Live, Laugh and Love – the prescription for a Good Life!

Well hello there and welcome to Tuesday.

Today I am simply going to share with you one of my favourite quotes of all time and one that I think speaks volumes in terms of living a wonderful life. Sometimes I wonder what health benefits people would experience if this was the prescription they got when visiting a doctor?

If our focus changed to our inner world and satisfaction with life – how would that then impact upon our outer worlds, health and life experience?

If living a good and happy life was seen as prescriptive to a physically healthy life too?

So this little quote really speaks to my heart – and it goes like this.To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children

To leave the world a better place

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

RALPH WALDO EMERSON

To me this wonderful quote speaks to so many things.

First and foremost it speaks to personal joy – to laugh often and much. It reminds us not to take life too seriously and to spend our time with people and things that bring this joy and laughter into our world. To engage in activities that bring us this sense of fun and carefree happiness. To take time out of our work schedules to relax and enjoy and laugh and just be.

Next-  it reminds us to spend our time in the company of people whom we respect. Of people who bring out the best in us and who raise up us to the best we can be –  to win the respect of intelligent people. Does this mean hanging around people whom are book smart necessarily? No – I do not believe that is the point – but rather to be around people who live their lives in a way that is “intelligent” in their own unique way and genre. People who inspire you with the way they live their lives – in whatever way that may be. If you can win the respect and friendship of those people whom you admire, then it follows that you will be on your way to emulating those very qualities that are evidently important to you too. And when you are true to your own personal values, you are half way there to living a full-filled life. So go forth and win the respect and friendship of people whom you admire and respect – it is a great stepping stone to self love and self respect.

And the affection of children – to me this is a reminder to always be kind and gentle and true. To nurture those around you and take time for others. Children can spot a fake a mile away and can tell if you are genuine, so to me this says to most importantly be true to you. If children like you and respond well to you – they are responding to your kindness, compassion, nurturing, encouragement and authenticity. All great qualities to pursue in ones own life.

And then there is this - to leave the world a better place. Again – this will have different meanings for different people depending on what you find important and of value in the world. But whatever your cause is? Whatever is dear to your heart? Whatever matters to you? Work to improve that particular situation whilst you are on Planet Earth. If you are perplexed by the state of arts funding – then lobby for change and make a difference. If you wish there was less domestic violence – then join a group, donate clothes to a refuge or find another way to help. If you are distressed by the way animals are treated in some areas, volunteer at a shelter, work to bring awareness to the issue or fundraise money to bring about change. If you would like more people to be kind to each other, then make an effort to connect with people who need help each day, assist a neighbour with their shopping or wash a friend’s car for them. However you perceive the world and however you think it could be better – work towards that. It will give you a true sense of contribution and purpose.

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived – now this is a great one. This one really makes me stop to think. Have I achieved this yet? Have I made anyone breathe easier by my being on the Planet?  But more to the point it also makes me think about the reverse: are there people whose lives I have made more difficult? Are there people who breathe heavier because of me in some way? And if so – why? I find this is a great self reflective question to ask. To really ponder how you effect the lives of those around you on a day to day basis. What a great gift it is, to make someone’s life a little easier and little more pleasant……..even in the smallest of ways. Surely this on its own is a worthy cause for us all?

And  then to bring this great quote to a close we have the simple statement of:

This is to have succeeded.

And I have to say that I am in agreement with Mr Emerson.

To laugh often and much;

To win the respect of intelligent people

And the affection of children

To leave the world a better place

To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived.

This is to have succeeded.

A friend of mine’s children were recently given the task of writing an essay for school with the topic : What is Success and What is Failure?

I truly wish I had thought to share this quote with them at the time, as whether you agree or not,  it is certainly quite thought provoking and a great starting point to fashion together your own version of success.

So today – I invite you to think about success.

What will a successful life look like for you?

What do you wish to reflect upon as you are in those final moments of breath on the Planet?

A life full of gratitude?

A life fashioned by Emerson’s quote above?

A life of something else?

The choice is yours.

#DiscoverYou, #LoveYou, #BeYou

- Christine -