Savor the Life You Have Created
Just imagine — you wake up with excitement, go through your day with clarity, and unwind in the evening with peace of mind and a dose of pleasure and extraordinary comfort. In a very succinct way, this is what living a simply luxurious life is about. What do we need to do now to enjoy this state of being each and every day?
What does a simply luxurious life mean? The answer will be different and unique for each person, just as we are different and unique individuals in this vast and amazing world, learning what is joyful, pleasurable, and lovely in our everyday routines. Below are my thoughts on what a simply luxurious life entails and how it will feel as you are living it. A simply luxurious life involves:
Knowing Yourself. You know what you need and what you want. You give to yourself with self-respect and self-compassion, and find the inner strength to successfully attain your goals.
Being Clear about What You Value. Eliminating responsibilities, activities, and relationships that do not support your primary values requires regular reassessment.
Letting Yourself Feel What You Are Feeling. Do not numb yourself when difficulties arise. When you allow your feelings to emerge, you allow yourself to move forward with clarity, compassion, and awareness.
Finding a Purpose That Aligns with Your Passions. Once you discover what enlivens you, sparks your curiosity, and fits with your talents, the world will feel brand-new in beautiful ways; you have found your direction, and that will make all other decisions far easier moving forward.
Always Learning and Remaining Curious. The universe always offers something new. Once you answer one question, two more will appear based on what you now know. Curiosity propels you toward a purpose that speaks authentically to you.
Establishing Routines That Enable Spontaneity. It sounds incongruous, but when we establish routines, we set our minds free to dance with ideas, entertain possibilities, and discover creative ways to enjoy today and tomorrow.
Traveling Regularly. Visiting other places and cultures is a must as we grow and evolve. Make your trips luxurious, with proper attention to advance planning and details for a simple and enjoyable itinerary to be savored.
Striking a Balance between Your Work and Your Personal Life. We need to determine the amounts of time we spend with work and in our private life as we explore what is most rewarding for not only ourselves but those we want to strengthen bonds with both professionally and personally.
Investing in a Healthy Social Circle. Put the focus on quality, not quantity.
Being Compassionate but Having Firm Boundaries. Knowing how much we can give to others is showing respect not only to ourselves, but to those who ask for more than we can give. Establishing boundaries communicates self-respect.
Being Open to Love. Take your time, learning from past mistakes and knowing what you can and cannot compromise on.
Maintaining a Sturdy Three-legged Stool of Health. A diet of moderation built around real food; daily, simple, enjoyable aerobic exercise, combined with strength training and stretching; and mastery of your mind — conscious decision making, positive self-talk, meditation, and a regular good night’s sleep.
Living within Your Means. Be sure that your spending includes investing in yourself. The key is to have your financial security in your complete control. Continue to educate yourself so you can take risks but also remain financially savvy.
Creating a Sanctuary, a comfortable home to wake up in each morning and fall asleep in every night. Keep it decluttered, organized, and stocked with the simple pleasures for your daily, weekly, and monthly rituals so that it is simple to maintain and a pleasure to live in.
Looking Great in a Chic, Stylish Wardrobe. This is something you can do while adhering to your budget and not letting trends and the media master you.
Allowing Room for Luxuries. Luxury can be both extraordinary and routine — think flowers, massages, facials, pedicures and manicures, entertainment, dining out, etc. Regularly plan special moments — no matter how small, and at least one each day — to celebrate or appreciate something that is going well.
What You Will Feel as You Live a Simply Luxurious Life
These are some of the emotions, mental states, spiritual conditions, and attitudes you are likely to feel when you have discovered the keys to living in simple luxury:
Contentment . . . uncertainty, which tells you to seek answers and knowledge but also to trust yourself . . . peace . . . initial doubt, followed by confidence . . . gratitude . . . excitement . . . security . . . determination . . . freedom . . . curiosity . . . a sense of being engrossed
. . . reassurance . . . calm . . . relaxation . . . delight . . . joy.
