Nice post! Quality of life may be hard to define, but you know it when you feel it.
I felt it often in many other countries. It’s harder for me to feel back here in the US. When I ponder why that is, I think a lot is the consumer mindset here - things over experiences. Years ago, I lived in a big, fancy house in the suburbs; now I live in a tiny studio apartment. Some friends seem to feel bad for me, that I don’t have much “stuff,” and yet I’m actually happier now! With less space to keep clean, less things to organize, less expensive overhead to pay for, I can take those long walks on the beach or hikes in the forest, and linger over a glass of wine, without feeling guilty about it. I can also take off to visit interesting places, like Portugal (albeit on a budget). Unfortunately, it’s hard to find friends who also have such freedom. They’re busy still working to pay for more stuff, and those retired are too busy mowing the lawn and getting their home repairs fixed. Might be time to get my backpack back out, and head off to faraway places again :)
I could not agree more TraveLynn. The pandemic made me admit we have too much house and yard (thankfully the yard service could continue, but not the housekeeper). I've been working on clearing everything out that adds no value to our lives. It's an embarrassing amount of stuff. Some has to be trashed (poor condition), many things are being donated and some items are being sold. It feels like a wt. off my shoulders with each load of "stuff" gone.
To your point of not having many friends that have the free time you now have, that's the same for us. Even though we're still in the burbs for now, most of our friends work a lot so it takes 4-6 weeks to plan a dinner out together. Unless it's during the holidays, we don't even visit each other's homes much. We always meet out in public. Holiday events are the exception to that rule. We don't know how much time we have left on this planet - or how long the planet will be around. We're now trying to change almost everything about our lives while there's still time to enjoy it. Honestly, just working towards the goal of having a better quality of life has given me a little more of it ;)
One of the amazing things I have learned since living here is that realtors don't work on Saturday or Sunday. A realtor in the US wouldn't have a business. It is all about a work/life balance. I love it.
I like the Eurostat definition. What you seem to describe is a kind of serenity. Let me say this about serenity - it sometimes take a lifetime to find it. It is helpful to have leisure time to recognize it when you have it. But what I like about serenity is, just like your own person, once you find it you take it with you wherever you go. So let me add this about what I know about you, Nance. QoL has everything to do with environment. In every place you have ever lived, you created a space that was a kind of sanctuary. It was always at once orderly and beautiful. But I think you often corrupted this sacred space by letting in the ugly news mongrels. No one could find serenity with the constant reminder of how miserable humanity can be. I am glad you have found a place which offers you serenity. And I can't wait to see and experience it in person!
Well written and thought out article. I agree - QoL is very hard to define, and of course is also very subjective. I like your take on it. Part of the reason our country is going to hell in a handbasket is that we measure QoL by stuff, not experiences. I so enjoyed my life when I lived overseas. I sincerely hope i will be joining you in Portugal in 2-3 years. Well, not specifically at your house, but you catch my drift ;)
Right on! We all have our own definitions and look at things with different filters and angles, but the best one is the one that gives YOU the inner peace. Yeah if they looked at the street dog poop it would be pretty low on the list😄
Nice post! Quality of life may be hard to define, but you know it when you feel it.
I felt it often in many other countries. It’s harder for me to feel back here in the US. When I ponder why that is, I think a lot is the consumer mindset here - things over experiences. Years ago, I lived in a big, fancy house in the suburbs; now I live in a tiny studio apartment. Some friends seem to feel bad for me, that I don’t have much “stuff,” and yet I’m actually happier now! With less space to keep clean, less things to organize, less expensive overhead to pay for, I can take those long walks on the beach or hikes in the forest, and linger over a glass of wine, without feeling guilty about it. I can also take off to visit interesting places, like Portugal (albeit on a budget). Unfortunately, it’s hard to find friends who also have such freedom. They’re busy still working to pay for more stuff, and those retired are too busy mowing the lawn and getting their home repairs fixed. Might be time to get my backpack back out, and head off to faraway places again :)
I could not agree more TraveLynn. The pandemic made me admit we have too much house and yard (thankfully the yard service could continue, but not the housekeeper). I've been working on clearing everything out that adds no value to our lives. It's an embarrassing amount of stuff. Some has to be trashed (poor condition), many things are being donated and some items are being sold. It feels like a wt. off my shoulders with each load of "stuff" gone.
To your point of not having many friends that have the free time you now have, that's the same for us. Even though we're still in the burbs for now, most of our friends work a lot so it takes 4-6 weeks to plan a dinner out together. Unless it's during the holidays, we don't even visit each other's homes much. We always meet out in public. Holiday events are the exception to that rule. We don't know how much time we have left on this planet - or how long the planet will be around. We're now trying to change almost everything about our lives while there's still time to enjoy it. Honestly, just working towards the goal of having a better quality of life has given me a little more of it ;)
❤️
One of the amazing things I have learned since living here is that realtors don't work on Saturday or Sunday. A realtor in the US wouldn't have a business. It is all about a work/life balance. I love it.
So true...I recall when we first arrived, I texted a realtor on a Saturday. She did respond that she would contact me on Monday. So civilized.
But I didn't...and therein lies the answer, and the quality of your life in Portugal. I get it.
Nice article, and the comments are a great complement to it. I particularly like TraveLynn's: "you know it when you feel it".
I like the Eurostat definition. What you seem to describe is a kind of serenity. Let me say this about serenity - it sometimes take a lifetime to find it. It is helpful to have leisure time to recognize it when you have it. But what I like about serenity is, just like your own person, once you find it you take it with you wherever you go. So let me add this about what I know about you, Nance. QoL has everything to do with environment. In every place you have ever lived, you created a space that was a kind of sanctuary. It was always at once orderly and beautiful. But I think you often corrupted this sacred space by letting in the ugly news mongrels. No one could find serenity with the constant reminder of how miserable humanity can be. I am glad you have found a place which offers you serenity. And I can't wait to see and experience it in person!
Very astute observation
Well written and thought out article. I agree - QoL is very hard to define, and of course is also very subjective. I like your take on it. Part of the reason our country is going to hell in a handbasket is that we measure QoL by stuff, not experiences. I so enjoyed my life when I lived overseas. I sincerely hope i will be joining you in Portugal in 2-3 years. Well, not specifically at your house, but you catch my drift ;)
I look forward to meeting you
Right on! We all have our own definitions and look at things with different filters and angles, but the best one is the one that gives YOU the inner peace. Yeah if they looked at the street dog poop it would be pretty low on the list😄