Chapter Content
Okay, so let's talk about this idea of an "Enough Life," right? It's all about finding your "lagom," which, basically, is having just the right amount of stuff, especially financial wealth, to live the kind of days you actually want to live. It's about hitting that sweet spot.
Now, the thing is, for a lot of us, this "Enough Life" idea? It's kind of, like, floating around in our heads, super abstract. And that’s when things get tricky. It's way too easy for our subconscious to, you know, inflate our expectations without us even realizing it. And that can really mess with our happiness and sense of fulfillment.
So, a few years back, I decided, "Alright, I'm gonna get serious about this." I wanted to avoid that whole subconscious inflation trap. I needed to make my "Enough Life" real. I wanted to pull it out of the abstract and turn it into something concrete and vivid in my mind.
And the way I did it was by asking myself some pretty specific questions. Like, things like: Where do I actually *want* to live? Is it a house, an apartment, something totally different? And what do I really, really love about that place? Am I tied to one spot, or am I more of a wanderer, wanting to live in different places?
Then I thought about who I'd be living with, you know? Am I close to my family, or do I prefer to be further away? These are all super important factors.
Next, I really dug into the day-to-day. What does a typical Tuesday look like in my "Enough Life"? What am I actually doing with my time? What am I working on? What's going through my head? You gotta get granular, really picture it.
And, of course, the material stuff. What possessions truly bring me joy? Not just, you know, the things I think I *should* want, but the things I genuinely love having around. And what am I comfortable spending money on, without feeling guilty or stressed? Where do I have that financial flexibility?
Finally, the nitty-gritty financial details. What does my financial profile look like in this "Enough Life"? How much money do I actually need to make it happen? How much of a cushion do I have? What am I earning, saving, and investing each month? And how big is that safety net that gives me peace of mind?
Seriously, sit down and write out your answers to these questions. And remember, this is totally personal. Your "Enough Life" is yours and yours alone. Don't worry about what anyone else thinks. One person's "Enough Life" might be all about having multiple luxury homes to host family and friends, while another person might just want the freedom to take a couple of family vacations each year. Like with your dharma, you know, your purpose, your "Enough Life" doesn't have to be grand or impressive. It just has to be authentically yours.
Oh, and if you're married or have a partner, this is a really cool exercise to do separately, and then compare notes. My wife and I actually made a date out of it, which was surprisingly fun!
Once you have this clear, vivid image of your "Enough Life," you can start using it as a planning tool. Think about what the gap is between where you are now and where you want to be. What are the key steps and actions you need to take to bridge that gap? What do you need to do to move closer to that reality?
Now, this isn’t a one-and-done thing. The "Enough Life" exercise is something you can revisit every few years. It’s totally normal for your definition of "enough" to evolve as you get closer to it. That's to be expected. The whole point is to make sure that upward movement is conscious and measured, not some out-of-control subconscious thing.
So, yeah, your life of lagom, your "Enough Life," is out there waiting for you. Define it, imagine it, and then get to work building it. You got this!