You will have the confidence to face any uncertainty. You will have the ability to appreciate where you are, what you have, and how far you have come. You will be in touch with yourself so that you understand your emotions, and that is why the negative emotions do not often rise to the surface. You may initially feel frustration or anger due to another’s actions or the outcome of a scenario that did not go your way, but you will know how to respond effectively; you will know what to let go of and will not burden yourself with unnecessary angst.
My work on my blog and on now two books is part of my attempt to understand myself and the world as a 21st-century woman who values her independence, intelligence, and femininity. I try to reach my full potential, while at the same time savoring each and every day. How fortunate I am to have the opportunity to share as I go, revealing the aha moments I experience with each challenge overcome. This simply luxurious life continues to become extraordinary beyond my wildest expectations, and I want you to experience this as well because you absolutely can.
To the casual observer, your life may not be extraordinary or magnificent. But you know the transformation you have undergone. You will feel all the feelings noted above, and you will wake up with excitement, go through your day with clarity, and unwind in the evening with peace of mind and a dose of pleasure and extraordinary comfort every single day. The simply luxurious life is worth living, and you hold all the power to make it so.
How to Turn Fairy Tales into Reality
Do not lose hope — what you seek will be found.
— Neil Gaiman
In our modern world, the mere mention of fairy tales brings to mind Disney, Prince Charming, and glass slippers. The real history of fairy tales is a ghastly one. The Brothers Grimm, along with many other authors, included in their stories considerable violence and extensive gruesome details that have been washed away in versions sanitized for children to enjoy. Did you know that one of the evil stepsisters in Cinderella cut parts of her feet off in order to fit into the glass slippers? Or that in the original French version of Little Red Riding Hood by Charles Perrault, the young girl is actually eaten by the wolf, not saved?
I share these examples not to dissuade you from fairy tales, but to help us all recognize that each of these stories that we most likely adored during childhood were extended metaphors devised to teach us life lessons — never, for example, try to be someone you are not, and do not give your trust to people who have yet to earn it. Yet such tales are not to be taken literally, which makes me wonder, what was the story of Prince Charming tale trying to teach us?
If “happily ever after” means finding a metaphorical Prince Charming, perhaps what it means is not that we should all aspire to find that one person to complete our lives. Instead, perhaps it is telling us to dare to dream grand, amazing dreams that surpass even our own expectations. A life rich with travel and endless new experiences — it can happen. A life lived as a well-paid writer, graphic designer, chef — it can happen. A life that involves owning your own boutique selling beautiful garments and accessories from independent designers — it can happen. A life of public service that leads to the Oval Office — it can happen.
Fairy tales never exclude the obstacles. There will always be evil stepmothers, a ticking clock at midnight, a queen who wants her competition destroyed. But fairy tales remind us that if we choose wisely, we can overcome.
Each of us will have our own fairy tale; in fact, you are living yours right now. It is simply a matter of redefining “fairy tale.” The way we move forward, what we work toward, who we spend our lives with, the challenges we take on and refuse to be defeated by — all come together to form our own unique fairy tale. The way you look at your life, as drudgery or a fantastic experiment, is up to you.
The gift of living a fairy tale is that so long as we define it by what we find to be worth pursuing — what brings us bliss, contentment, and fulfillment — we allow our lives to be richer. Your Prince Charming may be living life on your own terms, and if that is the case for you, as it is for me, you are already living a fairy tale.
Create Your Own Happy Ending
A bird sitting on a tree is never afraid of the branch breaking because its trust is not on the branch but on its own wings.
— Anonymous
It is easy, and quite healthy, to forget mind-sets and limiting beliefs we had as young adults and in our earlier adult years about the trajectory one’s life should follow in order to attain contentment. It is always amazing to me how quickly we can become inured to our current situation and forget the hard work, progress, and difficult decisions it took to arrive at our destination. However, with each year and life hurdle, my appreciation for the journey increases.
