and being able to tap into the common resources instead of having to fend for oneself in hostile environments like Jungles populated with wild-beasts. Today, we live in other kinds of environments and the wild-beasts have changed form.
Give yourself some time to think about the relationships that are part of your life and see which require to be nurtured more and which could do with a little bit of pruning for your well-being. We have all heard the saying, ‘Blood is thicker than water.’ Whether your family is related to you by blood ties or composed of amazing friends who are like your family, do everything in your power to ensure their wellbeing. See to it that you are nurturing those beautiful relationships closest to you in such a way as to strengthen bonds constantly.
When it comes to the crunch, those closest to you tend to stand by you because bound by mutual love and respect.
These are the ones who will go out of their way to look after you and you would do the same for them no matter what the price. These are the ties that stand by you, behind you and in front when required.
Roots — Culture and Traditions: We are the sum of all the parts that make us up including the family we’re born into, our roots and culture, heritage, language, traditions, costume, music, religion and/or spirituality etc. Even if sometimes these can seem to hold us back, acknowledging and respecting one’s roots is really important in giving meaning to one’s life. Look upon your roots with respect, regards and appreciation even as you embrace the new.
Connecting to Spirit or Spirituality: Whatever your beliefs may be, it is important to grow and evolve on one’s spiritual path or journey. iI does not matter whether you walk the path of religious faith or simply of faith in yourself, spirituality or connection to Source. What is important, is that you are exploring yourself and your innermost values and your connection to all that surrounds you.
Participation in life: Life wasn’t meant to be lived through a touchscreen that many are are addicted to these days. Nor is it meant to be lived from a couch or an armchair or closed in unnatural surroundings and environments with electrical lighting for most of the day. Make an effort to go out and participate in the living of it. Take more chances, go for a trip, get in a good amount of natural light, natural surroundings and fresh air and the joy of experiencing life by participating fully in it. Go out and attend a concert, take a stroll around town, go for a hike, watch your kids play with others on the playground, book yourself for live-action workshops and seminars, plan weekly lunch or dinner dates with your friends; make sure that you get out of the house and the office plenty of times during the week. Enjoy the experience of travel from time to time; it really opens up your mind!
Having a Purpose and following it passionately: Life is growth, life is passion, life is purpose and meaning in the living of itself! There are times when it is tempting and downright joyful to simply do nothing, rest, relax and recharge; however, if you are honest with yourself, those moments in which you feel most alive, fully present and connected with everything are the moments in which you are living ‘in the flow.’
Life is creative expression and we are at our best when fully immersed in creating something beautiful, something meaningful, something that adds value to our life and that of others.
What else would you add to the list here as an essential component of a good life?