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The “Good” Life

I took the course The Science of Well-being on Coursera and was told to reflect on my definition of the good life upon completion.

shelbylevine
Apr 06, 2021
Indiana University
250
The “Good” Life

I believe this course has changed my thoughts on the term the good life and on well-being. If you asked me prior to this class I would have defined the good life as a stable job, good friends, and feeling good in your body. I now see this as a much more complicated term. The good life is so much more than what your life looks like on the outside or to other people. It is how you truly feel and how you wake up feeling every single day. To me well-being means a calm and stable mind, a job that allows you to live the life you want and gives you time to do the things you enjoy. It means waking up every day fulfilled and happy even if you don't have every aspect of your life figured out. It also means not waiting for the perfect job, or perfect partner to come into your life, but rather enjoying every second of every stage of your life- even if on paper it may not look perfect to others. Living the good life means enjoying every second of your life, even the days it doesn't feel so much like a good life. It's finding the silver lining in the tough moments, and allowing the good ones to feel that much sweeter. It's not waiting for one moment to be satisfied, or to feel like when I get this- I will finally be happy- but rather finding this feeling on the daily. The good life to me is no longer that perfect job in that exciting city I once longed for. It's also no longer something that will come when I figure out my career, or finally reach that weight I have always wanted to be. It's the small moments in between, such as savoring and loving a beautiful sunny day, that feeling you have after a good workout, a good laugh with your best friend, or even something as simple as a good night sleep or a delicious cup of coffee. The biggest misconception we have is this thought that the good life will come to you when you finally figure it all out, but the reality of the matter is that the good life is happening to us every single day, and if we take this for granted any longer it will flash before us right in front of our eyes. I know I will take this new definition of living the good life with me wherever life may take me next. I vow to not wait for another thing or job or person to give my life meaning or make it "good". I will continue to find the most meaning in the little things- which in doing so is creating the good life for myself every single day.

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