I am thankful that I broadened my perspective, stepped out of my comfort zone several years ago, and began to live life using my own compass and with the help of endless firsthand lessons learned from my mistakes. I by no means am mistake-free now, but thankfully, my current mistakes are different ones that continually allow me to grow and improve.
What our lives are supposed to look like is something we must all reassess. We must first understand where the conception of “happy endings” comes from. Happiness is something only each one of us can do for ourselves. To live someone else’s definition of happiness is to throw away the gift that resides in each of us that the world is waiting to be introduced to.
One popular maxim is that lessons repeat themselves until they are learned. While I have heard this before, I have always felt there was a negative aspect to the reappearance of a life lesson. It is as though we are saying, You failed, so let’s try it again. And when we look at any life situation through such a negative lens, it can be difficult to have confidence that we will be successful. But remember: Our lives are full of spirals, events, situations, and recurring lessons so that we can apply knowledge we did not have the first time around. We can only do our best at the time a lesson presents itself. When we have experienced a lesson once, we have gained new information that will enable us to do better when a similar situation arises.
I see lessons repeating themselves in a positive light. I view them as opportunities to reap the benefits we were not initially able to garner on the first go-round. Rather than viewing the second or third attempt as a punishment, why not view it as an opportunity to earn the rewards we did not receive the first time? In order to live in this dynamic fashion, we must cultivate certain habits that stimulate a continual progress that allows us to grow. Read on to consider habits that, once ingrained in your way of living, allow you to regularly grow, learn and, most importantly, flourish.
Be a Friend to Yourself. The only way to build healthy friendships is to be a friend to yourself. When you realize what you need to be healthy, safe, and content, then you can recognize how to be a better friend to someone else. Another benefit: You can more readily recognize someone who is not friend material.
Respect Yourself. Choosing to respect yourself — to discover and realize that you are worthy of being respected — is a fundamental step to creating boundaries. When we respect ourselves, we teach others how to treat us, and we create opportunities to develop stronger, healthier relationships built on mutual respect.
Create a Solid Financial Foundation. Regardless of the relationships you are stepping into — marriage, co-habitation, business venture, etc. — if you know you have your financial house in order, you will be able to stand on your own two feet should things go south. However, on the flip side, if you rely on someone else for financial support, you are giving them a certain amount of control over your life’s path. We all need freedom in order to create, to venture, and to eventually soar into our true potential. This is why it is so important to build your own financial stability.
Recognize the Lesson That Keeps Returning. Growth requires recognition. We must be able to recognize when patterns occur in our lives. When lines of communication keep breaking down or we feel we are butting our heads against a wall at work, we must take responsibility and realize the lesson that has again appeared in our lives, begging to be learned. Once we recognize it, we can fix it.
Reflect and Be Honest with Yourself. Now that we have recognized a lesson, we need to find time to self-assess. Why do I choose unavailable people? Why do I procrastinate at work? Sitting down with ourselves and being honest can initially be uncomfortable, but it lets us experience amazing aha moments.
Don’t Take It Personally. As humans, our psychology is designed to protect us, to prevent anything from causing pain. In other words, we are preconditioned to take things personally. When we fail to keep this innate reflex in check, we are letting fear run our lives. And when we let fear rule, we are giving up control. How do we not take hurtful comments or behavior personally? First, recognize that the behavior of others is a reflection of who they are, not you. Second, when certain reactions or comments cause us to bristle, often it is because we have wounds that have not yet healed. When we can understand ourselves more fully and heal ourselves, we will be far better at not taking others’ words and actions personally and better able to deal with them in a healthy and effective manner.
While on the surface, these habits may appear simple, they will take targeted, conscious focus to become habituated into your daily routine. Once they do, your spontaneous response will be positive and healthy, and will open up amazing opportunities you did not experience the first time around.
Maintaining a Simply Luxurious Life
A simple life is not seeing how little we can get by with — that’s poverty — but how efficiently we can put first things first. . . . When you’re clear about your purpose and your priorities, you can painlessly discard whatever does not support these, whether it’s clutter in your cabinets or commitments on your calendar.
