My Prescription for a Good Life

Photo by Paul Hanaoka on Unsplash

I am in a strange and unfamiliar place. It is a place of curious contentment, where everything seems to be going well. When I’ve been here in the past, I’ve always been waiting for the other shoe to drop, for some bad thing to happen. This time instead of searching for a problem that doesn’t exist, I’m going to embrace the fulfillment and capture my prescription for a good life.

1. White space

I need white space in my life. It is the space to let the unknown unfold and to embrace the discomfort of a blank canvas. It is the space that can only occur with having hours of unscheduled time in my calendar.

• White space is solitude. It’s being alone and lost within my thoughts. Eventually it leads to inspiration. It allows me to be contemplative, whether it’s getting lost in a work of fiction or creating something new.
• White space is surfing. This white space is bobbing up and down in the ocean, waiting for the next wave while watching pelicans soar and whales breach in the distance. It lets me connect to the rhythms of the ocean and get lost in the vastness. Research has shown that water can be this source of happiness for us.
• White space is rest. It’s getting 8–9 hours of sleep and the blissful feeling after a vigorous exercise session. I need the sleep. I crave the savasana and…