How to create a life you don’t need to escape.
We can learn how to enjoy life daily. We should enjoy Mondays as much as we want Saturdays. It all takes a change of mindset, pursuits, or where you focus your energy.
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I enjoy the smell and taste of an espresso outdoors on a winter morning while looking over the wide-open beach and the Atlantic.
When I was living in Portugal, I used to go here many times, to the Sintra-Cascais coastline. It is one of my favourite spots, especially at this time of the year when the days are longer and sunny compared with other areas in central and northern Europe.
I can sense the changes until now. I listened to the sounds around me. Interestingly, not only the gulls were speaking. I listen to languages that make me perceive many newcomers from different parts of Europe, the USA, and the Asia Pacific.
People from Brazil and Portuguese-speaking African countries always had a connection here back in the 80s or 90s. Now it feels more global.
I have witnessed an increasing demand from digital nomads in the Lisbon region. I understand why — with its glistening river views, an incredible array of quality food, and nearby sandy beaches, Lisbon is a laidback and liveable city for some who want to feel at leisure all year around. Consequently, the cost of living has been rising since 8–7 years ago.
Lisbon is an innovative place. It has a strong growth trajectory and remains authentic. There is a lot of talent at the moment, which gives a fresh dynamic and increases the quality in diverse communities.
At the same time, there is an easygoing vibe, and it feels like you are on a relaxing break throughout the year.
I watched a documentary this week on this context and confirmed a rising level of digital nomads. The concept previously was meant to be for freelancers only, yet nowadays, the pandemic brought a lot of opportunities for a quality life here.
What I have been witnessing on the Lisbon coastline is an example of how people can work remotely for companies worldwide and live in a different country, enjoying the benefits of the country they are working for.
All the post-pandemic challenges brought a sea of opportunities on how we might reinvent our health and life. Working digitally and staying online and connected through a network brought innovative working models and a new concept of enjoying work. More accessible than in the past, we can create the lives we want — every day of the week.
It is not necessarily easy to do. But it is entirely possible. I have been crafting my life in a way it fulfills me and, therefore, is meaningful. I enjoy Monday as much as I do Saturday.
1. Stay curious.
Always stay eager to learn and challenge existing practices. Question without judgment. Have sources of inspiration. Learn to innovate your life. It is a quality we must continue to develop throughout life, considering its positive benefits. It sharpens our critical thinking as the mind constantly seeks and investigates information to understand. It makes you feel more open to innovation and empathetic.
2. Remove unnecessary bills or things from your life.
Physical possessions are a burden to us. They require time, energy, and money and always distract us from the things that matter most. It is difficult to fully appreciate how much of a burden our possessions have become until we begin to remove them. Contrary to what advertisers shout from the rooftop, more stuff will not make you happy. Quite the opposite is true. The first step in crafting the life you want is to get rid of everything you don’t need or just because is nice to have.
3. Make your work an enjoyable job where you can feel motivated and improve yourself.
Your job is what you do for money to provide shelter, clothing, and food. On the other hand, your work is what you do to contribute to others, the causes you are passionate about, and the good you wish to bring into this world. You have achieved a sweet spot in life when your work is also your job.
If not always possible, there is still the opportunity to craft a life you do not need to escape from. But it requires you to rethink the nature of your job by focusing on the good it brings into the world and recognizing how it aligns with your work purpose in other ways.
4. Focus on Relationships.
Relationships bring joy into our lives that can never be matched by income, title, or career achievements. People matter and are worth the effort. They are essential to your well-being. Nurture relations with people that bring quality and meaning to your life.
5. Manage your energy.
Managing our short and long-term top priorities is key to how you invest or waste your energy. We should craft our own life. When you live in rhythm with the year cycles and your sense of purpose, you can move through each day of your life with increasing flow. When we live in the rhythm of what we create instead of reacting through life, we perceive specific layers in life and proceed with an intention in a particular direction, no matter the challenge.