— Victoria Moran
Just as one must work out regularly, eat in moderation, and visit the dentist for regular cleanings in order to maintain a healthy life, we must also put in place routine practices to ensure we are living simply luxuriously. In other words, we must dedicate ourselves to maintaining the life we have created for ourselves.
If you have already taken steps to restructure your life — creating a more simplistic approach, editing out the unnecessary, and delineating your priorities — the maintenance will be easier. However, it is only by creating a maintenance plan that we can ensure that our simply luxurious way of life will remain intact, as our lives are always changing and evolving.
Over the past two years, I have had to make conscious choices about what I can and cannot do in order to live my own simply luxurious life. While it may be frustrating to hear that choosing to live well is not a one-and-done process, the good news is if the path you have paved for yourself is in line with your values, all you need to do is check in regularly and perform a tune-up when the need arises.
I have devised a list of routines that can help keep the unnecessary to a minimum and allow you to continue to live a life of quality and contentment. I have broken down these routines into four categories: everyday living, health, wardrobe, and relationships.
Everyday Living
Organize Your E-mail Inbox. It is vital to set up your e-mail account so it does not overwhelm you and gobble up unnecessary time when you finally get around to making your way through your inbox. Put in place the appropriate blocks, create mailboxes/folders for e-mails you want to save, subscribe only to newsletters and alerts that assist you in living a more simple and luxurious life, and delete anything you no longer need.
Be Smart about Snail Mail. Removing your address from catalog mailing lists will greatly reduce the mail delivered to your door each day. Set up a system for dealing with your mail; put it somewhere you cannot ignore it, then review it regularly, and throw out what you do not need.
Set up a House-Cleaning Schedule. Keep it simple. There is no need to deep-clean your oven every week, but with regular tidying up, you can keep stress at a minimum, and you can enjoy walking across your threshold each night.
Outsource as Necessary. Consider your time as a valuable commodity. If you do not have time to mow your lawn and could use a few extra hours on the weekend to enjoy time with your family and friends or to relax, hire a service to care for your lawn. Or hire someone to regularly clean your house, if your budget allows. Do not feel guilty for protecting your time and energy.
Monthly Budget. Financial wealth is crucial for peace of mind and future success. Choose a date each month when you sit down and reconcile your income and expenses. Knowing where your money is going will help you make good decisions.
Health
Weekly Grocery Shopping. Choose a time each week or so to pick up the essentials for your upcoming meals. For example, each week I stop by my local bakery and pick up a fresh loaf of bread or a baguette, followed by a visit to a local farm stand for a dozen fresh eggs. I also pick up at my local market the fruit and vegetables, protein, and other regular items I need for breakfasts, lunches, and dinners. (A reader once asked me how I keep a baguette fresh all week when it is just me that I am cooking for. While the initial crunch and inner chewy goodness won’t be as ideal after the first day, you can easily make it last for another two to four days. Slice in half, or small enough to fit, and place in a plastic storage bag. Usually, I enjoy the baguette as is on the first day and then toast it for bruschetta the rest of the week or make sandwiches.) The key is to have a default grocery list that you follow each week and edit or add to as necessary so that you can quickly take care of this task without spending unnecessarily.
Weekly Food Prep. Nell Stephenson, the original paleoista, shared this simple trick. On Sunday or the day before your workweek begins, slice and dice all of the veggies and fruit you will be enjoying throughout the week. Place them in containers in your refrigerator. As you need the food for lunches or snacks, pull them out and you are ready to go. You have saved time and are eating healthy, as you had planned.
Fitness Routine. Respect your workout routine just as you would a meeting at work. Keep it simple, but follow it consistently. And while you can certainly mix it up, during busy weeks, when you have no time to think about what you are doing, you will be thankful for the fitness habit you have created.
