Welcome to the Good Life Chronicles, where living a good life takes center stage.
The Good Life can unfold anywhere: a lively street, your favorite café, your own balcony, or even a neighboring country. This week, my Good Life took me to Saudi Arabia, not on my usual work trip, but for an impromptu Formula One adventure in Jeddah.
What does Formula One have to do with living a Good Life? Everything. It's about going places, exploring new experiences, embracing adventure, and most importantly, saying yes to life. When my friend asked, “Let’s go; are you in?”, did I really need to think twice? (and by the way, everyone needs a friend like this!)
An 18-hour express tour: we landed, enjoyed a long lunch with a mutual friend, visited historic Jeddah (a UNESCO World Heritage site), then headed straight to the race. A crash on the first lap set the tone for the remaining 90 minutes, ending with spectacular fireworks right above our heads before our own race back to the airport. Sleep? That could wait. Life was happening right then.
It's easy to get stuck in routines: laundry, watering plants, gym visits, emails, and occasional outings. But routines quickly become repetitive, and when our schedules dictate our actions, they also dictate our emotions. Simply put, when you do the same things, you feel the same things. The danger isn't just boredom, it's that you stop growing and too often, without even realizing it. Suddenly, it’s Saturday at 9am again, and housecleaning is your life.
This week, challenge yourself to say yes to opportunities you'd normally overlook. Even if it’s awkward and laundry is piling up. Do the thing anyway, if only to make sure you don’t start to stagnate. Better yet, find that friend who’s always planning adventures and ask outright to be included more often. Socks can wait.
It's easy to become spectators of our own lives. We might feel active and in fact be busy, but make sure you’re busy living life and not just administrating it.
The F1 race has passed, but other events and experiences await. Get Googling and schedule them into your calendar now, while you’re thinking of it.
What's your Good Life plan for the coming week or month?
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Have a great week and remember to say YES!
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