Archive for July, 2010
Appreciating the Good Life While Saving Money
Many people aspire to live the good life. But what is the good life? Can the good life be equated to having an excess of money? Is the good life living in the lap of luxury? Is appreciating the good life while saving money even possible?
While true that many people equate a good life to a life of luxury, this need not be true for everyone else. A great life is what you make of your life. If all of your basic needs are met adequately, you may say that your life is good. If you have any extras, then perhaps you may say that life could not be better.
A good life is but a matter of perspective. There is no clear and standard definition of what a great life truly is. An individual possessed of riches beyond the average Joe’s dreams may still be unhappy and discontent. Another individual living in a modest home and of modest means may feel that his life has truly been blessed. One may say that the definition of a good life is intensely personal and is rooted in a person’s psyche.
Everyone aspires to the best life possible. People work hard to be able to attain their dream of that life. This usually translates to a life of leisure and comfort. That really wouldn’t be a bad life by most people’s views.
Is this what we are going to teach our children though? That a good life is one that is based on money? That the more money one has, the happier and the better his life is?
In the never ending quest for a better life, people forget to stop and savor life. Life is a rat race and no one is switching to the slow lane. Advances in technology have made participating in the rat race so much easier. A prime example would be the Internet. The Internet has touched many aspects of people’s everyday lives, making them easier and more convenient. The Internet has something for everyone; from the agoraphobe looking for the best online deals to the young schoolgirl doing research for her homework.
Technology has made work and business so much easier. While these have become easier, they have also been made practically inescapable. No wonder that people are tired all the time. No wonder that people burn out faster and sooner every year. The constant barrage of pressure brought about by a never ending stream of work can suck all the joy out of living.
Most people have forgotten to stop and smell the roses. Simple pleasures like listening to good music at home, enjoying an afternoon walk with the family, festive family dinners have been put to the wayside. All the activities mentioned make life so much more pleasurable without a lot of expense. A good life can be had without spending a lot of money in fleeting pleasures. You can have a great life while saving money for more important issues like health and education.