Ah, the age-old question: What does it mean to live a good life? Is it sipping on a frozen margarita on a sandy beach in the summertime? Sitting in a Barnes & Noble with a fun drink and a good book? Or maybe it’s waking up at 5 a.m. for yoga, journaling your gratitude, and blending fruit into yet another smoothie?
Let’s be honest—no one really knows. But here’s what I think:
Living a good life doesn’t mean being rich, famous, or having abs you could grate cheese on (although, if you do, I applaud you). At its core, a good life seems to be more about how you feel than what you have. It’s those little bursts of joy—like dancing terribly in your kitchen, finding money in your coat pocket, or that first sip of coffee on a groggy Monday.
A good life might include work you don’t dread, people who don’t drain you, and a sense of purpose—even if that purpose is making the perfect grilled cheese. It’s about collecting moments, not things (unless the “thing” is a waffle maker, in which case—collect away).
It’s also about balance. Sure, you could spend your days chasing productivity like it’s an Olympic sport, but if you never stop to pet that dog, say “Hi” to the cute baby, or laugh at a dumb TikTok your friends send you, are you really winning?
Maybe living a good life means permitting yourself to not always have it together. Some days you’re climbing the metaphorical mountain, and other days you’re eating snacks at the base camp—and both are perfectly fine.
A good life is unique to each of us. For some, it’s building a family or a business. For others, it’s living solo in a cabin with a bookshelf the size of a small country. There’s no universal checklist (sorry, self-help books), and that’s the beauty of it. It’s not a one-way street; it’s like the craziest interstate you’ve ever seen.
So, here’s a working theory: a good life is one where you laugh more than you cry, love more than you hate, and say yes to things that make your soul do a happy dance. And if you can throw in a few naps, a loyal friend, and a decent Wi-Fi connection? Well, that’s just the cherry on top. In the end, a good life isn’t perfect. But oh boy, it is good.