Welcome to the Good Life Chronicles, where living a good life takes center stage.
I'm writing this from my parents' house, where I spend part of every summer.
Over the past few years, I've developed a new habit when I come home. I go looking for "the good stuff."
You know exactly what I mean.
Especially if you're an expat.
We all have a box somewhere.
The beautiful serving dish we bought in Italy and have been saving for the perfect occasion. The artwork waiting to be hung. The special notebook with blank pages. The Kenyan mask sitting in a basement waiting to be displayed. The expensive tea. The good clothes.
The things we love so much we've decided nobody, including ourselves, can use them.
As I get older, I've become less of a collector and more of a user of good things. Every year, something comes out of the safekeeping box and makes the trip back with me. This year: a piece of art, serving bowl, and a clock – remember those? Something that deserves to be part of life rather than stored away from it.
And it got me thinking about all the things we save.
The good outfit hanging in the wardrobe.
The bottle of something special waiting for the "right" moment.
The restaurant we've been meaning to try.
The gift we bought ourselves and never quite got around to using.
In the meanwhile, we accumulate and tell ourselves we'll enjoy them when the occasion arrives.
But one of the strange things about being human is how often we postpone enjoyment. We wait for a promotion, a birthday, a holiday, visitors from out of town, or some future version of ourselves who is apparently more deserving of life's pleasures than the person we are today. And very often, if and when those moments arrive, we’ve forgotten what it is we have and were meant to do.
Positive psychology has long shown that anticipation, savoring, and positive experiences contribute to wellbeing. Yet many of us unintentionally reduce those experiences by keeping them in reserve. We save the good things for later and end up living ordinary days surrounded by unused opportunities for joy. It's not about being "fancy", it's about celebrating what you have.
So, before summer disappears completely, I want to suggest something.
Create an occasion: plan a dinner.
Not because it's someone's birthday. Not because you've achieved something remarkable. Not because there's a reason.
Just because it's August and you're alive.
Wear the outfit you've been saving. Ask everyone else to do the same. The only rule is that it must be something they haven't worn before.
Then ask everyone to bring something they've never used and no longer need. A book, a candle, a kitchen gadget, a scarf. Exchange them around the table and let someone else enjoy them.
And while you're there, have a conversation you've never had before.
Ask about a dream someone gave up on.
A place they still want to visit.
Something they've changed their mind about.
Something they're excited about.
The point isn't the dinner, the point is to stop waiting.
A Good Life is built from ordinary days that we decide are worth elevating. The meal tastes better because we pay attention. The outfit feels special because we finally wore it. The conversation becomes memorable because we ventured somewhere new.
We spend so much time preparing for life that often, we forget to live it.
So before summer slips away completely, create that occasion.
What have you been saving for a special occasion, and what would happen if you used it this week instead?
Share it in the comments here or below depending on your platform. Remember to sign in to leave a comment.
While you’re here!
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Finally, do you work somewhere in the GCC that could use a little uplifting? See my programs for organizations here.
Have a great week and remember: Life is short. Use your nice things.
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