La Bella Vita

And why you can achieve it anywhere.

I love the concept of a simple, happy life.

Duh, I hear you think. I know; don’t we all?

But hear me out — la petite vie, la dolce vita, the good life — is as easy to achieve as it is difficult.

The simple life begins with your thoughts, your attitude, your habits; and it ends with your perception.

La bella vita is a feeling we chase when we take our yearly vacation or when we crave a foreign adventure. It’s the escapism we long for without realizing that the very desires we crave can be found in the exact location where we are already situated…because it lives within us at all times.

You can chase every corner of the globe, wishing to settle in anew and start fresh by hoping that elsewhere will bring you the same joy you can’t seem to find where you are right now.

Except la petite vie isn’t a place, it’s a feeling — and solely you are the creator of that feeling.

What daily simplicities bring you pleasure?

Which sensations are your favorite?

Where in your life can you sprinkle more of the smallest joys?

How can you continuously recreate those feelings?

Imagine – just doing your own little thing. Waking up in the morning, unbothered by the Earth’s decision to deliver clouds, sun, rain, or snow. Brewing an espresso, then crafting a latte. Or maybe you choose to pick one up this morning — sometimes it just tastes better because someone else makes it.

If today is a workday, from home or otherwise, you put on the clothes you picked out the night before with the excitement you had for what today has to offer.

The commute is the same, maybe even a little mundane. Work is…work. But you find beauty in something every, single time. Maybe this morning, it's the way the clouds are shaped or how the birds sing. The pleasure is simple.

The pitter-patter of rain on the cement is a soothing heart balm as you walk to do your errands — you live close enough to do so. You voyage your groceries back home in your arms, because you know you don’t need more than what you can carry. Strangers and neighbors wish you a good day as they walk by. You feel safe. You smile.

Or maybe the sun is out. It’s your day off. You sit on your balcony, or maybe some grass. Maybe you’ve located an endless field, a welcoming forest, or a nearby water view location with warm sand. You bring a book, your water bottle, maybe some iced tea. You remember you packed a snack for later, a reminder of another little something you have to look forward to.

You come home early enough to cook something wholesome for yourself. Maybe tonight, you head out for a shared meal with friends in one the cute spot that steals your heart every time. Or perhaps tonight, you’ve ordered in some soul food and enjoy the comfort of the space you own.

Before the evening settles in, you have time to take a neighborhood stroll, gently moving your body and feeling the cooler evening air on your face.

Maybe this night will bring you to a gathering with friends, lubricated by good wine and warm laughter. Or maybe tonight is one of those nights — curling into a blanket with that movie you’ve seen 80 times but can’t get enough of. Maybe this is the time where your passion projects come out, sharpening your creative edge whenever the sun comes down.

Slipping into warm sheets, you remember that waiting for happiness to arrive will only chase away its arrival.

You sigh, deeply, before feeling the bliss of sleep creep up on you.

You remember the happiness you seek lies within the little things you encounter each day.

You remember that each day of living the simple life – la vita semplice – creates space for you to do big things.

Regardless of where you are.