Water, Water, Water. A simple trick is to go to bed with a bottle of water. Drink a healthy glassful so your body will not be dehydrated when it wakes up. When you get up, immediately drink the remaining water, as your body needs hydration after its overnight hibernation. You are giving the body what it needs and kick-starting the cleansing process.
Stock Your Pantry and Refrigerator Responsibly. One thing that used to confuse my niece and nephew was the lack of snacks in my house. I just do not have them — packaged snacks, that is. They ended up snacking on fruit instead, which they love. Keep your shelves stocked with food you should eat, not snacks that lack solid nutritional value. During moments of weakness, you may become frustrated that you do not have “cheat food” at the ready, but eventually you will eat in a balanced way, and such weak moments occur less frequently because your body is receiving the nutrients it needs.
Wardrobe
Cost per Wear. While initially it may be hard to pay a significant amount of your monthly budget for a quality pair of shoes or any essential item, in the long run you are saving yourself time and money, as you won’t have to run to the store for yet another pair of flats anytime soon. Additionally, you will reduce your stress because you can confidently walk into a meeting or interview knowing you look great.
Repair as Necessary. Whether there is a ripped seam on your favorite skirt or coat or the soles of your shoes are becoming worn, tend to your clothing keep it looking its best. By repairing rather than immediately replacing (quality clothing will continue to look great), you are saving yourself money and time.
Save and Wait. As someone who keeps my eye on favorite items as they are released in fall and spring, I also do not or cannot pay full price. So rather than visiting a site multiple times a week to see if an item goes on sale, I set a Shoptagr alert, which e-mails me immediately when a flash sale is on or the item goes on the sale list. You would be amazed at how much of my DVF wardrobe has been discovered with this alert. Money saved, style intact.
Bi-Annual Closet Analysis. A simple way to keep your closet updated and at the ready for any occasion is to perform a bi-annual closet analysis. See my detailed advice in chapter eleven.
Relationships
Weekly/Monthly Dates. For friends with busy lives, one of the easiest ways to stay caught up and enjoy each other’s company is to create a regular date. Whether it is a phone conversation, a coffee date, or a group brunch, make your relationships a priority and nurture them regularly.
Keep Stationery at the Ready. Always have stationery ready to use for any number of occasions. The best stationery is blank so that you can insert any message. A thoughtful note from a friend or neighbor shows forethought and consideration. It is a simple gesture that speaks volumes.
Quality, Quality, Quality. When it comes to any number of relationships — romantic, friendships, work — we need to be aware of our time and resources, but also of the effect any of these connections has on our energy, well-being, and sense of self-worth. So long as we nurture relationships that are healthy, our quest for a contented life is on the right track.
With simple routines set in place, we become better adept at knowing what to avoid and what to welcome into our lives. The habits we create and stick to on a daily basis help us to not waste time or energy on unnecessary stressors or triggers that take us off track.
Whenever you have a significant life change (job, move, relationship, etc.), or even at the beginning of a new season or school year, it may be a good idea to assess how each of your systems are working and adjust accordingly for even better performance. I usually sit down in August before the school year and consider which routines worked well the previous year and which did not. If they did not work well, I try to determine why and then edit as necessary. Take time regularly to check in with your life. Most likely you are doing great, so keep up the good work.
How to Live a Courageous Life
Fear is powerful. The point during our lives when we are exposed to fearful situations will determine the effect such exposure has. It is very important to raise a child in a safe home environment, but whether or not we were protected from dangers early in life, we can unlearn an irrational fear response. In other words, all of us have the capacity to be courageous. But how?
Widen Your Perspective and Look at Your Fears Objectively
Often our fears are a result of old innate survival responses. Our job is to determine which fears are rational and which are not. Rational fear would keep you from reaching for your phone while driving. But being fearful about doing something new because you do not know how it will turn out is irrational. It comes back to doing your homework, realizing that everything has to have a beginning and we all have to try something for the first time, and, regardless of the outcome, chalking up the experience to growth and lessons learned.
