How we perceive our quality of life can be very different. It goes beyond the popular term mindset.
No matter how small it seems to others, we can all add life to our days rather than adding days to our lives. Nienke’s gran Emma became nearly 99 years old. Till the day she died, at least she tried to add value for herself and others by adding life qualities to her days. She had a healthy and empathic style of interest. Although her self-esteem wasn’t high based on her own opinion, she shared: with a child’s hand to guide where they don’t dare, I can move mountains and rise above myself: being at service. Sincere listening to each other fueled her well-being.
How do you live your days?
If there comes a phoenix moment in your lifetime, it can be a start to redefining the qualities of your new life. The other option is adding day by day till your last day. What is your legacy, then?
In the rat race of working life, we often forget we truly have a choice in how we design our days. If you come from a place where you don’t listen to what you need to keep up your energy to sustain, you are just a concatenation of your days.
If you take a pause and listen, what do you, really, want? What do you let be in the way to reach that? These are just some questions to contemplate.
Special thanks for the inspiration to dr Sander de Hosson, who is a real advocate for the quality of life of his patients even if there is no longer a cure possible. Care is what we all can add till the last breath.
You can read Nienke’s book, My Life with Emma, Moving Mountains in Silence to read more about Emma. Kindle $1 on Amazon