Climbing To The Top

The other morning, I read this articlethat affirmed our motto exactly about why we’ve chosen to live our lives the way we do, contrary to the way that others expect and/or want us to live. Some of parts of the article that resonated with me most…

“When you work hard every single day and there’s only so much money left after your regular expenses, you have to make certain it’s well spent. Spend your limited funds on what science says will make you happy.”

“The trouble with things is that the happiness they provide fades quickly…”

“One of the enemies of happiness is adaptation. New things are exciting to us at first, but then we adapt to them.”

On the other hand, ‘Experiences – as fleeting as they may be – deliver more lasting happiness than things. Here’s why: experiences become a part of our identity. We are not our possessions, but we are the accumulation of everything we’ve seen, the things we’ve done, and the places we’ve been. Buying an Apple Watch isn’t going to change who you are; taking a break from work to hike the Appalachian Trail from start to finish most certainly will.”

“Our experiences are bigger part of ourselves than our material goods. We don’t compare experiences in the same way that we compare things…”

I’d much rather spend resources on experiences that will keep on giving when you reflect back, instead of spending loads of money on things that bring temporary joy. The joy and happiness that is derived from the memories of traveling or eating an amazing meal at a favorite top chef’s restaurant is priceless and continues to bring more joy as time goes on. For instance, while we were out west for business, we squeezed in a little exploring time which led us to discovering the 16th Avenue tiled steps in San Francisco. Wow, what a great discovery that was! There was an older gentleman that took to us right away as we were about to climb the stairs and he explained to us the story behind the 163 mosaic-tiled stairs and the neighborhood. Looking at the photos instantly brings up a vivid memory of our time there. I can even still feel the fresh air that caressed our faces as we reached the top of those stairs only to be rewarded with the most amazing panoramic views. There’s no fancy dress or shoes that can top the thrill of incredible experiences such as this.

Outfit: Nordstrom Jeans (similar here, here and here) |  Plaid Button Down (similar here) | Sweater (old – similar here) | Ankle Booties| Illesteva Sunglasses (similar here) | Balenciaga Bag