A recent trip back home and catching up with relatives who I haven't seen in decades got me thinking - 'what counts as a life well lived?' What got me thinking was seeing my relatives 20 years or so older from when I last saw them. Life flies by fast, so remember to enjoy the ride.
Health
As far as it is within our control, health should probably be our number one priority because without it, we can't enjoy anything else in life. If we're lucky to have been born healthy, hopefully we can try and stay that way by having good eating, exercise and sleep habits.
The big three take care of most things, really. And then it is avoiding danger whether it's disasters or viruses.
Relationships
There are two quotes that have stuck with me on relationships and I hope you'll find them useful too:
“When you're nearing your end of life, your only measure of success should be the number of people you want to have love you actually do love you.” - Warren Buffett
"“At the end of the day, what I cherish most are the human relationships. With the unfailing support of my wife and partner I have lived my life to the fullest. It is the friendships I made and the close family ties I nurtured that have provided me with that sense of satisfaction at a life well lived, and have made me what I am.” - Lee Kuan Yew
Human beings are social creatures and there's been recent research done showing how people who have wider and happier social networks tend to do better as they age. Conversely, those without friends or family to rely on as they age tend to do worse.
Thinking about why family or close friends drift apart, it usually isn't down to a big event, but rather due to not spending the time and effort to nurture the relationship.
Work and Money
As far as I'm aware, humans are the only creatures on earth that pay to stay alive on this planet. Money is necessary as is 'work' to make that money. But having seen people who focus solely on their work to the neglect of the health and relationships, I don't think that is a winning formula.
Don't get me wrong, some level of material comfort goes a long way but once you're past a certain point, it might be better to focus on other things. When it comes to work, the monetary compensation determines the 'dignity' of the job. Recently, there was some fuss about nurses not getting the respect they deserve in society. Nurses would get a lot more respect if they were paid like investment bankers and vice-versa.
When it comes to work, this is my personal criteria for success:
- Can it fund my lifestyle and retirement?
- Can I have the flexibility to decide what to work on?
- Can I reject people that I don't like to work with?
A lot of my frustrations with my previous line of work was down to a lack of control. When i moved into freelance development, it was a pay cut initially but with more clients along the years, i've made up for it and am definitely happier than I ever was in corporate.
Anyway, these are just some thoughts I have had over the past week. Wanted to get it down in writing before I forget. All pictures off pexels.