I have noticed that I am a fantastic storyteller, and by story, I mean an account of the doom and gloom of what will happen to my life if my risk-taking does not work out. I have to admit, however, that those stories I feared would unfold never have. I am not saying we should not consider everything that could happen and be reasonable in our approach, but we must also refuse to underestimate ourselves.
Brain science has revealed that neurologically we remain hard-wired to seek out security and survival. When we do something that may threaten our survival (our financial earnings, the roof over our heads, etc.), our minds go into alert mode and, well, panic. It is our job to understand this about ourselves, and then do the necessary homework to prepare for the change we are about to make. Will the timing ever be perfect to leap? No, there will never be a perfect time. Do your due diligence, have patience, and then attempt what you dare. What’s the worst-case scenario? What happens if you do not get exactly what you want? Allow perspective, taking yourself out of the spotlight, to help motivate you to at least try. You will be glad you did when it is all said and done.
Exercise the Fearlessness Muscle
Stepping into our fears becomes easier with practice. Each attempt becomes less fraught as we gradually build up to more significant new experiences. One example is traveling by ourselves. For many of us, it is second nature, but for others, this may be a terrifying thing to do. What if I miss my flight? What if I don’t hear the announcement? Part of our fear is rooted in the unknown. Anyone can travel by themselves, but it is experience that teaches us how. You just have to practice. If you have never traveled alone, first make a short trip to build up to traveling across the country or internationally. Practice fine-tunes our skills and calms our fears.
Choose Your True Potential and Understand Your Capabilities
Settling is always an option. When we know that things could be much worse than they are, we may choose to settle rather than striving forward toward something that has been aching inside of us. But as Arianna Huffington said, “A fear-driven life is a life not fully lived,” and I wholeheartedly agree.
While we live in a modern society with technological advancements, we still have hard-wiring in our minds that can be described as animalistic. Our instinctive urges to obtain sex, food, and security are natural responses. However, often they are responses we should not heed each time they arise if we are going to flourish in our civilized society. When we look our fears in the face and step forward toward them anyway, it is natural to be feel trepidation. Face them, and go forward knowing why you feel the way you do. That alone will give you the power to accept and successfully maneuver beyond the challenge.
Talk It Out
Our closest confidantes most likely do not hold a degree in psychology, but we share our woes and worries with them anyway, hoping they will know why something happened and what we should do. And while they can give their best advice based on their experience, really what we are accessing in such conversations is the opportunity to share, vent, and work through what is running through our minds.
Talking often proves to be the elixir to many of my fears. Our friends and family tend to have ways to help us eradicate irrational worry, allowing us to hear how absurd our worries are. When we hear ourselves saying some of our fears out loud, we often can laugh at ourselves and move forward with reassurance.
Pat Yourself on the Back
No matter how small your achievement, allow yourself a celebration. Treat yourself to a massage, a new pair of shoes, or a nice bottle of champagne. Sometimes we have to be our own cheerleaders, and if we have friends who want to join us, we should celebrate with them as well.
In many ways, the fears that pop up in our lives are a road map, a guide for where we should take our lives or at least a reminder of what we value highly. Those who take risks assure those who are timidly waiting and not acting that their fears tell them what they care most passionately about. Heed these signs, do the homework, then strive boldly in the direction that continually pops up in your mind.
None of us will ever eradicate fear from our lives, but we can learn to master it, use it to our advantage, and allow it to propel us on the road to reaching our full potential.
Face the Unknowns and Manage Stress Wisely
Often we are fearful because we do not know enough about what we are considering or what has been presented to us. What can we do? Educate ourselves. Do the homework. When we do not have to rely on ignorant, baseless platitudes and instead can rely confidently on facts, truths, and the knowledge of what we are capable of, we are in a good position to take back the power over our lives.
Our fears can increase our stress, which then turns into an ugly cycle, because our fears make us less able to be rational, and they increase tenfold. A better approach is to be preventive. Make regular exercise and meditation part of your daily or weekly routine. Will this eliminate all stress from our lives? No, but it will mitigate it, lessen it, and help us to think more clearly when events seem to have spun out of control. The key is to know when our anxiety is ratcheting up. When we can recognize this, we can avoid making rash decisions or succumbing to our fears.
Choose Courage Over Security
I can only speak for myself, but I have a feeling I am not in the minority. Part of the reason change, such as taking a leap we have never tried before, facing down a fear, or taking a risk, is daunting is because we suppose that our security — our job, our relationship, our safety, the comforts we have grown accustomed to — will evaporate if we make the courageous decision we are contemplating.
While we must respect this valid feeling, we must not choose “comfort” in a bad job, a miserable marriage, or any other unhealthy situation over the opportunity to improve our life circumstances. While we may have to stretch and ride out an uncertain and bumpy transition, it is temporary and will subside. Once it does, life will reward us for stepping into our fears rather than being ruled by them.
How to Savor Your Simply Luxurious Life
To know the mind is to know oneself. To know oneself is to discover a place of quiet confidence. To know this confidence is to be able to fearlessly express our potential.
— Andy Puddicombe
From the infancy of TSLL blog back in 2009, the premise of living simply luxuriously has always been about appreciating the powerful joy in everyday moments, cultivating a life of quality, and then expressing and sharing what we discover with the world and those around us in a way that is authentic to each of us.
Each year, my world becomes more streamlined and edited with regards to letting go of what is no longer necessary and freeing myself from what is no longer working. As I go through this process, simple, unassumingly powerful moments have much more of an effect on my appreciation each and every day.
When excesses in our life cloud our ability to focus, to live fully, and to be able to be in the moment with absolute appreciation for the life we have been cultivating for ourselves, we must wash them away. And when we do, the clear, crystalized view we are granted says that it is worth letting go of what no longer serves the life we wish to build.
Here is a list of things I do that help me savor my life and that I recommend to one and all:
Awake to gentle classical music melodies.
Challenge the mind with a daily crossword puzzle.
Cook a simple, delicious breakfast to jump-start the day.
Eagerly walk across the threshold of my home after a productive day at work.
Receive love, smiles, and kisses from loved ones.
Bask in the sunshine.
Watch the rain.
Enjoy time with Mother Nature.
Marvel at fresh flowers.
Celebrate moments of serendipity.
Have patience and see it pay off.
Drink a glass of fresh, cool water.
Listen to birds chirping in the morning.
Look forward to a day that is wide open, with no plans.
Receive unexpected thank-yous.
Send unexpected thank-yous.
Find exactly what I have been looking for.
Lose track of time doing what I love.
Detect savory deliciousness wafting from the kitchen.
Cultivate savory deliciousness by cooking with the offerings of the season.
Pour a glass of wine and have the time to enjoy it with a simple, scrumptious meal.
Unwind in a beckoning bubble bath.
Become engrossed in a newspaper or magazine article.
Sip a cup of a favorite tea or freshly ground coffee.
Allow time at the end of the day to read.
Open the page of a new book.
Close the cover of a book that broadened my mind.
Sleep deeply.
Wake to enjoy another day.
A simple everyday life such as the one outlined above offers an abundance of luxury — a realization of how magnificent our lives are regardless of superficial definitions and exterior demonstrations and “proofs” of wealth.
The fundamental purpose of living simply luxuriously is to discover what we uniquely can offer the world if only we would have the courage to shed the layers of expectation that do not align with our authentic selves. In so doing, we discover the amazing person we have the potential to become through the revelation of our strengths and the development of the skills to enhance who we innately are.
It is then that we find the quiet confidence that enables us to savor our carefully curated everydays, elevating them to the extraordinary experiences that they have the ability to be and luxuriating in them. Finally, when we are calm and centered, we free our mind and our potential to discover the ideas, dreams, and curiosities that only we can bring to fruition through our unique talents, capabilities, and passions.